On Sunday November 22nd, 2015, Dr. Farideh Momend, minister of higher education of Afghanistan, as the head of a delegation consisting of vice-chancellors and Directors of the ministry, traveled to Tehran by invitation of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, met with Alzahra Chancellery and vice- Chancellery over the lunch. The Afghan delegation was accompanied by Dr. Nasir Ahmad Noor, the ambassador of Afghanistan in Tehran, International Science Cooperation Center’s representative and Deputy for Asia & Pacific Affairs’ representative.
The guests were welcomed by the Chancellor of the university, the Director of Academic Collaborations’ Office, the Vice-Chancelleries of Students, Cultural, and Research Affairs and also the deputy of Director of international Academic Collaborations’ Office in Terme Traditional Restaurant. In this meeting they negotiated over executing the content of the signed Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran and the Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan.
The Minister expressed her interest in executing the MoU signed between the ministries of higher education of two countries by sending some Afghan girl students in order to study and gain experience. They also requested the establishment of a branch of Alzahra University in Herat or Mazar-i-Sharif. The chancellor of Alzahra University declared her approval, also added: “Currently the university is able to hold training courses that are needed by the University in the above-mentioned cities. In this respect departments and faculties would be notified and both universities can benefit from the professors’ assistance.” The University also promised to help the Afghan Universities in convening scientific conferences and cultural exhibitions under the title of women and family and also realizing Afghani girls’ visit to Alzahra University for Nano Technology, Biotechnology and Women Studies.
Vice-Chancellery of Research and Technology Affairs of Alzahra University mentioned some points as the answer to the question asked by Afghan Delegation, the achievements of the University in Women Studies and the possibility of cooperation of the two universities in this sense: “The Entrepreneurship Club of Alzahra University has been established to train women entrepreneurs to self-create job opportunities for experts ad trained women in some fields as Arts, Carpets, Herbal Plants and Clinical Care.” She also mentioned that the Vice-Chancellery is ready to present the same services inn Afghan Universities.
The Afghani Guest asked about the possibility of publishing scientific papers of Afghan professors in Alzahra’s Research-Based Journals and in response some Research-Based Journals which are among Islamic World Specialist Journals, were presented and it was also reminded that the way to access them are available on Alzahra University’s Website.
At the end of the meeting the Chancellor of Alzahra University was given an Afghani handicraft of Afghanistan and she also gave some Iranian handicrafts to Afghani Guests.