Seeking to promote scientific cooperation between the two countries, Iranian Science Minister Mansur Gholami expressed readiness for organizing ‘Iran-Switzerland Science Day’ event.

In a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday with Swiss Ambassador to Iran Markus Leitner, Gholami said holding such events paves the way for introducing scientific capabilities of the two nations to each other and can shape a bright future in scientific cooperation., Tehran Times reported.

Gholami also referred to the upcoming tour of Swiss deputy science minister to Iran in May and considered it as a “major step towards boosting scientific, educational and technological cooperation.”

Touching on the roadmap for the development of relations signed by the presidents of the two nations in February 2016, he declared Iran is “fully ready” to take the agreements into action.

Leitner, for his part, emphasized on the willingness and determination of his country’s administration to extend cooperation with Iran in many fields including science and technology. He called for determining the specific topics of future collaboration prior to the visit of Swiss scientific delegation to Iran in order to facilitate the development of related ties.

The ambassador also referred to considerable number of Iranian researchers and professors living in Switzerland and regarded them as invaluable channels for boosting the scientific collaborations.

Special consortium to facilitate co-op

A consortium comprising top universities of Iran has been established to develop a special roadmap for boosting Iran-Switzerland scientific cooperation and Isfahan University of Technology has been chosen to be the Leading House in Iran for Scientific cooperation between the two countries, said Hossein Salar Amoli, deputy science minister for international affairs.

Current level of scientific cooperation between the two nations is far from their true potential, he said, adding that stronger determination and more definite plans are needed in this regard.

Exchanging of professors and students to provide research opportunities and holding short-term training courses, carrying out joint research projects and establishing joint field of study, faculties and universities were among topics that Amoli expressed interest for cooperation.

In this meeting, Dr. Mahmoud Modares Hashemi, head of the Isfahan University of Technology, and the head of the Iran-Switzerland Scientific Cooperation Leading House, also presented a report on the activities undertaken at the university to develop cooperation and scientific communication with the Swiss universities, and to launch the Swiss Desk at the University Isfahan Industrial Co. announced.

According to him, the purpose of this leading house is to transfer experience and coordination between different universities of Iran to create coherence and integrity in the program for the development of scientific and technological cooperation with Swiss universities.