Trade Minister Todd McClay led New Zealand's first trade mission to Tehran in 12 years on Friday, in a bid to revive exports after the lifting of UN sanctions against Iran.
During a meeting held between Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Mohammad Farhadi, and New Zealand’s Trade Minister Todd McClay on Saturday, Farhadi noted the remarkable improvement in the quality of higher education, and the number of top-tier universities, research centers and technology parks in Iran, adding “in recent years, many knowledge-based companies in Iran have obtained official permits to introduce their own products.”
Farhadi voiced his keen interest in holding academic cooperation with New Zealand in the fields of agriculture, IT, environment, and climate change, while stressing the holding of joint educational courses, student and professor exchange programs, as well as conducting joint research between the two countries.
“700 Iranian students are currently studying in New Zealand, 40 per cent of whom are at a PhD level,” Farhadi said.
“Iran and New Zealand have had common views and constructive cooperation in various fields such as environment, climate change, nuclear disarmament, the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking, as well as issues related to the Security Council,” he said.
He further referred to the signed agreements between the University of Auckland and Sharif University of Technology and the National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, saying “several universities in New Zealand such as Auckland, Otago, Victoria, Waikato and the Auckland University of Technology have been evaluated and approved by the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
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