Delegation from Iran Visited UrFU
A delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran headed by Consul General in Kazan Davood Mirzakhani visited Ural Federal University. The guests met with the university administration and UrFU students from Iran. The event was held in a warm and constructive ambience, becoming an important step towards the expansion of interaction between the countries in the field of humanities, culture and education.
Davoud Mirzakhani emphasized that the development of cooperation with Russia in the field of education is a priority for Iran:
"I am glad to be here today, at one of the leading universities in Russia. Our task is not only to support existing programs, but also to create new formats of interaction. We want Iranian students to have the opportunity to study and live in Russia in comfortable conditions, and Russian students to discover Iran's culture and achievements. I am sure we have a huge potential".
The Consul General also spoke about the current situation of Iranian students in Russia and expressed confidence that their number could grow significantly if the signed agreements are put into practice.
Sergey Tushin, UrFU Vice-Rector for International Relations, confirmed the university's readiness to deepen cooperation.
"We have already concluded agreements with nine universities in Iran, two of them in February alone. Now our task is to fill them with real projects. We see huge potential in engineering and technical cooperation. Iranian universities amaze with their level of development. This is an opportunity not only for exchange of students, but also for joint scientific developments," Sergey Tushin said.
The meeting focused on the problems faced by Iranian students in Russia. The issues of visa support, living conditions, recognition of diplomas and paperwork after thesis defense were touched upon. Students directly addressed the Consul with a request for assistance in visa issues for their family members.
At the meeting, a proposal was also made to organize cultural events at UrFU dedicated to Iranian traditions, such as the Yalda Night. UrFU representatives expressed their readiness to support such initiatives.
"We will gladly provide the university's venues for exhibitions, presentations, events dedicated to Iranian culture. This will not only strengthen international ties, but also give students the opportunity to feel part of a large academic family," said Pavel Smirnov, Advisor to the Vice-Rector of UrFU for International Relations.
The event ended with an exchange of souvenirs and an agreement to continue contacts in the near future. The delegation invited UrFU representatives to Iran to expand the formats of cooperation.
Eduard Nikulnikov
The news article was translated by UrFU International Marketing Office.