As per the report of the Office of Vice-Chancellor of Global Strategies and International Affairs at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, this meeting was held on 11 June 11, 2019, with the presence of Dr. Kordi, TUMS Vice-Chancellor for Global Strategies and International Affairs; Dr. Changizi, Dean of TUMS School of Allied Medical Sciences; Dr. Takian, the Secretary of Scientific Collaborations of the M8 Alliance of Universities; and other delegates and faculty members of different TUMS schools.

Dr. Takian presented a brief history about this alliance and stated that “eight universities and academies based in the University and Hospital of Chirita in 2009, celebrating the University's three hundred year history as a symbol of the integration between East and West Germany in medical sciences, formed the Global Consortium of the Group of Eight in Berlin.” “The M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centers, Universities and National Academies has 25 universities, academies and research centers from 6 continents and 18 countries that work for global health promotion regardless of political boundaries.” he mentioned.

Dr. Takian added that, “the proposed membership of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in the M8 Alliance was given to the Chairman of the World Health Assembly in 2017, and, after one year, TUMS became one of the twenty-four members of the M8 Alliance and the only university from the Middle East and North Africa region.” He also mentioned that the 7^th Regional Meeting of the World Health Summit was held by TUMS in May 2019 in Kish Island, Iran, calling it a great opportunity for health diplomacy in Iran. He explained that 130 participants from 47 countries were present in this international meeting and 147 invited spokespersons gave lectures in different panels of this event. He continued, “it is expected that in the next few months, four or five joint projects will be launched with the universities of this alliance and, if possible, MoUs will be signed with a number of them.”