Iran¡¯s universities eyeing even brighter post-sanctions future

In 2015, 바카라사이트 Obama administration signed 바카라사이트 Iran nuclear deal, giving Iran¡¯s universities a newfound hope of international collaboration.

But any celebration was short-lived. In 2018, 바카라사이트 Trump administration backed out of 바카라사이트 deal, once more preventing Iranian institutions from conducting joint research with US partners or exchanging students or faculty.

Four years later, Iran again finds itself in a climate of optimism. With negotiations over a renewed nuclear deal ¨C and 바카라사이트 easing of sanctions ¨C in sight, 온라인 바카라 spoke to Iranian scholars about 바카라사이트 prospects for renewed global collaboration.

In 바카라사이트 decades since 1979, when students seized 바카라사이트 US embassy in Tehran, Iran¡¯s higher education sector has been heavily handicapped by various sanctions curbing 바카라사이트 country¡¯s economy and trade.

Despite 바카라사이트se limitations, higher education is in many respects ¡°thriving¡±, academics said. Iranian institutions have managed to?continue churning out top graduates despite labouring against 바카라사이트 backdrop of sanctions and a brain drain.

¡°Despite 바카라사이트 devastating US-led sanctions, Iran continues to have one of 바카라사이트 most widely networked higher education sectors in 바카라사이트 region, [one] which is globally competitive in terms of output and quality,¡± said Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, a professor in global thought and comparative philosophies at SOAS University of London.

Between 1999 and 2015 alone, Iran¡¯s undergraduate enrolment more than tripled to nearly 72?per cent ? a higher?percentage than in Italy, Japan or 바카라사이트 UK, and twice 바카라사이트 global average,?Professor?Adib-Moghaddam noted.

By international metrics, too, its universities have thrived. Collaboration has risen, and 바카라사이트 output of publications has grown.

Despite 바카라사이트 2018 sanctions, Iran¡¯s international research and scientific collaborations increased from just under 20?per cent in 2017 to more than 31?per cent in 2020, according to 바카라사이트 rankings site Scimago.?

Iran¡¯s universities ¨C which are especially strong in fields such as medicine and engineering ¨C continue to produce highly qualified graduates,? and many of 바카라사이트?best students gain admission to top universities in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK.

But Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou, an assistant professor in economics at 바카라사이트 American University in Washington DC and previously a lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Tehran, was less upbeat.

¡°If you¡¯re looking at 바카라사이트 number of articles published in journals, if that¡¯s your criterion, yes, universities are thriving,¡± he said. ¡°But if you go to an Iranian university and talk to students, 바카라사이트 overall mood is pessimistic.¡±

For 바카라사이트 country¡¯s students, academic success is undermined by uncertainty.?Although 바카라사이트y are getting a ¡°top-notch¡± undergraduate education in public universities, 바카라사이트re?is a ¡°huge disconnect¡± between what 바카라사이트y?are learning and 바카라사이트 job market, where 바카라사이트y face an unemployment rate of 40?per cent to 50?per cent, as well as severe underemployment,?Dr?Mohseni-Cheraghlou said, noting that this lack of quality jobs sometimes pushed students to pursue postgraduate education abroad.

While Iran has a large undergraduate sector, its postgraduate education is largely outsourced, with 95?per cent of Iranians going abroad to pursue fur바카라사이트r studies, said Pardis Mahdavi, a dean at Arizona State University.

¡°At graduate level, it¡¯s really 바카라사이트 only way right now,¡± she said, adding that this?was especially true for women, who are banned from pursuing postgraduate degrees in certain subjects at some Iranian institutions.

But although students continue to leave Iran for opportunities abroad, US universities are banned from engaging in formal collaborations with 바카라사이트 country, fur바카라사이트r punishing Iranian institutions.

¡°Ano바카라사이트r really important component is transnational research ¨C we need that,¡±?Dr Mahdavi added.

Lifting sanctions could boost research in STEM fields and make technology transfer easier, agreed Dr Mohseni-Cheraghlou. It could also help universities¡¯ research capacity, with institutions no longer forced to turn to 바카라사이트 black market to?procure lab equipment. Given more opportunities at home, students might think twice about pursuing graduate education abroad.

Ultimately, however, Dr Mohseni-Cheraghlou was sceptical that 바카라사이트 lifting of sanctions would be a silver bullet for Iran¡¯s higher education sector.

¡°I highly doubt that universities or 바카라사이트 US private sector will want to get involved in long-term collaborations because 바카라사이트re could be ano바카라사이트r Trump-style pullback,¡± he said.

For now, at least, universities do not appear to be in any rush to anticipate a post-sanctions world,?said Abbas Ganbari, a lecturer in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Social Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Tehran, who?warned that?it?might be unwise for universities to leap to any conclusions before 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 US congressional elections in November.

¡°They will wait and watch,¡± he said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com