TEHRAN -- The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry plans to boost network amongst the Iranian universities in order to develop digital transformation in the country, the ICT minister said on Saturday, Mehr reported.

He made the remarks in Tehran on Saturday during the inauguration ceremony of the Amir Kabir Tower, which houses 123 startups and knowledge-based companies at the Amirkabir University of Technology.

Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said that many universities urge for Internet of Thing (IoT) centers and the ministry is reviewing their requests. 

“However we believe that the academic activities should be done as a network and all universities should cooperate with each other,” he said.

There are different parameters in the field of digital economy and each university can offer services in a specific section, he explained.

The ICT Ministry eyes the digitalization in Iran in near future, he said.

Payam Satellite ready to launch

In his speech, Azari Jahromi pointed to the remote sensing satellite, Payam, which has already manufactured by the university.

The satellite, which will be used for agriculture management, is ready to launch by the ministry, he said.

According to an agreement with the agriculture ministry, the satellite capture images for crop area in order to efficient agriculture management, he explained.

In early October, the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) Director Morteza Barari announced that three Iranian domestically-made satellites will launch into space during the current Iranian calendar year (to be ended on March 20, 2019).

He named the Dousti satellite of the Sharif University of Technology, Payam of the Amirkabir University Payam, which will be placed into the orbit at 500 kilometers above the earth’s surface.

The university also cooperate with the ICT Ministry in other fields of supercomputers, digital economy and cyber safety, he said.

He also announced that the ministry is providing Iran Digital Document, which is an official step to have a digitalized Iran.

SB/MG