TEHRAN – Amirkabir University of Technology and the Iraqi Institute of Technology have agreed to strengthen collaboration in the fields of mechanical and electrical engineering, energy and biomedical engineering, as well as the environment.
A delegation of Iraqi officials from Baghdad’s University of Technology visited Amirkabir University of Technology. Both sides agreed to develop joint working groups, hold joint educational courses and provide sabbaticals. IRNA reported that eminent professors from Amirkabir University will also give lectures at the scientific event to be held at Baghdad’s Technical University.
The Iraqi delegation also visited the university’s science and technology park and several knowledge-based enterprises.
Following these meetings, the two sides proposed to foster cooperation by organizing joint scientific and technological events such as auto talks, startup weekends, and idea bazaars with the participation of industrialists, professors, students, companies, and investors.
On the second day of their visit, discussions focused on establishing research centers in areas such as fine dust, energy, environment and water resources, and the need to direct cooperation towards applied and industrial projects.
The development of joint scientific bodies, the initiation of certain research activities with financial support from both sides, boosting cooperation in the biomedical field, short-term educational programs, joint sporting events, development and equipping of laboratories, and joint education, among other agreements reached.
The working group created will follow up on the agreements reached online and in person and will lay the groundwork for implementing these programs.
Iraq aims to benefit from Iran’s academic capabilities
In August, Haider Abd Dahed, Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, traveled to Iran to promote scientific ties between the two countries.
Saeed Habiba, head of the student affairs organization, welcomed the Iraqi officials to the country, Irib reported.
Dahed held a meeting with Iran’s science minister and his representative. He also visited several universities and higher education centers. Signing a memorandum of understanding with Habiba was on the agenda.
In September, Dahed said his country was interested in sending talented students to study at Iran’s top state universities.
“We are optimistic about signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to realize this goal,” IRNA quoted Dahed as saying.
Officials made the remarks at a meeting with Habiba.
Referring to the position of Iranian universities in international rankings, Dahed said that the quality of education and degrees are really important to us. Iraqi students begin majoring in the medical field, but according to the law, they must return to Iraq after a year. We would like this issue to be resolved so that Iraqi students can benefit from educational opportunities to complete their courses here in Iran.
For his part, Habiba emphasized the cultural, religious and historical commonalities between the two countries. Referring to the country’s five-year plan, officials said: “We look forward to attracting the best Iraqi students to study here, and we will not ignore their educational weaknesses, even if it means their expulsion.”
Currently, 30,000 Iraqi students are majoring in engineering and medical fields at various universities in the country. Most of them are graduate students.
Officials proposed exchanging professors and students to foster cooperation between the two countries.
On September 1, Dahed met Science Minister Hossein Simaei-Sarraf. Officials agreed to sign an MOU pursuant to which Iran will grant scholarships to top Iranian students to study in the best Iranian universities.
He also paid visits to several universities and higher education centers and had signed Mous with Shahid Beheshti University and Sharif University of Technology, Saorg.ir reported.
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