Syria, Iran Signed Higher Education Cooperation Agreement

DAMASCUS, (ST)_ The Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology in Iran, signed an executive agreement in higher education, scientific research and university exchanges for the academic years 2015-2017.

The agreement was co- signed by Syrian Minister of Higher Education Dr.Amer Al-Mardini and the Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Dr. Mohammad Farhadi, based on the executive program of the cultural agreement signed between the two governments in 2009 and the two ministers talks on the sidelines of higher education ministers meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran last month.

Minister Al-Mardini underlined the importance of the agreement in contributing to the promotion of mutual cooperation in the field of higher education and scientific research to build scientific capacities and avail more scholarships for Syrian students to meet the needs of the current stage in the Syria, resulting from the unjust war, pointing to the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two countries in all fields.

The agreement encourages direct cooperation between the two countries universities and higher education establishments in order to hold twining agreements, participate in seminars and scientific conferences held by the two parties, exchange of professors, researchers and experts in the field of applied education.

The agreement states cooperation and assistance in rebuilding Syrian educational institutions and universities and secure its needs of laboratory equipment and the exchange of information and documents, and monthly and quarterly books, pamphlets,publications and magazines published by universities and research centers in both countries, and scientific, cultural and social cooperation in the framework of strengthening common objectives.

Under the agreement, the Iranian side will provide full annual 40 scholarships for PhD students, 60 master’s, 100 university degrees and 50 higher study seats, in addition to 30 scholarships for candidatesto be provided by the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

According to the agreement, the two sides stressed providing support for the Arabic and Persian languages and literatures in both countries during the implementation period of this program by sending professors, exchange of curriculum and form a committee from both sides with a mission of planning and supervising the conduct of educational cooperation and technical research, through holding annual meetings in both countries, alternately, as well as supporting the expansion of joint cooperation between university libraries in the two countries.

T. Fateh