TEHRAN –An Iraqi delegation headed by Naeem Al-Aboudi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, has met Mohammad-Ali Zolfigol, Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, in Tehran on Sunday to discuss the potential for enhancing educational cooperation.

Over the past three years, scientific and academic cooperation between Iran and Iraq has been promoted, leading to the signing of important memorandums of understanding, IRNA quoted Al-Aboudi as saying.

The Iraqi official considered the education of 100,000 Iraqi students in Iran as a great opportunity to promote cultural cooperation.

This substantial student population can play a significant role in teaching and learning respective languages and developing language exchanges, the Iraqi official added.

“Since 2003, education in Iraq has been free for students from Islamic and neighboring countries, and we are willing to grant one hundred scholarships to Iranian students,” Al-Aboudi stressed.

Zolfigol, for his part, proposed cooperation in the fields of oil and gas research, climate, and environment.

The official also suggested the establishment of a university and a joint research center; the establishment of a science and technology park in Iraq; and the teaching of Persian and Arabic languages to increase cultural communication.

Iran is also ready to accept interested Iraqi professors to complete their studies in Iran and benefit from study opportunities in the country.

Moreover, the Islamic World Science Citation Center in Shiraz can advise Iraq on international indexing of scientific and research journals, Zolfigol noted.

Al-Aboudi welcomed the proposal to set up a science and technology park in Iraq and develop scientific cooperation based on the needs of the two countries saying “We are ready to hear Iran's proposals to promote scientific cooperation between the two countries."

Iraq welcomes Iranian universities branches

On June 8, Al-Aboudi welcomed Iranian universities to open branches in Iraq.

“We are interested in boosting collaborations in areas such as artificial intelligence and nanotechnology. We also support sisterhood agreements between universities of the two countries,” Al-Aboudi said.

The official made the remarks in a meeting with the head of Iran’s Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO), Mohammad-Mehdi Imanipour.

Al-Aboudi also expressed willingness to admit Iranian students to Iraqi universities, IRNA reported.

Imanipour, for his part, highlighted the significance of enhancing educational ties and conducting joint scientific research calling it essential for making a shared future.

Supporting knowledge-based centers is one of the ways to develop science and technology in Iraq, he stressed.

The official went on to suggest boosting cooperation between the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and the Iranian Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

Iran-Iraq science week

The second Iran-Iraq science week, which was supposed to be held in Karbala, is currently postponed due to the martyrdom of late President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, alongside other officials.

The first Iran–Iraq Science Week was hosted by the Iranian city of Mashhad from October 9 to 12, 2023.

Representatives of over 60 universities and educational institutions attended the event.

Hosted by Ferdowsi University, this 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.

MT/MG