The head of University of Tabriz and a group of the university officials visited major universities in the East of Turkey to develop international cooperation

The President and a group of university officials visited large and major universities in the east of Turkey in order to expand and develop international cooperation as well as operationalization of the agreements.

According to Public Relations Department of University of Tabriz, Prof. Mirza Majidi, chancellor of University of Tabriz, and his accompanying delegation on a trip that included previous planning and coordination as well as cooperation with the consulates of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the cities of Erzurum and Trabzon, visited six Turkish universities including: Iqdir, Ataturk, Kafkas, Erzurum Teknik, Karadeniz Teknik and Ardahan and discussed the ways with the officials of these universities to develop joint cooperation.

Speaking about the purpose of the trip, the chancellor of University of Tabriz, said: The trip was aimed at expanding international cooperation, being acquainted with the capacities of regional universities, and in particular implementing the provisions of the memorandum of understanding.

Prof. Majidi stated that the connection of University of Tabriz laboratories network with the academic centers of Turkey, exchanging professors and students, conducting research projects, creating necessities for study opportunities of students and faculty members, holding joint courses, getting to know and using facilities and potentials of each other, the development of cultural, educational collaborations and etc. were among other goals of the trip.

The chancellor of University of Tabriz in another part of his remarks stated that during the visit of Iqdir University, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the chancellors of two universities, which in this regard is launching joint courses in 12 majors of master’s degree and 4 majors of PhD degrees, as well as the Erasmus+  plan approved by the Ministry of Science of both countries.

According to him, the office of University of Tabriz will also be set up at Iqdir University, and a team of its faculty members will soon travel to Tabriz and be in talks with University of Tabriz faculty members to discuss how to advance joint research projects and how to use the laboratory facilities.

Prof. Majidi added: during this visit, initial negotiations and agreements were reached to use central laboratories of Ataturk University, Erzurum and Karadeniz Technical University as well as sending Persian language professors to these universities and holding joint studies in the field of humanities.

During his visit to the Kafkas University, the two sides also agreed to establish a joint cultural studies office named “Shahriyar” in addition to launching two-degree courses.

He noted that, due to the geographical and cultural affinity of the major universities of east Turkey with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, a proposal was made to launch a university consortium of three countries, which was welcomed by the presidents of those universities. Initial studies in this regard will soon begin by the universities' international cooperation managements.

Prof. Majidi further by emphasizing that University of Tabriz, as the head of the Scientific Cooperation Group of Iran and Turkey, is ready to expand the scientific and cultural interactions between the two countries, declared: developing international cooperation and being among the top universities of the world is one of the major strategies of the university .