TEHRAN – Tarbiat Modarres University and Shanghai University have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding to broaden scientific interactions and international cooperation.

The MOU was signed in Tehran on Wednesday, July 29, by Yousef Hojjat, the chancellor of Tarbiat Modarres University, and Liu Chansheng, the president of Shanghai University, IRNA reported. 

Accordingly, the two universities will enhance joint efforts through exchanging professors, researchers, and students, conducting collaborative research projects, holding scientific seminars and conferences, as well as sharing academic resources and articles.

Strategic partnership

Iranian universities are exploring the potential for developing scientific and research collaborations with Chinese and Russian institutions under the strategic partnership with the two countries.

During a meeting held on April 11 in China, Saeed Habiba, the deputy minister of science, research, and technology, and Sheng Jianxue, the secretary-general of the China Scholarship Council, discussed ways for developing scientific cooperation between the universities of the two countries. 

The meeting centered around holding joint academic courses, exchanging professors and students, growing government scholarship programs, expanding technological ties, scientific interactions, and sharing expertise.

During the meeting, Habiba elaborated on the academic and scientific potentials and capacities of Iran. 

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Iranian official also paid a visit to one of the Chinese technology parks to become more familiar with their technological capacities and scientific achievements.

Iran and China officially signed the document for 25-year comprehensive cooperation in March 2021.

The document was signed between Iran’s then Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Back in December 2022, Iran and China finalized 16 memoranda of understanding under the framework of the two countries’ strategic 25-year agreement

Global ranking

The Times Higher Education (THE) has included 34 universities from Iran among the top universities pursuing sustainable development goals (SDGs), up from 33 universities in 2024.

THE ranking evaluated 2,526 universities from 130 countries to produce the overall Impact Ranking for 2025.

Alzahra University, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (ranking 401-600) are placed second.

Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (AJUMS), Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University (601-800), University of Tehran, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University (801-1000), ranked third.

The 22nd edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR), 2026, has placed nine Iranian universities among the world’s top institutes, unchanged from the 2025 ranking.
University of Tehran, with a global ranking of 322, ranks first among the Iranian universities.

Sharif University of Technology (ranking 375) and Amirkabir University of Technology (456) are placed second and third.

Iran University of Science and Technology (496), Isfahan University of Technology (571), University of Tabriz (578), Shiraz University (701-710), Shahid Beheshti University (741-750), and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (951- 1000) are other top universities included in this year’s ranking.

Among Iranian universities, Shahid Beheshti University has improved its ranking by 100 positions, up from 851-900 in 2025, Mehr news agency reported.

MT/MG