Iran and China Forge New Scientific Alliance: Universities Sign MOU to Boost Research Collaboration
In a significant move to foster academic collaboration, Tarbiat Modarres University and Shanghai University have officially signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU). This partnership aims to enhance scientific interactions and international cooperation between the two prestigious institutions, as reported by IRNA.
The MOU was executed on Wednesday, July 29, in Tehran by Yousef Hojjat, the chancellor of Tarbiat Modarres University, and Liu Chansheng, the president of Shanghai University. This agreement signifies a mutual commitment to expand joint efforts in various academic fields.
Key Areas of Collaboration
Under this new agreement, the two universities will:
- Facilitate the exchange of professors, researchers, and students.
- Engage in collaborative research projects.
- Organize scientific seminars and conferences.
- Share academic resources and scholarly articles.
Strategic Partnerships in Academia
Iranian universities are increasingly looking to develop scientific and research collaborations with institutions in China and Russia. This initiative is part of a broader strategic partnership with both countries.
During a meeting held on April 11 in China, Saeed Habiba, the deputy minister of science, research, and technology, and Sheng Jianxue, the secretary-general of the China Scholarship Council, discussed various strategies to enhance scientific cooperation between their respective universities.
This meeting highlighted several critical points, including:
- Establishing joint academic courses.
- Encouraging the exchange of professors and students.
- Expanding government scholarship programs.
- Strengthening technological ties and scientific interactions.
- Sharing expertise between institutions.
During the discussions, Habiba emphasized Iran’s academic and scientific capabilities. He also visited a Chinese technology park to gain insights into their technological advancements and scientific achievements.
Long-term Cooperation with China
In March 2021, Iran and China formalized their long-term collaboration by signing a 25-year comprehensive cooperation document. This agreement was signed between Iran’s former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
In December 2022, under the umbrella of this strategic agreement, Iran and China finalized 16 additional memoranda of understanding, further solidifying their academic and research collaboration.
Iran’s Global Academic Standing
The Times Higher Education (THE) has recognized 34 universities from Iran as leaders in pursuing sustainable development goals (SDGs), a slight increase from 33 in 2024. This ranking evaluated over 2,500 universities across 130 countries to create the 2025 Impact Ranking.
Among the notable Iranian institutions:
- Alzahra University, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences are ranked 401-600.
- Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University (601-800), University of Tehran, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, and Tarbiat Modarres University (801-1000) are ranked third.
QS World University Rankings
The 22nd edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings for 2026 has ranked nine Iranian universities among the top institutions globally, maintaining the same number as in 2025. The University of Tehran leads as the highest-ranked Iranian university at position 322 worldwide.
Other top universities include:
- Sharif University of Technology at ranking 375.
- Amirkabir University of Technology at ranking 456.
- Iran University of Science and Technology at ranking 496.
- Isfahan University of Technology at ranking 571.
- University of Tabriz at ranking 578.
- Shiraz University at ranking 701-710.
- Shahid Beheshti University at ranking 741-750.
- Ferdowsi University of Mashhad at ranking 951-1000.
Among these institutions, Shahid Beheshti University has notably improved its ranking by 100 positions, moving up from 851-900 in 2025, according to the Mehr news agency.
