According to the Public Relations office of the Organization of Student Affairs, Dr. Abtahi, the Deputy Minister for Research at the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, spoke at the 72nd meeting (the fourth in-person session) of the members of the National Task Force for International Student Recruitment. Explaining the imperatives of scientific diplomacy, he noted: "While the economics of higher education and revenue generation through student recruitment are important, the long-term scientific benefits and the international standing of Iranian universities must not be relegated to secondary priorities."
Referring to the "soft power" functions of recruiting foreign students, he said: "The presence of international students in Iran, beyond being an educational exchange, is a capacity to strengthen scientific ties and friendships between nations. Many foreign graduates who have studied at our universities have now become scientific ambassadors for Iran in their own countries, and this must be considered the primary 'strategic advantage'."
Criticism of Ignoring Educational Standards
The Deputy Minister for Research criticized certain shortcomings in the processes of admitting and educating international students, warning: "We must not allow educational standards to be compromised for the sake of quantitative student recruitment. Witnessing cases where students have not acquired the necessary language or specialized skills after completing their studies is detrimental to Iran’s scientific credibility. It is essential that a 'centralized screening system' with rigorous criteria for both admission and output assessment be implemented across all universities."
The Necessity of Diversifying Student Nationalities
Dr. Abtahi stated that monopolizing the student recruitment market to one or two specific countries is a strategic weakness. He noted: "To achieve scientific authority, the national portfolio of international students must be diversified."
He also pointed to the scientific capabilities and intellectual potential of graduates from Central Asian countries, emphasizing the necessity of defining intelligent mechanisms for scientific interaction and recruiting the elites from these regions.
Proposal for "Technological Synergy" Courses
In another part of his speech, he proposed: "Given the significant advancements of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the fields of defense, food security, and health, we can define short-term courses for elites and top graduates from target countries. This would pave the way for familiarizing them with Iran's technological capacities and attracting them to graduate programs."
Graduate Studies: The Driver for Connecting to Global Research Networks
The Deputy Minister for Research identified recruiting PhD students as the key to connecting Iranian universities to international laboratory and research networks. He added: "If universities can attract students at the PhD level while maintaining quality standards, this can help strengthen research ties between Iran and the countries of the region."
He concluded by expressing his appreciation to the Organization of Student Affairs for organizing the welfare and educational status of international students, and emphasized the need for synergy between research and international sectors to achieve certain qualitative goals on the path toward the country's scientific authority.