Payame Noor University (PNU; Persian: Dāneŝgāhe Payāme Nur) is a large public university in Iran, with its headquarters in Tehran. Payame Noor means "the message of light" in Persian. As of 2020, PNU has 502 campuses, which are included in Iran and globally in Dubai, Paris, Tbilisi, Baku, Erbil, Milan, and Dushanbe. PNU was established in 1988, after having integrated the University of Abu Rayhan al-Biruni and Iran Free University. PNU took its first intake in five degree programs at 28 study centers. Payame Noor University is considered to be one of the most prestigious universities of Iran taking its rightful place among the top educational institutions of the country. Despite being one of the youngest universities in Iran, Payame Noor University ranks high in international ratings. The university has held the highest record of publishing articles per student in Iran since 2013.