According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of Royan Institute, a high-ranking delegation from two prestigious Iraqi universities, al-ameed and al-kafeel, visited the Royan Institute on Wednesday, July 24th. Dr. Abdolhossein Shahverdi, President of the Royan Institute, welcomed the presidents of these renowned Iraqi universities and expressed his pleasure at their presence. He highlighted that the achievements of the Royan Institute today are the result of over thirty years of scientific and specialized activity, as well as the efforts and experience of colleagues who have tirelessly worked towards the country's scientific goals without relying on foreign assistance.
The president of Royan Institute expressed readiness for the initiation of bilateral cooperation in education, research, and treatment. He stated that embarking on this collaborative journey requires patience and a comprehensive plan, starting with the education and training of human resources, followed by research, and ultimately achieving clinical outcomes. He added that after three decades of international activity, Royan Institute is capable of transferring cutting-edge knowledge and supplying equipment and consumables to other centers through its affiliated knowledge-based companies.
In this specialized meeting, Dr. Jawdat Nouri Ghaeb Al-Jashami, President of al-ameed University in Karbala, stated that they are seeking to form a joint research committee to collaborate in research and treatment at Royan, al-ameed, and al-kafeel. Emphasizing the international standing of the Royan Institute, he said their goal is to implement a significant portion of the scientific activities of Iraqi universities, step by step, with the help of specialists and the executive team at Royan Institute to achieve the major objectives of both countries.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Dahan, President of al-kafeel University in Najaf, also expressed his pleasure at being present at Iran’s leading cell therapy center. He mentioned that al-kafeel University, with 7,800 students and 400 faculty members, is looking forward to Royan Institute expanding scientific collaborations in Iraq.
Dr. Rouhollah Fathi, Deputy for Education at Royan Institute, mentioned that relationships with neighboring countries are very important for Royan. He said they have established the WANA (West Asia and North Africa) scientific network to revive the strategic region that historically had strong scientific ties. He stressed that joint scientific collaboration with Iraqi universities and research centers is significant due to cultural, social, and religious affiliations. Following this vision, Royan Institute has so far organized three international congresses titled WANA in major cities of Iran, with over two hundred international students from Iraq participating in the latest biomedical congress. He expressed hope that the fourth WANA congress could be held in Iraq, achieving good mutual results in all areas.
Dr. Afsharian, Deputy for Research at Royan Institute, and Dr. Naser Aghdami, a faculty member and specialist in cell therapy at Royan, shared their views on continuing joint collaborations.
At the end of the meeting, the Iraqi university presidents and their high-ranking delegation visited the stem cell and biotechnology laboratories of the Royan Institute, observing the latest achievements of Royan's research center firsthand and becoming acquainted with the scientific and research advancements of the institute.