TEHRAN –In a meeting held on Wednesday in Iraq, officials from Iran and Iraq highlighted the need to expand educational and research collaborations between the two countries.

During the meeting, the head of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s office for universities, Mostafa Rostami, and Iraqi Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Naeem Al-Aboudi, explored potential ways to foster scientific cooperation between Iranian and Iraqi universities, IRNA reported.

Stressing the significance of enhancing cooperation in higher education, Al-Aboudi expressed Iraq’s interest in utilizing Iran’s educational expertise and experiences to improve its educational system.

Rostami, for his part, underscored the central role of universities in strengthening cultural and scientific relations between the two nations.

The official voiced Iran’s readiness to share its knowledge and experiences with Iraq. Rostami went on to suggest conducting shared short-term research and educational courses for both students and professors. He further called for increasing the exchange of students and professors.

The officials also discussed ways to solve Iraqi students’ problems in Iran and improve their learning conditions.

Iran, Iraq seek to boost educational cooperation

In June, an Iraqi delegation headed by Al-Aboudi met Mohammad-Ali Zolfigol, Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, in Tehran 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.