The 1st Iranian – Hungarian Rectors’ Conference (IHRC), was held on 28th April 2019, Yazd, Islamic Republic of I ran. Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities, this cooperation was the initiated. Attendees of the meeting were:
From Iranian side: Acting Minister for International Scientific Cooperation and representatives of MSRT, Chancellor of University of Yazd and members of the national committee: deputies of international office and research and technology of universities of Yazd, Tabriz, Semnan, Shahid Beheshti, Shairf University of Technology, Khawrazmi, Isfahan, Tarbiat Modarres and Shahre Kord.
From the Hungarian side: director and representatives of the HRC, representatives of the Hungarian embassy, and rectors and representatives of universities of Nyíregyháza, Debrecen, Szent István, Pécs, Szeged, Semmelweis, Kaposvár, and Eötvös Loránd University, attended this meeting.
An insight into and overview of, previous social, cultural and political history of cooperation between Iran and Hungary were presented to the participants.
Moreover, attendees of this Conference, provided a substrate for future cooperation, by providing general information on their university/institution, and in the contexts of ‘exchange of experiences in internationalisations’, ‘ research systems in Iran and Hungary’, ‘higher education, innovation and technology’, followed by road map for future collaboration of Iranian and Hungarian universities.
The following points were raised and discussed in these presentations:
a. Introduction of social and academic potentials of each organisation
b. Highlighting the importance of international cooperation, for fostering networking and making the most of the existing human resources, science, innovation and economic potentials.
c. The need for having a sustainable internal and international network
d. Transferring the society from resource-based to science-based economy
e. Brining science and technology into society, in the forms of:
i. Commercialisation of research outputs
ii. Enhancing the university-industry link- technical and vocational training
f. Internationalisation of higher education, through:
i. Supporting direct collaboration amongst universities, higher education and research institutions of the two countries;
ii. Exchanging information and documentation regarding higher education systems, with a view to facilitate the mutual recognition of academic degrees and other academic qualifications awarded by their respective higher education institutions;
iii. Undertaking joint venture research projects;
iv. Holding dual and joint degree programs;
v. Exchange of scientists, students and academics;
vi. Exchange of post-graduate students for initiative short-term sabbatical leaves, where local costs (accommodation, food and internal transport) are covered by the hosts;
vii. Holding joint forum of Hungarian business companies and firms, relevant to Iranian technological necessities (regional); with the hope of enhancing entrepreneurship in Iran;
viii. Holding joint summer schools for post-graduate students at both Iranian and Hungarian universities;
7. For facilitation of future scientific international cooperation, the Iranian side announced for the Yazd University to be the point of contact (as the leading house of Iranian-Hungarian scientific cooperation), and for the Magyar Rektori Konferencia (MRK) to be the contact person of the Hungarian side.
8. The aforementioned contact points of the two sides, mutually agreed on the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding; provided the exchange of exchange of the draft of the MoU, prior to the signing of the MoU.
9. Both Sides will support and promote teaching and researching the language, literature, culture and history of the other country at their universities, in collaboration with each other. This may be facilitated through fostering the language and cultural department at universities of the two countries. The Sides will offer government scholarships to others undertaking Persian and Literature studies.
10. For strengthening and enhancing the visibility of cooperation, both sides agreed on mutually contributing towards publication of books, brochures, etc.