Memorandum of cooperation in higher education and scientific research between Iran and Syria

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Bassam Ibrahim, and the Iranian Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, Dr. Bahram Ein Allaha, signed on Wednesday in Tehran a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of higher education and scientific research. The memorandum was signed in the presence of the Syrian ambassador in Tehran, Dr. Shafiq Diop and the accompanying delegation.

The memorandum includes granting scholarships in various medical specialties, the exchange of researchers and faculty members, visits for rehabilitation and training, participation in scientific activities and medical conferences in both countries, and the benefit of research published in scientific journals.

Minister Ibrahim underlined  the importance of the memorandum in the field of higher education, scientific research in medical specializations, and scholarships offered to graduates of Syrian universities.

Ibrahim pointed out that the cooperation between the two sides in the field of health, medical education and the rehabilitation of human cadres contributed to supporting the medical and educational sector, especially during the terrorist war that Syria faced over ten years, in addition to the unjust sanctions imposed on it and the Corona pandemic.

In turn, the Iranian Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education affirmed full readiness to cooperate with the Syrian side in various fields, especially medical and educational fields.

In a related context, Ali Akbar Velayati, Chief Trustee of Islamic Azad University, stressed during his meeting with Minister Ibrahim and the accompanying delegation the importance of scientific cooperation between Syrian and Iranian universities. The two sides reviewed aspects of cooperation between the Islamic Azad University and the University of Damascus. They also emphasized on the importance of political, economic, cultural and scientific relations between the two friendly countries and peoples.

Minister Ibrahim and  Iranian President Assistant for Scientific and Technical Affairs, Sorna Stari  cast light on the need to benefit from Iranian expertise and technology in the medical and engineering fields, and reviewed aspects of cooperation in the field of nanotechnology and the subsequent steps in this regard.

The Minister and the accompanying delegation were briefed on the exhibition of equipment that adopts nanotechnology in various industrial and educational sectors

Minister Ibrahim also met with Dr. Hamid Reda Tibi, head of the University and Research Jihad Foundation, which includes dozens of research centers in the agricultural, industrial, engineering, medical and technical fields.

The Minister also met with Dr. Abdul-Hussein Shahourdi, head of a Research Institute which deals with infertility treatment services and the development of research on biology, embryonic and adult stem cells technology, cancer stem cells and umbilical cord blood stem cells. They reviewed the possibilities and areas of cooperation between these Syrian institutions, universities and research centers.

Minister Ibrahim noted the importance of these centers and the possibility of benefiting from Iranian scientific expertise and transferring it to Syria through the formation of technical and specialized committees under scientific research agreements.

The universities of Damascus and Tehran signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding that included the initial foundations for all subsequent agreements between the two parties in the field of academic disciplines.

Inas Abdulkareem