Ata Hoodashtian

Senior academic leader, researcher, and international higher-education strategist with extensive
experience across Canada, Europe, Central Asia, Africa, and Asia. Former Vice-Rector of
International Affairs at Swiss UMEF University (Geneva) and Director of the Center for
Research and Development at KIMEP University. Experienced in institutional leadership,
international program development, research administration, and academic governance.
Co-founder of multiple higher-education institutions and academic initiatives across several
regions, including North America, Europe, Africa. Proven record in global partnership
development, interdisciplinary education, and curriculum design.
Author of multiple books and scholarly publications in social sciences focusing on modernity,
leadership, international relations, globalization, and Middle Eastern studies.

Trilingual: English, French, Persian

Research Fields:
Modernity; Political Leadership; Management Studies; International Relations; Global Politics;
Middle Eastern Studies.

EDUCATION
1999 Ph.D., Political Science, University of Paris VIII, Paris
1995 DEA (Post-Master), Political Science, University of Paris VIII
1994 DEA, Philosophy, University of Paris I, Sorbonne
1993 DESS, Research Methodology, University of Paris VI
1992 Master, Political Philosophy, University of Paris VIII
1989 Bachelor, Philosophy, University of Paris VIII
1988 DEUG (Associate Degree), History, University of Paris VIII
 Academic formation under leading scholars including Jacques Derrida, Jacques Rancière,
Gilles Deleuze, Jean-François Lyotard, Alain Badiou, Daniel Bensaïd, René Barbier,
Jean-Marie Vincent, René Schérer, Étienne Balibar, Bernard de Bourgois and Claude
Mossé.

 1995–1998 Assistant to Professor Alain Badiou, University of Paris VIII. Manuscripts
prepared with Cécile Vialle: Anti-philosophie de Nietzsche and Le Concept de Nature
(archived).
 Contribution to translation: Manifesto for Philosophy (Manifeste pour la Philosophie) by
Alain Badiou, translated by Norman Madarasz.

INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL ACADEMIC INITIATIVES
2025 Co-Founder, York Center for Middle East and International Studies, Toronto
https://yorkmi.ca/ (under construction).

2022 Co-Founder, Canadians for Democracy in Iran (CDI), Toronto.
https://www.cdi-org.ca/

2018 Co-Founder, Swiss UMEF University Niger, Niamey (approx. 1400 students)
https://umefuni-afrique.swiss/

2018 Co-Founder, Journal of Freedom of Thought
https://azadiandisheh.com/ (17 issues published).

2017 Co-Founder, Swiss UMEF University Joint Program with Armenian State University of
Economics, Yerevan.
https://asue.am/en/search?sq=umef, Program Director (2017–2018).

2013 Co-Founder, Iran Academia (Master’s program in Social Sciences)
https://iranacademia.com/profile/?lang=en, Chairman (2013–2015).

2006 Co-Founder, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences (EHES-ISCIU), Dakar (1200
students) https://ehes-dakar.com/, Campus Director (2006–2008).

2004 Co-Founder, College Canada (three campuses in Montreal, approx. 1000 students)
https://www.collegecanada.com/, Campus Director (2008–2014).

1997 Co-Founder, GREMA (Groupe de Recherche sur le Metissage Axiologique), Universite de
Paris VIII, department de l’Education, sous la direction de M. Rene Barbier.
 

PUBLICATION:

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BOOKS
Hoodashtian, A. (2025) Return to Modernity: China, Japan and Iran (English). Forthcoming.
Hoodashtian, A. (2022) Modern Political Leadership. Stockholm. 408 pages (Persian).
ISBN: 978-91-88653-10-9.
Hoodashtian, A. (2014) Modernity, Globalization and Iran, 2nd edition, Toronto. 230 pages
(Persian). ISBN: 9781-490533858
Hoodashtian, A. (2006) Modernity Beyond the West. Paris. 300 pages (French).
ISBN: 2-915476-09-8.
Hoodashtian, A. (2002) Modernity, Globalization and Iran. Tehran. 220 pages (Persian).
ISBN: 964-5541-82-4
Hoodashtian, A. (1980) Social and Democratic Movements in Iran. Tehran. 139 pages (Persian).

ARTICLES (SELECTION)
2026 “After The Attack.” Eurasia Review.
https://www.eurasiareview.com/07032026-after-the-attack-oped/

2026 “Transformation Of Political Leadership Models In Twenty-First Century And Question Of
Leadership Of Reza Pahlavi In Iran.”
https://www.eurasiareview.com/28022026-transformation-of-political-leadership-models-in-
twenty-first-century-and-question-of-leadership-of-reza-pahlavi-in-iran-analysis/

2025 “The Unspoken Dimensions of Mousavi’s Referendum Project.”
https://www.eurasiareview.com/08092025-the-unspoken-dimensions-of-mousavis-referendum-
project-and-the-western-alternative-oped/

2026 “Patriotism versus Deceptive Nationalism.”
https://www.eurasiareview.com/12072025-patriotism-versus-deceptive-nationalism-oped/

2025 “Breaking The Ukrainian Impasse And Rearming Europe.”
https://www.eurasiareview.com/author/ata-hoodashtian/

2023 “The Fractured Opposition to the Islamic Regime.”
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/fractured-opposition-islamic-regime

2024 ‘The Endless Theory of War to Overthrow’, Gooya News Journal.

2022 ‘Russian Full-scale War Engine: A Pathological look’, The Iran Post.

2022 ‘What kind of leadership does today's protest movement need (referring to the
Women, Life, Freedom Movement) ’?, Iran-Emrouz Journal.

2022 ‘Is democracy born from the floor of the street (On the Women, Life, Freedom
Movement)?’ Iran-Emrooz Journal

2023 ‘Russia's Conflict with the West and the Discrediting of Fukuyama and
Huntington's Theory’, Gooya News.

2021‘Edward Said and Post Colonial Discourse’, Rahavand, Los Angeles, USA.

2018 ‘Towards the 21st century: Leadership and Organization’. Prepared for the
Institute of Sociological Research (ISR), The University of Geneva.

2008 ‘De la Révolution Constitutionnelle 1905 à la Révolution Islamique 1979’ :
https://www.academia.edu/35204790/Iranian_Constitutional_Revolution_Conference_
Uiversity_of_Montreal_Feb_08&nav_from=313316c1-74db-44cb-a786-
ed2733aa59ee&rw_pos=0

2002 ‘What is Corruption’, in Central Asian Journal, KIMEP University, Issue 3,
Almaty: https://fr.scribd.com/document/106250315/What-is-Corruption

2010 ‘Une Modernité sans Occident’, Journal EurOrient, Éditions L'Harmattan, Paris, N°
28/2010.

2008 ‘Les intellectuels des années 1960-70 in Iran’, Journal EurOrient, Éditions L'Harmattan,
Paris, N° 26.

2001 ‘On Globalization’, in Central Asian Journal, KIMEP University, Issue 2, Almaty,
https://www.academia.edu/35205148/Globalization_pdf

2000 ‘Réflexion sur le métissage Structurel (Hybridity), CRISE Research Center, University
of Paris 8 : http://studylibfr.com/doc/1708445/reflexions- sur-le--metissage-structurel-

1997 ‘Interview with Professor Alain Badiou’, Journal Philosophy, University of Paris
(St.Denis). Department of Philosophy: http://www.lasca.fr/pdf/entretiens/Alain_Badiou.pdf

1998 ‘Confrontation des valeurs à l’Issue de la modernité occidentale (La question du
métissage - Hybridity)’, Gréma, Research group, Paris University (8).