ACECR official Turkmen envoy explore avenues to beef up scitech coop

ACECR official, Turkmen envoy explore avenues to beef up sci-tech co-op

TEHRAN – Iran’s Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research (ACECR) and Turkmenistan have agreed to explore avenues for expanding scientific cooperation, following a meeting between ACECR Deputy for Research and Technology, Zahra Sheikhi, and Turkmenistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Ilyas Ghaypov.

The officials met in Tehran on Wednesday to discuss developing a memorandum of understanding to implement agreements reached in the educational and technological sectors, IRNA reported.

During the meeting, Turkmenistan’s ambassador outlined priority areas for expanding bilateral cooperation in education, science, and technology.

Ghaypov highlighted the potential for expanding bilateral cooperation through existing partnerships between Turkmenistan’s Myrat Garryyev State Medical University and Turkmen State Agricultural University and Iran’s ministries of science and health in livestock and embryology. He also identified the enrollment of Turkmen students at medical universities in the cities of Bojnord and Birjand as a significant opportunity to strengthen academic ties.

The development of cooperation in the medical sector, particularly cancer treatment, was one of the key focuses of the talks. Highlighting the country’s urgent need for advanced knowledge and equipment in medical fields, the official noted that on October 8, Turkmenistan will inaugurate the first two specialized cancer treatment centers. Ghaypov voiced the country’s interest in benefiting from the expertise and knowledge of experienced Iranian professors and physicians in these centers, proposing ACECR to hold specialized medical training courses for health staff in these centers.

The Turkmen official also called for closer cooperation between the two countries’ science and technology parks. He highlighted Khorasan Razavi and Golestan provinces as key destinations for Turkmen health tourists and urged the signing of scientific memorandums of understanding to expand cooperation in health tourism.

For her part, Sheikhi highlighted ACECR’s scientific capabilities and achievements, stressing the potential for expanded cooperation with Turkmenistan in medicine, agriculture, natural resources, medicinal plants, and education.

Sheikhi also announced ACECR’s readiness to share its technical expertise, undertake joint research projects, and contribute to the development of scientific infrastructure in Turkmenistan.

Iran prioritizes neighboring countries in science diplomacy

The current administration places a priority on fostering scientific collaborations with neighboring countries, an official with the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology said in 2025.

The high capacities of the neighboring countries, on one hand, and their need to import Iran’s science and technology, on the other hand, will lay the basis for the expansion of relations, IRNA quoted Farhad Yazdandoost as saying.

The official went on to say that since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the country has made great strides in promoting science, technology, and higher education; it has further demonstrated these accomplishments through interactions with universities around the world. A prime example of that is the Iranian scientific elites, their achievements, and status abroad.

President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration is trying to restart and promote collaborative efforts with countries where developing science is on the agenda.

Hence, scientific communication is not just limited to neighboring countries, he stated. “We are strengthening scientific and international partnerships with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.

We are also planning to develop ties with some non-neighboring countries that rely on external scientific support, and import scientific knowledge to share our expertise with them.

Cooperating with Asian leading countries in science like China and South Korea, as well as African and South American countries, will help them get familiar with Iran’s potential, which will definitely bring about favorable results,” the official noted.

MT/MG

source: tehrantimes.com