According to the Public Relations Office of Iran’s Organization of Student Affairs, Dr. Saeed Habiba, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Science, Research, and Technology and the Head of the Organization of Student Affairs, stated at the 72nd meeting of the members of the National Working Group for International Student Recruitment that these meetings provide a valuable opportunity for the deputies and directors of the Ministry of Science to become more familiar with the perspectives, experiences, and concerns of universities in the field of international student recruitment.
Referring to the role of foreign students in advancing the country’s scientific and diplomatic relations, he added that the presence of even a single successful student at a university can, at times, yield far-reaching effects. Today, Iranian students, as well as foreign students educated in Iran, are working as professors and specialists in various countries—including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Afghanistan—and these individuals can serve as Iran’s scientific ambassadors.
Dr. Habiba continued: “We must not overlook Iran’s capacities and achievements through a negative lens. At the same time, we place serious emphasis on observing scientific indicators and frameworks. Science and knowledge hold a special standing and sanctity, and in recruiting international students, attention must be paid simultaneously to quantitative expansion and the preservation of quality.”
Noting that certain shortcomings exist in the performance of a number of universities, he stated that the rationale behind establishing the Working Group for International Student Recruitment is to entrust the guidance of this field to the country’s major and leading universities. “While correcting certain trends takes time, hearing the views of managers and faculty members can help accelerate this process,” he said.
Iran’s Deputy Minister of Science, Research, and Technology underscored the need to formulate unified indicators for evaluating university performance, adding that if evaluation indicators are defined by the Organization of Student Affairs and applied uniformly across universities, the resulting assessments will be more precise and reliable, whereas reliance on indicators set independently by each university may divert evaluations from their proper course.
Dr. Habiba further described educational quality as one of the principal pillars of international student recruitment, stating: “An international student must acquire the requisite knowledge and skills upon completing their program of study. It is not permissible to recruit students who do not meet educational standards merely for the sake of increasing statistics. Where academic requirements are not met, universities must act in accordance with the regulations, for the quality of graduates is the most powerful endorsement of a university’s standing.”
He added that in the matter of international student recruitment, decisions must not be swayed by non-scientific considerations or mere politeness, as the scientific credibility of Iran and its universities depends on educating students who will, in the future, be able to advance Iran’s academic ties and scientific diplomacy to the highest possible standard.
The Head of the Organization of Student Affairs, referring to the measures taken to remove administrative and financial obstacles facing international students, stated that numerous meetings have been held over recent months with the relevant bodies, including the Central Bank and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that a portion of the difficulties concerning financial affairs, banking transactions, visas, and inter-agency systems is currently being resolved.
Referring to the launch and completion of systems related to international students, he noted that establishing an inter-agency platform is a complex and time-consuming process that has faced various obstacles; however, through the persistent follow-up of colleagues at the Ministry of Science and the Organization of Student Affairs, a considerable portion of the process has been completed, and the management of the system now rests with the Organization.
Dr. Habiba added that alongside facilitating affairs, security considerations must also be observed. “Security matters must be examined with care, yet they must not become a pretext for obstructing the recruitment of qualified students. Should concerns arise regarding a particular individual, that specific case must be examined precisely, and all foreign students must not be assessed with a single sweeping judgment,” he stated.
Expressing appreciation to the members of the National Working Group for International Student Recruitment, he said that much of what has been accomplished during this period is the result of the members’ collective deliberation and dedicated follow-up. The views raised in these meetings are pursued—following review by the Organization of Student Affairs and Iran’s Minister of Science, Research, and Technology —toward resolving existing issues.
Iran’s Deputy Minister of Science, Research, and Technology stressed the continuation and seriousness of the meetings of the National Working Group for International Student Recruitment, stating that these sessions must proceed with resolve, as the decisions and proposals put forward within them can contribute to setting the proper course for the higher education system and strengthening the discourse of international student recruitment.
Dr. Habiba concluded by noting that Iran possesses valuable scientific capacities and that efforts must be made to introduce the country’s scientific capabilities to the world. “Scientific development and international student recruitment, in addition to their educational and research impacts, can reinforce the country’s scientific and cultural relations and its diplomacy,” he remarked.