TEHRAN – Some 8,410 Iranian experts residing abroad have been invited to cooperate with the domestic industries and innovation ecosystem, IRNA reported on Thursday.

The cooperation program with Iranian specialists and entrepreneurs abroad is one of the plans designed and implemented by the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology to cooperate with Iranian elites abroad.

A program is being implemented with the aim of using the scientific and professional capacity of Iranian researchers and specialists. Over the past four years, one of the basic programs has been the creation of suitable conditions for the attraction of Iranians abroad, including specialists, elites, investors, and entrepreneurs in various businesses, but the scope is in accordance with the requirements of the time and necessities has become more widespread.

This program is being implemented with the aim of using the scientific and professional capacity of Iranian researchers and specialists and establishing relations with selected scientific, technological, and industrial centers of the country.

So far, more than 2400 Iranian expatriates have cooperated with scientific and industrial centers in the country on the path of scientific and technological development.

According to the latest statistics of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, some 8,410 requests for cooperation, 693 requests for the establishment of a knowledge-based company, 3,567 requests for lectures and workshops, 2,500 postdoctoral requests, and 400 requests for visiting professors are registered in the system.

"Employment in knowledge-based companies", "Housing loan", "Housing deposit", "Recruitment of academic staff", "Educational workshops and lectures", "Educational and research activities", "Technological activities", are among the most important support services defined under this program for Iranian experts residing abroad who wish to cooperate with educational and industrial centers of the country.

Iran has also implemented a plan to return elites from the top 100 universities in the world. Through a national model, the facilities are provided for their return by creating technology parks, innovation centers, and factories.

The plan was able to bring back 2,000 Iranian students from around the world over a three-year period.

About 500 Iranian researchers have returned home over the past four years to transfer their knowledge and expertise to the country's universities, according to the vice presidency for science and technology.

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