The Irish Universities’ Association (IUA) (Irish: Cumann Ollscoileanna Éireann) is the representative body of the seven Irish universities and is based at NUI offices in Merrion Square, Dublin. The IUA is a non-profit making body, in 1972 the five Heads of Irish Universities decided to establish a conference to provide a forum for joint action on matters of common concern to the universities, it was created in the late 1970s as the Conference of Heads of Irish Universities (CHIU) (Irish: Comhghairm Cheannairí Ollscoileanna Éireann) and was formally incorporated in 1997 with charitable status and adopted its current name in 2005.
The mission of the IUA is to collectively formulate and pursue policies which advance education and research in the universities of the Republic of Ireland. The IUA Council consists of the presidents/provosts of each college and in addition there are five standing groups, viz; Financial, Research, Registrar, HR and Secretaries. The IUA periodically issues reports and reviews in pursuit of its policies.
The IUA is a "Collective Full Member" of the European University Association.
Members of the IUA
The initial members of the CHIU were the former University Colleges of Dublin, Cork and Galway, the then St Patrick's College, Maynooth and Trinity College, Dublin. On gaining university status DCU and UL joined in 1990.