Minister Terms Developing Post-Graduate Program as Basic Strategy

TEHRAN (FNA)- Developing science and technology is impossible without promoting post-graduate education, Iranian Science Minister Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi said.

In a meeting with Turkish Minister of Education Huseyin Celik Wednesday, he further said that developing post-graduate education is one of the basic strategies of his country in the field of higher education.

The rate of scientific production and the number of inventions have increased remarkably in the past three years, IRNA quoted him as saying.

Stating that there are some 3,500,000 students and 50,000 faculty members in the country, Zahedi further said that Iran boasts of different state and private universities.

He said that warm welcome accorded by Turkey to President Ahmadinejad during his recent visit to the country signifies the Turkish people and officials’ serious resolve for promoting bilateral ties.

Stressing the need for more cooperation in the fields of science and technology between the two countries, he also described establishment of a committee to evaluate the earlier agreements as essential for developing cultural and scientific bonds.

The minister also said that scientific cooperation between the two nations will help promote science in the Islamic world.