TEHRAN – The regulation for promoting science and technology tourism has been compiled with the aim of introducing scientific capacities and advances to the Iranian nation.

The regulation is awaiting the government’s approval to take effect.

In terms of science production, Iran ranks first in the West Asian region and ranks 15th in the world, and the production of highly cited scientific articles in Scopus in 2021 has reached 77,351 degrees. This figure was equal to 71,971 in 2020 and 64,988 in 2019.

Also, 841 Iranian researchers are among the top one percent of most cited researchers in the world, based on the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database. 

In general, the number of highly cited Iranian researchers in the top 1% of the world has grown significantly since 2018. 

The plan aims to introduce capacities and advances in the science and technology sector.

The number of Iranian scientists on this list in 2018 was 249, which increased by 340 percent in four years, as it reached 841 in 2022.

Science and technology tourism is designed with the aim of introducing the capacities and advances of science and technology in all regions of Iran to the people, Mohammad Mahdi Zolfaqarzadeh, director of policy and planning office of Cultural and Social Affairs of the Ministry of Science, told IRNA.

When Iranian families travel to a city; apart from visiting historical monuments, natural resorts, museums, etc., they should also visit science and technology areas using the facilities considered in the regulations, he explained.

This regulation must be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts and the Plan and Budget Organization, he noted.

If the progress and capabilities of the country are narrated correctly, artistically, and elegantly, its function is not only to inform; Rather, it can have more effective effects, including creating hope and giving identity to elites and students, he highlighted.

The program includes the visit of university students and professors to the scientific and cultural developments achieved in the set of higher education institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Science, he added.

Iran second most innovative country in region

According to the Global Innovation Index (GII 2022) report, Iran is the second most innovative country in the Central and South Asian region and the third among low-middle income countries.

With 7 ranks of promotion compared to 2021, Iran has been ranked 53rd in the world, second in the Central and South Asian region, and third in low-middle income countries, and for the second consecutive year, the innovation development rate is higher than expected.

Science, technology advancement with knowledge-based ecosystem

Today, the country's knowledge-based ecosystem accounts for more than 3 percent of the GDP. And the figure is projected to reach 5 percent, however, the main goal is to step toward a 10 percent share in GDP, Sattari told Fars on February 13.

The share of knowledge-based companies in the country's economy has exceeded 9 quadrillion rials (about $34 billion), and since 2019, it has experienced a growth of more than 450 percent, he stated.

The knowledge-based ecosystem is a newly-emerged ecosystem but has so far been able to solve many of the country's problems.

The Innovation and Prosperity Fund affiliated with the Vice Presidency of Science and Technology has earmarked a sum of 170 trillion rials (nearly $650 million) to support knowledge-based companies over the past 4 years.

There are currently 6,263 knowledge-based companies operating in the country, offering advanced products and services in various fields of technology to domestic and foreign markets, and some of them have entered international markets, Siavash Maleki, deputy head of the Fund, stated.

The fields of aircraft maintenance, steel, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, oil, and gas are among the sectors that researchers in technology companies have engaged in, leading to import reduction.

FB/MG