TEHRAN – St. Petersburg State University of Russia will open a branch in the International Innovation Zone, northeast of Tehran.

The measure will be taken in line with an initiative by the cabinet of ministers to establish a branch of a foreign university in the International Innovation Zone in cooperation with Iran University of Science and Technology.

To this end, a memorandum of understanding was signed on Monday by the representatives of Pardis Technology Park, Iran University of Science and Technology, and St. Petersburg University, Mehr news agency reported.

Based on the comprehensive agreements between the top universities of Iran and Russia, the two sides are committed to furthering long-term and constructive relations in higher education, technology, and innovation.

The establishment of the secretariat for communication between the universities of the two countries is one of the major measures taken. 

On May 2, the head of the Organization for the Development of International Cooperation in Science and Technology, Mehdi Safarinia, in a meeting with Russian Presidential Aide Andrei Fursenko, said Iran is committed to promoting international scientific cooperation, highlighting that Russia is among the first countries Iran is willing to expand ties with. 

The official went on to say that Russian companies can have offices in Pardis Technology Park. The establishment of Russian universities’ branches in the country was the second point mentioned by Safarinia. “We have already reached agreements with St. Petersburg University and Moscow State University. We are following up on the issue in cooperation with the University of Science and Technology. 

This will be the first foreign university to have a branch in Iran. Both Iranian and regional students will be able to study at this university, spending part of their studies in Iran and the rest in Russia,” Safarinia further noted.

MT/MG