IROICA as a network of international relations officers was established in 1997 as an activity within the "DEMETER" Socrates Thematic Network project. In 1998, IROICA became a Standing Committee within the Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA). Today IROICA has the status of a non-profit international association (as defined in the Belgian law of June 27,1921 - vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) with its own statutes. The seat of IROICA is Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. The governing body is the IROICA General Assembly which meets annually at the time of the annual conference. The Executive Committee is elected by the General Assembly.
IROICA’s main goals are to support and enhance the work of the international relations officers in the member institutions of the network by:
- Facilitating the development of international cooperation and cultivating international collaboration between the members
- Providing a pool of information about important developments in the field of international higher education
- Providing professional development for international relations staff in the field of academic international relations
- Promoting sustainability in international relations and encouraging green mobility
- Disseminating outcomes from projects implemented by members
- Providing guidance for new international staff in relation to their overall profile and their principle tasks
- Promoting international activities for undergraduate and post-graduate students, and for academic and administrative staff of our members institutions
- Increasing visibility outside Europe and facilitating cooperation with non-European Higher Education Institutions
- Supporting each other in time of crisis and emergency as an organisation
At all times IROICA promotes quality and high standing in its activities, which are guided by a spirit of openness, human rights and democracy.