The 2nd National Conference on Internationalization of Research and Education in Iran with the participation of six Iranian Universities and three European Universities participating in the Consortium of the International Higher Education Project in Iran on Wednesday, 26th of September, 2018, with the presence of deputies and managers of the international scientific co-operation offices of the universities of the country. Hosted by Allameh Tabatabaei University. Dr. Parichehr Hanachi, head of International Collaboration at Alzahra University, along with two experts from the International Office of the University, Dr. Maryam Delfan, member of the Asia-Pacific Working Group at Alzahra University and the faculty member of Physical Education Faculty, and Dr. Neda Abdolvand, Associate Professor of Research and International Affairs of Social Sciences and Economics participated in this conference.
In the opening ceremony of the conference Dr. Hamid Reza Alumi Yazdi, research assistant at Allameh Tabatabaei University, spoke on the necessity and barriers of internationalization of research in Iran; he emphasized on the necessity of developing a strategic plan for the internationalization of universities and identifying priorities for the prevention of spoilage. Going budgets and facilities has been emphasized. He also highlighted the necessity of acquiring international relations skills and attracting sufficient resources for the achievement of internationally-developed universities' strategies.
Dr. Mandana Tisheyar, head of International Scientific Collaboration at Allameh Tabatabaei University, presented the results and achievements of the three-year project on the internationalization of higher education in Iran. Among the results of this project is the compilation of the Internationalization of Universities in Iran and the Adjustment of the Internationalization of Higher Education in Iran.
Dr. Yadollah Mehr Alizadeh, a member of the faculty of Shahid Chamran University of Ahwaz, was the next speaker at the opening ceremony on the reasons for the lack of economic development of Iran and its impact on the internationalization of universities to explain the negative role of public sector intervention in the economy and the lack of promotion of privatization in order to create the system of wealth based on knowledge in the country delivered a speech.
Dr. Ali Khorsandi, head of research affairs at Allameh Tabatabaei University, in his speeches on the requirements and guidelines for internationalization of higher education and research in Iran, talked about the need for knowledge of international research grant sources, updating of curriculum content and the bilingualism of higher education.
Then there was a discussion between the participants. Dr. Hanachi spoke briefly about the necessity of paying attention to the criteria of international activity among the faculty of the universities. She said all strategic planning and reform of the international structure of the universities once came up to the positive result of the collaboration of the faculty members of the universities; in fact, the actual implementers of the international cooperation programs of the universities are university professors.
Dr. Delfan also referred to the setting up of international working groups composed of professors interested in international cooperation at Alzahra University, emphasizing the need to strengthen faculty communication facilitation with overseas.
Dr. Vahedian Mazloum, a member of the faculty of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, also provided detailed explanations on the validation methods of the units between educational systems in Iran and the European Union, and the need to pay attention to the global higher education market and the possibility of passing part of the curriculum Explaining students at foreign universities with a joint degree, as well as setting up short-term courses with international certificates at universities in the country.