TEHRAN – Daliv Shahrukh Khozhakbarovich, Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, has called for enhancing cooperation between Sharif University of Technology and the top universities of Uzbekistan.

The official made the remarks on April 22, in a meeting with Seyyed Abbas Mousavi, the chancellor of Sharif University of Technology, Mehr news agency reported.

During the meeting, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding, while highlighting the significance of sharing expertise on the science and technology park, as well as establishing a branch of Sharif University of Technology in Tashkent. 

On April 19, the Uzbek official met Farhad Yazdandoost, the head of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, calling on Iranian universities and scientific institutions to help develop technology and innovation in Uzbekistan, saying that face-to-face interaction between scientific officials is much more effective than diplomatic communications.

During the meeting, the two officials discussed the potential for developing scientific and technological collaborations between the two countries.

The official said the cooperation can be centered around sharing expertise, expanding scientific collaborations among universities’ chancellors, and joint funding in technological fields.

For his part, Yazdandoost elaborated on the country’s scientific achievements and significant growth in the number of students after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. 

Over sixty science and technology parks are operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, he said, “we’re also planning to attract some 300,000 foreign students in a five-year plan.”

The official highlighted that cooperation between the two countries can also include conducting joint research, exchanging students and professors, and holding joint sports activities for students.

Yazdandoost also invited Uzbekistan’s minister of science to participate in the second ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)–15 Dialogue Platform, which is scheduled to be hosted by Tehran.

Enhancing ties in health, education, technology

In November 2024, Uzbekistan expressed interest in enhancing cooperation with Iran in different fields, including health, education, and technology.

The country asked Iran’s health sector to provide online consultation to Uzbek professionals and establish a direct link between medical specialists of the two countries.

During a meeting held in Tehran on November 6, 2024, the head of the Organization for the Development of International Cooperation in Science and Technology, Hossein Roozbeh, and the vice president for the development of international cooperation of Uzbekistan, Fazliddin Muminov, discussed ways to expand scientific and collaborative efforts.

Expanding cooperation in the field of science, exchanging students and professors, promoting knowledge-based companies’ collaborations, participating in scientific and technological events, including technology exhibitions, and holding joint seminars, meetings, and symposia were among the most important focuses of the meeting.

Lauding Iran’s high capacities in science and knowledge-based companies, the Uzbek official said, Iran is a powerful and prominent country in the region with high and strategic capabilities in knowledge and technology. By integrating Iran’s capabilities with Uzbekistan’s capacities, the two countries will benefit from remarkable progress.

“There is a potential capacity for boosting cooperation in education, interactions among professors and academics of the two countries, and exchanging test equipment, as well as technological knowledge-based products,” he added.

Roozbeh, for his part, said there is a strong connection between the two countries in terms of history, culture, and shared identity, which lays the ground for fostering education and technological cooperation. 

MT/MG