The International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) was launched on 14 January 2006 as a co-operative network of 10 leading, international research-intensive universities who share similar visions for higher education, in particular the education of future leaders. At the launch the presidents elected Australian National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Chubb as chairperson for 2006-2009. Professor Tan Chorh Chuan from the National University of Singapore, served as chairperson for 2009-2012. He was succeeded in 2012 by the current chairperson, Professor Dr. Ralph Eichler of ETH Zurich.
In January 2016, the University of Cape Town joined as the 11th member.
Its Presidents meet annually at a host university venue to discuss joint initiatives under the following categories:
- global education initiatives, which includes the flagship Global Summer Program;
- institutional joint networking;
- Grand Challenge, and most notably its Campus Sustainability; and,
- research initiatives.
Its members are: