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Iran, Turkey push to widen academic pipeline
Iran’s science minister pressed Ankara’s envoy on Monday to widen the two neighbors’ academic and training pipeline, using a Tehran meeting to call for joint oversight of university standards and new cross-border programs, according to the Science Ministry.
Hossein Simaei-Sarraf told Turkish Ambassador Hicabi Kırlangıç that Tehran wants to “open up” its scientific and cultural cooperation with Turkey, arguing that the two countries’ shared history and geographic proximity give them room to expand joint research and professional training, IRNA reported.
Simaei-Sarraf said Iran rates foreign universities strictly on regional and global rankings, adding that Turkish institutions fall under the same metrics.
He said Iran’s Student Affairs Organization releases an updated list of accredited foreign universities for applicants planning to study abroad. To keep that list current, he urged the creation of a bilateral committee that would sift through rankings and “fine-tune” the roster of approved Turkish schools.
He noted that the list serves as the reference point for whether a degree qualifies for recognition in Iran.
Kırlangıç said Ankara aims to “strengthen” its cultural and academic ties with Iran and wants tangible channels for faculty exchange, joint chairs, and dual-degree tracks. Both sides discussed setting up shared academic departments, expanding research centers, and easing bureaucratic frictions for students moving in either direction.
The Turkish envoy raised complaints about border procedures for Turkish students enrolled in Iranian universities. In response, Iran’s deputy science minister, who also heads the Student Affairs Organization, Saeed Habiba said Tehran had already coordinated with the border police and other agencies to ensure smooth entry and exit. Turkish students, he said, “won’t face hurdles” at crossing points.
Simaei-Sarraf proposed that universities and research institutes in both countries branch into collaborative work across literature, hard sciences, and technology fields.
He said long-term joint projects could anchor a “durable and productive” scientific partnership.
Both delegations signaled readiness to draft multi-year cooperation plans, including structured faculty exchanges, shared labs, and coordinated curricula. The ministry said the two sides want to move beyond ad-hoc academic contacts and build a predictable framework that can draw students and researchers on a larger scale.