Iranian Iraqi universities sign MOU to foster scientific interactions
Iranian, Iraqi universities sign MOU to foster scientific interactions
TEHRAN – Mazandaran University and Iraq’s Wasit University have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand international scientific cooperation.
The director of Mazandaran University’s department for international scientific cooperation, Amir-Mansour Tehranchian, and the chancellor of Wasit University, Abbas Lafta Al-Aqabi, signed the agreement on Monday in the city of Babolsar, Mazandaran province, IRNA reported.
On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Al-Aqabi expounded on the scientific and research capacities of Wasit University, highlighting the importance of boosting academic ties with Mazandaran University to facilitate collaborations with regional universities and to foster partnerships that facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise.
For his part, Tehranchian elaborated on the university’s accomplishments, academic staff, laboratories, educational workshops, and scientific standing. He announced Mazandaran University’s readiness for developing scientific ties, particularly joint educational courses, Persian language teaching, exchanging faculty members and researchers, conducting post-doctoral programs, jointly publishing and organizing scientific, research, technological, and cultural events.
Iraq seeks to boost scientific, academic ties with Iran
On August 6, Iraqi officials in a meeting with Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, have called for expanding academic, scientific, and technological cooperation with Iran.
The science minister met Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Haider Abd-Dahd Al-Rubaie, Iraq’s Minister of Health, Abdul-Hussein al-Mousawi, and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Abdul Hussein Al-Mussawi, in Baghdad, IRNA reported.
During the meeting, the two sides underscored the need to expedite the implementation of the previously signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs).
Sharing Iran’s expertise in higher education development to achieve quantitative and qualitative goals, addressing the needs of Iraq’s substantial youth population, as well as attracting genius Iraqi students, and enhancing research collaborations were among the key focuses of the talks.
Simaei-Sarraf also held a meeting with Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement leader Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim.
Underlining the extensive scientific and academic capacities of Iran and Iraq, both parties exchanged views on strategies for promoting scientific cooperation, expanding joint research collaborations, and developing academic interactions between the higher education institutions of the two countries.
In April, Simaei-Sarraf and Al-Aboudi underlined the need to boost scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries.
The officials also discussed ways to develop collaborations on artificial intelligence (AI) utilizing the capacities of the two nations, IRNA reported.
During a meeting held in Tehran on April 18, Al-Aboudi announced that the establishment of a branch of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iraq has been put on the agenda.
For his part, Simaei-Sarraf voiced Iran’s readiness to share the country’s scientific, research, and educational achievements with Iraq to help enhance bilateral ties.
The official said that Iranian and Iraqi students have conducted a total of 350 joint research projects so far, which needs to be improved considering the available capacities.
Referring to an upcoming Iran-Iraq science week, which is scheduled to be held in Isfahan and Fars provinces, Simaei-Sarraf said the event was delayed because of the [US-Israeli imposed] war, but it will be held at the earliest convenience.
As the two officials agreed, AI and smart education will be among the topics to be discussed during the Iran-Iraq science week. The event is expected to lay the basis for holding a joint conference on AI in the near future.
source: tehrantimes.com