TEHRAN – Ehsan Qaboul, head of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology’s Center for International Scientific Cooperation, and Safaa Taqi Abd Nour Al-Issawi, president of Mustansiriya University, have highlighted the need to boost technological cooperation and implement previously reached agreements.

The officials met on Tuesday in Tehran and agreed to conduct joint research projects and supervise postgraduate theses focused on Iran-Iraq shared issues, including economic, social, cultural, agricultural, and industrial challenges, IRNA reported.

Both parties agreed to have an active participation in the third Iran-Iraq Science Week. Qaboul, for his part, said the Iraqi university is expected to play an effective role in the week through defining and executing practical and synergistic programs in cooperation with top Iranian universities.

Highlighting Iran’s remarkable achievements in developing infrastructures for technology and innovation ecosystems, the official voiced the country’s readiness for collaboration with Iraqi research and academic centers to produce joint technological services and products.

The proposals were well-received by the Iraqi official. He announced the university’s determination to expand ties with leading Iranian universities while highlighting the need to follow up on the implementation of these agreements in the shortest possible time.

Iraq seeks to boost scientific, academic ties with Iran

On August 6, Iraqi officials in a meeting with Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Hossein Simaei-Sarraf, have called for expanding academic, scientific, and technological cooperation with Iran.

The science minister met Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Haider Abd-Dahd Al-Rubaie, Iraq’s Minister of Health, Abdul-Hussein al-Mousawi, and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Abdul Hussein Al-Mussawi, in Baghdad, IRNA reported.

During the meeting, the two sides underscored the need to expedite the implementation of the previously signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs).

Sharing Iran’s expertise in higher education development to achieve quantitative and qualitative goals, addressing the needs of Iraq’s substantial youth population, as well as attracting genius Iraqi students, and enhancing research collaborations were among the key focuses of the talks.

Simaei-Sarraf also held a meeting with Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement leader Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim.

Underlining the extensive scientific and academic capacities of Iran and Iraq, both parties exchanged views on strategies for promoting scientific cooperation, expanding joint research collaborations, and developing academic interactions between the higher education institutions of the two countries.

In April, Simaei-Sarraf and Al-Aboudi underlined the need to boost scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries.

The officials also discussed ways to develop collaborations on artificial intelligence (AI) utilizing the capacities of the two nations, IRNA reported.

During a meeting held in Tehran on April 18, Al-Aboudi announced that the establishment of a branch of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iraq has been put on the agenda.
 
For his part, Simaei-Sarraf voiced Iran’s readiness to share the country’s scientific, research, and educational achievements with Iraq to help enhance bilateral ties.

The official said that Iranian and Iraqi students have conducted a total of 350 joint research projects so far, which needs to be improved considering the available capacities.

Referring to an upcoming Iran-Iraq science week, which is scheduled to be held in Isfahan and Fars provinces, Simaei-Sarraf said the event was delayed because of the [US-Israeli imposed] war, but it will be held at the earliest convenience.

As the two officials agreed, AI and smart education will be among the topics to be discussed during the Iran-Iraq science week. The event is expected to lay the basis for holding a joint conference on AI in the near future.

MT/MG