TEHRAN –The second Iran–Iraq Science Week will be held in the Iraqi city of Karbala in the next three months, the Iraqi cultural and academic adviser in Tehran has said.

The first Iran–Iraq Science Week was hosted by the Iranian city of Mashhad from October 9 to 12.

Scientific cooperation between Iran and Iraq should go beyond just attracting Iraqi students to Iranian universities, Yasser Adbulzahra, the Iraqi official, said, calling for furthering scientific ties between the two countries, IRIB reported.

He made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran with Mohammad-Reza Mohammadzadeh Attar, the Iranian Deputy Science, Research, and Technology Minister.

Referring to Iraqi academic delegations who are paying a visit to Iran, Abdulzahra said, Iraq is looking for Iranian delegations to visit Iraq to further confer on possible ways of expanding sci-tech cooperation.

Following the meetings in Mashhad during the first science week, many measures have been taken to implement the memorandum of understanding between the universities of the two countries, and Iraqi officials have been in touch with the Iranian Ministry of Science to follow up on the issues, Abdulzahra added.

The Iranian official, for his part, said Iranian universities that reached agreements with their Iraqi counterparts while attending Science Week in Mashhad can follow up on their cooperation by attending the second Science Week which is planned to be held in Karbala.

Emphasizing that the implementation of the memorandum of understanding is more important than signing it, Attar added that establishing a consortium of universities under the supervision of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad can be greatly helpful in implementing agreements and improving and coordinating cooperation.

Dispatching delegations to visit the universities of the two countries, signing a memorandum of understanding, holding joint scientific conferences, supervising the thesis jointly, and agreeing to conduct joint research are some of the actions taken by the two countries.

First Science Week

Hosted by Ferdowsi University, representatives of over 60 universities and educational institutions attended the event.

The scientific event aimed to develop diplomatic interactions, academic relations, and cultural exchange.

“The development of academic cooperation and the exchange of scientific knowledge and modern technologies is one of the main goals of holding this 5-day conference,” IRNA quoted Vahid Haddadi-Asl, the Iranian deputy science minister for international affairs, as saying.

He stressed the importance of exchanging experiences and expertise and formulating scientific understandings in many files, some of which relate to the environmental aspect and joint educational programs.

Mohammad Kafi, chancellor of Ferdowsi University, for his part, explained that the universities of the two countries are keen to take successful steps of joint talks and reach a vision that serves the scientific and research side between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Undersecretary for Scientific Research Affairs, Haider Abed Dahud, who headed the delegation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said that the science week between the two countries summarizes the level of understanding and coordination resulting from the agreement between the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology in the Islamic Republic of Iran and completes the dialogues that took place in Baghdad, the University of Baghdad’s website reported.

To expand and promote scientific and technological relations implement joint research projects and develop joint cooperation between the scientific and research centers of the two countries, memorandums of understanding were signed, the Iraqi news agency (INA) reported.

“The memorandums of understanding included a number of cooperation files, including research opportunities for graduates, joint supervision and development of the post-doctoral path, as well as the exchange of students between universities and mutual fellowship in various specializations, cultural, artistic and sports programs, and joint research projects, in addition to benefiting from laboratory services and logistical equipment at the universities of the two countries," INA quoted the website of the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, as saying.

The memorandums also included scientific cooperation in the field of training, and the exchange of scientific consultations related to curricula and academic courses, while it was agreed to form a committee from both parties to coordinate, follow up, and facilitate implementation procedures."

The scientific and academic centers of the two countries would hold meetings and webinars to trace, examine, and resolve the existing challenges by exchanging views.

Also, joint academic committees were formed to follow up on the implementation of the memorandums of understanding.

MT/MG