dr. ala's elementary education was at the dabestane nezami primary school (persian), the lazariste st. louis school (french) and the community school (english), all in tehran. he went on to begin his secondary education at harrow school near london towards the end of world war ii, which was completed at milton academy, near boston. his college under-graduate studies were at harvard university, cambridge, massachusetts, where he obtained his ba degree in history.