TEHRAN – Shahid Beheshti University has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia to deepen cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) agreements.

The MOU was signed on the sidelines of the tenth meeting of the SCO Education Ministers, which took place in Minsk, Belarus, on June 16 and 17.

Accordingly, both parties will collaborate to expand network cooperation, develop and implement joint educational programs and courses, particularly at the post-graduate level.

Proposals to foster SCO scientific ties

Addressing the tenth meeting of the SCO Education Ministers, Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, put forward three proposals to enhance academic, research, and technological collaborations among the universities of the SCO member states.

“Universities are custodians of shaping the future of societies. Today, they are faced with different challenges like revising curricula, making research projects applicable, and making theses and research studies more useful to society. SCO can serve as a platform for member states to boost their academic capacities through an executive and problem-based network,” IRNA quoted Simaei-Sarraf as saying.

To promote scientific cooperation among member states, the science minister offered three proposals. The first one focused on ‘exchanging elites and scholars’. Accordingly, Iran is ready to grant 100 scholarships to post-graduate and Ph.D. students, and 10 more to post-doctoral researchers of SCO member states to do research on the real problems in the region under the supervision of professors.

The establishment of the ‘Shanghai technological and innovative universities network’ with the help of leading universities and technology parks was the second offered suggestion.  According to Simaei-Sarraf, this network would provide the ground for commercializing scientific achievements and strengthening connections between universities and industry. He also announced Iran’s readiness to host its secretariat.

The ‘development of a collaborative research consortium in smart management of natural resources, particularly water, artificial intelligence, and modern pharmaceutical technologies’ was the third proposal, which is expected to be an effective strategy to improve the scientific capacities of SCO member states.

The science minister went on to say that the universities are not merely the centers of education, but they should be the standard bearers of rationality, entrepreneurship, hope, and international scientific cooperation.

The top universities of Iran, with all their laboratory capacities, growth centers, and scientific capabilities, will be there to implement these programs in cooperation with the universities of the SCO member states.

Need to boost scientific cooperation

On June 10, Simaei-Sarraf and Russian Science and Higher Education Minister, Valery Falkov, reviewed strategies for developing scientific, educational, and academic cooperation between the two countries with an emphasis on expanding professor and student exchanges, strengthening research cooperation, and facilitating academic interactions.

In a telephone conversation, Simaei-Sarraf expressed hope that in-person meetings between the two sides will be held in Tehran and Moscow in the near future, IRNA reported.

He also announced the upcoming holding of a meeting of the presidents of top Iranian and Russian universities in Tehran, and considered the development of Russian language chairs in Iranian universities and Persian language chairs in Russian universities as a sign of deepening scientific and cultural ties between the two countries.

Falkov, for his part, pointed out the beginning of a new university admission period in Russia and the welcoming of Iranian students to study at the country’s universities, emphasizing the importance of providing employment opportunities and utilizing the academic potential of graduates after their return to Iran.

Referring to the decrease in the number of Russian universities approved in Iran’s evaluation system, he called for a review of the methods of evaluating and validating educational qualifications.

Simaei-Sarraf continued by emphasizing the readiness of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology to review the evaluation system of Russian universities and develop joint educational and research cooperation.

The two sides also agreed to continue cooperation on developing professor and student exchanges and expanding scientific cooperation between the universities of the two countries. The discussion ended with Simai-Sarraf and Falkov mutually emphasizing the continuation of consultations, strengthening academic cooperation, and planning for face-to-face meetings in the near future.

In December 2025, the second scientific conference between Iran and Russia was held in Moscow on Monday, with Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali; science attaché, Hadi Goudarzi, and representatives from universities and scientific institutions of the two countries in attendance.

Referring to Iran’s unique history and the civilizational commonalities between the two countries, Russian Presidential Aide Andrei Fursenko emphasized the need to strengthen cultural and academic relations between Iran and Russia, msrt.ir reported.

“The Russian government is completely ready to promote collaborations with Iran in the science and technology sectors. Russia and Iran need to rely on their capabilities in the pursuit of global development and play their historical role,” he noted.

Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Denis Sergeevich Sekirinsky, for his part, said the two nations have their own distinguished civilizations, maintaining cultural traditions and spiritual values. These historical commonalities have resulted in mutual respect and trust, as well as fostering cooperation

MT/MG