Top Iranian universities to open branches in Iraq

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran plans to open branches of its top-ranking universities in Iraq if administrative obstacles are resolved, Iranian higher education minister said on Monday.

“Several top Iranian universities, such as Iran University of Science and Technology, Sharif University of Technology, and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, are prepared to establish branches in Iraq if administrative obstacles are removed,”Hossein Simaee Sarraf, Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and Technology, told the state-owned IRNA news agency. 

Iraq’s Minister of Higher Education Naim al-Aboudi met with Sarraf on the eve of the second science week of Iran and Iraq. 

The Sharif University of Technology and the Iran University of Science and Technology are among the globally renowned high-ranking universities.

“In the field of science and technology, the two countries are interested in developing relations,” the Iranian minister added after the meeting with Baghdad’s minister. 

Simayi emphasized the longstanding seminary collaborations between the two countries.
Iran has expressed its willingness and readiness to collaborate in this field and has been seeking Iraq's support on the matter.

Iran and Iraq have shared a strong relationship since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.