Iris University
Iris University was inaugurated on February 25, 2025, turning years of prayer and preparation into a vibrant reality. As we continue in our second year, we now have over 1,000 students. Our vision builds on four pillars: faith, integrity, innovation and transparency. Through our College of Business, Administration, and Law and our College of Engineering and Exact Sciences, students choose from seven undergraduate and three master’s degree programs.
The Gospel is more than just words; it is the power to transform lives. Faith expresses itself through tangible love. When spiritual and physical needs are met, people can dream of more, and education unlocks countless opportunities for those dreams. Our vision is for students to step into their full potential in God, empowered by excellent education, and become the innovative leaders of tomorrow. We look forward to what the future holds.
Iris University Scholarship Program
One of Iris University’s highest priorities is making excellent, Christian higher education accessible to students who face significant financial barriers. To make education attainable for as many students as possible, all of our students benefit from subsidized tuition, and more than 100 students receive full scholarships through the Scholarship Fund. These scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, financial need, and strategic areas of study. As the university grows, we hope to expand the fund and provide life-changing educational opportunities to many more students.
Iris University: From Vision to Reality
Iris University began as a vision from God. In 2004, while snorkeling in the Indian Ocean, Dr. Heidi Baker sensed God calling her to start a university. Rolland and Heidi had recently moved to Pemba with a vision to bring the Gospel to Northern Mozambique. Though the idea of founding a university seemed impossible, they said yes.
Together with their team, they began by opening a first-grade program under a tree! Over the years, that small beginning grew, and we now have a preschool, primary school, and secondary school. In 2015, the first high school class graduated, and new cohorts have graduated each year since. Today, Iris schools across Mozambique educate more than 5,000 students annually, with some achieving the highest examination scores in their provinces.
After decades of prayer and perseverance, it is a great honor to provide far deeper academic opportunities at the university level in Northern Mozambique.
Our vision is for Iris University to give students an exceptional opportunity to learn and acquire valuable skills in an atmosphere saturated with the presence of God and the love of Jesus. Ministry to the poor and needy must also include a path forward into the Kingdom of God, which includes holistic education.
Our desire is to cultivate an academic environment where innovation and scientific research flourish, and where students have access to the highest quality of education, rooted and grounded in the Christian faith. The College of Business, Administration, and Law and The College of Law and Engineering and Exact Sciences train students in areas such as business, project management, computer science, and environmental engineering that will contribute toward the development of their city, region, and nation. Iris University is a strategic part of our legacy, which we hope will impact this generation and sustain those yet to come.
Mission
To awaken knowledge in citizens through excellent, integral and innovative education, guided by the Spirit of Christ.
Vision
Iris University is a globally recognized Christian university anointed by the Spirit of God, which illuminates the minds of innovative leaders with wisdom, knowledge and understanding to impact every area of society. It is a regional, national, and international institute of Higher Education marked by excellence in teaching, learning and innovative research.
“My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
– COL. 2:2-3
