Officials from Iran and Iraq stressed the importance of activating technological interaction and implementing previously reached agreements. These representatives met in Tehran on Tuesday.
During the meeting, it was decided to conduct joint research projects and supervise master's theses dedicated to common problems of Iran and Iraq, including economic, social, cultural, agricultural, and industrial challenges, according to the IRNA agency.
Both sides agreed to actively participate in the third Iran-Iraq Scientific Week. Ehsan Kabul noted that the Iraqi university should play a significant role in this week by developing and implementing practical and synergistic programs in partnership with leading Iranian universities.
Highlighting Iran's outstanding achievements in creating infrastructure for technology and innovation ecosystems, the official stated the country's readiness to cooperate with Iraqi scientific and academic centers to create joint technological products and services.
The proposed ideas were positively received by the Iraqi official, who expressed determination for the university to expand ties with major Iranian universities and emphasized the need for the prompt fulfillment of these agreements.
Previously, on August 6, Iraqi officials, during a meeting with the Minister of Science, Research, and Technology Hossein Simai-Sarraf, called for expanding scientific and academic and technological cooperation with Iran.
The Minister of Science held a meeting in Baghdad with the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Iraq, Haider Abd-Dahd Al-Rubai, the Minister of Health of Iraq Abdul Hussein Al-Musawi, and the Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Abdul Hussein Al-Musawi, according to IRNA's report.
During this meeting, both sides emphasized the need to accelerate the implementation of previously signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU).
Key topics of discussion included sharing Iran's experience in higher education development to achieve quantitative and qualitative goals, meeting the needs of Iraq's large youth population, attracting talented Iraqi students, and improving research cooperation.
Simai-Sarraf also met with the leader of the Iraqi National Wisdom Movement, Sayed Ammar Al-Hakim.
Highlighting the extensive scientific and academic potential of Iran and Iraq, the sides exchanged views on strategies for advancing scientific cooperation, expanding joint research, and developing academic interaction between the higher education institutions of the two countries.
In April, Simai-Sarraf and Al-Aboudi noted the need to increase scientific and technological cooperation between the two states.
The officials also discussed ways to develop joint work in artificial intelligence (AI), utilizing the capabilities of both nations, as reported by IRNA.
During the meeting held in Tehran on April 18, Al-Aboudi announced the inclusion of the issue of opening a branch of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iraq on the agenda.
For his part, Simai-Sarraf expressed Iran's readiness to share its scientific, research, and educational achievements with Iraq to strengthen bilateral ties.
He reported that Iranian and Iraqi students have currently conducted a total of 350 joint research projects, which requires improvement given the available opportunities.
Referring to the upcoming Iran-Iraq Scientific Week, scheduled in Isfahan and Fars provinces, Simai-Sarraf mentioned that the event was postponed due to the war imposed by the US and Israel but will be held at the earliest opportunity.
As agreed by the two officials, AI and smart education will be one of the topics discussed during the Iran-Iraq Scientific Week. This event is expected to serve as a basis for holding a joint AI conference in the near future.
