The German Research Conference on the Alzahra University's International Academic Collaboration Affairs Initiative, with the aim of introducing German research institutes and scholarships for upgrading of graduate and postgraduate students' information, was held on October 24th, 2018 at Dr. Tourani Hall at Alzahra University. Dr. Saeed Balalaie, representative of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Mr. Ahmad Keshavarzi, representative of the German Institute for Academic Exchanges (DAAD), and Dr. Payam Parsizadeh, head of Scientific Diplomacy of the Vice-President of Science and Technology of the Iranian Science Foundation (Fund for the Protection of Researchers of the Country), introduced the facilities provided by the German institutions for Sponsored scientific research.
At the beginning of the conference, Dr. Parichehr Hanachi, head of International Academic Collaborations at the University, introduced the structure and policy of international cooperation of Alzahra University and the establishment of international cooperation working groups, to give a brief overview of the University's international practice; she emphasized on the policy of the Alzahra University on the implementation of international cooperation for the promotion of university education, the provision of international postgraduate scholarships including non-resident Iranian and non-Iranian scholars, increased acceptance and international students at the university, the activities of the AZFA Center of the University of Alzahra, The Pushkin Institute enumerated the Russian Graduate Certificate at Alzahra University and passed a joint PhD degree with the University of Groningen, Netherlands.
then, Dr. Balalaie lectured on the Humboldt Foundation's Exchanges and Grants to expand research and support to prominent scholars. He said: Since the founding of Humboldt Foundation (1953), 28,000 scholars from 40 countries have used scholarships, among them there are 55 Nobel Prize winners. The Foundation's scholarships are dedicated to post-graduate research and have a special chance for women. The first step to using the Humboldt Foundation Grant is to find a fellow researcher at one of the German universities or research institutes. He added that for developing countries, George Forster's scholarship is offered to graduate students for 1.5 years. From 2005 to 2017, 171 Iranian scholars have used this scholarship.
Ahmad Keshavarzi, representative of DAAD, also introduced the study of German studies to the close link between university and industry and the recruitment of graduates in the labor market, as well as the benefits of the university's academic system. He received the doctoral degree from one of the German universities and obtained a TOEFL or IELTS degree as two main prerequisites for obtaining a doctoral scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Institute. The institute awarded 985 scholarships to researchers in Germany last year and a total of 197 scholarships to German researchers for research in Iran. There are also six-month study opportunities for Ph.D. and three-month scholarships for other faculty members.
The next speaker was Payam Parsizadeh, the head of Scientific Diplomacy of the Vice-Presidency of Science and Technology of the Iranian Science Foundation. He introduced the Iranian Science Foundation as the supreme advocate of research in the country, which was organized in the form of working groups and within the framework of the research priorities of the country's biannual, support programs for doctoral dissertations and postdoctoral research, as well as giving incentives to non-resident Iranian scholars to return to Iran, support Research seminars with the introduction of top researchers, the definition of postgraduate international courses, presenting joint proposals with foreign research centers, as well as supporting international events at the universities of the country.
At the end of conference which was welcomed by students, faculty and researchers at Alzahra University and other universities, Speakers answered the questions of the audience. Then presents to the commemoration ceremony were donated to the guests by the International Academic Collaboration of university.