HSE University and University of Tehran Sign Cooperation Agreement

In early July 2024, the HSE University delegation led by Rector Nikita Anisimov visited Iran to participate in ceremonies celebrating the 90th anniversary of the University of Tehran and the 1757th anniversary of higher education in Iran. During the visit, HSE representatives signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Tehran, and discussions were held with other organisations in the Islamic Republic.

Over 3,000 people attended the anniversary celebrations in Tehran, including representatives from foreign universities from over 20 countries. The Iranian Minister of Science, Research, and Technology Mohammad Ali Zolfigol; Mr. Yan Serang, the newly appointed head of the UNESCO National Office in Tehran; and the Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf were among the attendees.

At the formal meeting of foreign delegations, HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov congratulated the University of Tehran and emphasised the importance and significance of the Russian-Iranian partnership.

‘Today, Russia and Iran share common approaches to addressing many global challenges. HSE University strives for research leadership and excellence in the global higher education arena and ranks among the world’s top 1% of universities. This cooperation is significant for the partnership between the leading universities of our countries. Russia sees Iran as one of its most important partners in the Muslim world and globally,’ said Rector Anisimov. He presented symbolic gifts from HSE University: a chess set, representing Iran’s cultural influence through the centuries, and a book called ‘Ghazals of Hafiz: Texts, Translations, and Commentaries,’ compiled by the Institute for Oriental and Classical Studies of the HSE Faculty of Humanities. Published by HSE Publishing House this year, the book includes the first translation of a significant portion of Hafiz’s ghazals.

During the anniversary celebrations, Nikita Anisimov and Seyed Mohammad Moghimi, Rector of the University of Tehran, signed an agreement on cooperation between their two educational institutions.

The cooperation agreement includes provisions for academic and student exchange programmes, the development and implementation of joint educational and research projects, conducting research collaborations, publishing joint works, participating in the preparation and submission of funding applications to relevant organisations in both countries, and more.

The University of Tehran, established in 1934, is a state research institution. Today, it is the leading, oldest, and largest university in Iran, ranking 275th globally according to the US News & World Report's Best Global Universities list, and first among Iranian universities.

HSE University has strong ties with the University of Tehran, collaborating on joint research and educational projects. Noteworthy, Dr Mahdi Sanaei, an Associate Professor at the Department of Russian Studies of the Faculty of World Studies at the University of Tehran, is an invited lecturer at the HSE School of International Regional Studies, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs. Additionally, Dr Seyedmohammad Seyedi Asl, who graduated from the University of Tehran, works as a Research Fellow at the department.

HSE Vice Rector, Head of the BRICS Expert Council–Russia, Victoria Panova, and the University of Tehran’s Vice President for International Affairs, Elham Aminzadeh, also discussed cooperation between both educational institutions. The parties expressed mutual interest in strengthening current partnership, establishing academic exchange programmes, and conducting joint research projects. The University of Tehran suggested coordinating projects between Russian and Iranian universities through the BRICS framework.

‘As part of the global majority, Russia and Iran are committed to building a better world and establishing mutually beneficial and equitable partnerships. BRICS expansion presents immense opportunities for its member countries. I am confident that we can become a successful example of the projects that can be implemented and, overall, how to collaborate in the scientific and educational fields,’ said Victoria Panova.

HSE Vice RectorVictoria Panova met with the leadership of Allameh Tabataba'i University

During the visit, HSE Vice Rector and the university delegation also met with the leadership of Allameh Tabataba'i University, the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology of Iran, and the Presidential Centre for Progress and Development of Iran (CPDI).

In talks with the Vice President for Research at Allameh Tabataba'i University, Davoud Hosseinpour, both parties expressed interest in developing student exchange programmes, launching joint research projects, and organising seminars on BRICS topics. They also discussed strengthening cooperation in Russian and Persian language studies and agreed to hold joint events on new technologies.

Allameh Tabataba’I University, established in 1957, is located in Tehran and ranks among the top ten universities in the country according to the Ministry of Education of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is a major national educational and research centre. In May 2023, HSE University signed a memorandum of understanding with Allameh Tabataba’I University for scientific cooperation in the fields of humanities and social sciences.

At the meeting between the Deputy Minister of Science, Research, and Technology of Iran, Omid Rezaei-Far, and HSE Vice Rector Victoria Panova, both parties agreed to support academic and educational exchanges between HSE and Iranian organisations, including support for HSE doctoral students specialising in the Islamic Republic. Omid Rezaei-Far emphasized this during his recent visit to HSE University on June 12, 2024. Victoria Panova suggested sending Russian language instructors to work in Iran.

HSE Vice Rector also met with the management of the Presidential Centre for Progress and Development of Iran (CPDI) to discuss BRICS cooperation in STI and joint research projects. The Head of the BRICS Expert Council–Russia also noted the participation of Iranian representatives at the BRICS Civil Forum in Moscow, which was held on July 3–4, 2024.

Courtesy of HSE website: https://www.hse.ru/en/news/940515053.html