Aras Free Zone Higher Education Council Meeting Held

The meeting of the Higher Education Council of the Aras Free Zone was held with the presence of the deans of universities, seminaries, and the deputy director of culture, society, and tourism of the Aras Free Zone Organization, emphasizing the transformation of universities and the move towards the fourth generation, and key decisions were made to improve the quantity and quality of the region's scientific centers.
According to the report of the General Department of Public Relations and International Affairs of the Aras Free Zone Organization, the meeting, which focused on planning for the promotion of universities, assessing the current status of universities, refining disciplines, and developing a roadmap for creating new generation universities with a focus on the field of artificial intelligence, was held in the training hall of the Aras Free Zone administrative site. The region's major educational and research strategies were examined.
Several strategic decisions were approved in this meeting, including the publication of scientific-research quarterly journals in various fields by universities located in the region and the focus of theses and research projects on the issue of the comprehensive development of the Aras Free Zone. In the development of scientific events, it was also decided to hold conferences, start-ups, and specialized courses at national and local levels on the agenda of the region's universities.
Other resolutions of this meeting included the revival of the Joint Institute of Technology and Innovation between the Aras Free Zone and the University of Tehran, the issuance of new decrees, and the regular holding of meetings of the Higher Education Council every two months to follow up on the resolutions and plan for the continuous improvement of educational quality.
At the beginning of this meeting, the Deputy Director of Culture, Social Affairs, and Tourism of the Aras Free Zone Organization emphasized the strategic position of higher education centers and stated: Dynamic universities and active seminaries are the cornerstone of cultural and economic development in the region, and we need the scientific and research capacities of these centers to realize the development vision of the region.
Referring to the presence of seven universities and seminaries in the region, Mohammad Masoudinia added: Aras Free Zone will use all its capacities to support scientific centers. The presence of large universities such as the campuses of the University of Tehran and the University of Tabriz is considered an exceptional opportunity for the scientific progress of the region.
Masoudinia called the transformation in higher education an undeniable necessity and emphasized: Our mission is to guide the region's universities towards the fourth-generation university model so that, in addition to education and research, universities can play a pivotal role in economic development and solving regional challenges.
Following this meeting, the presidents of seven universities, scientific centers, and seminaries active in the Aras Free Zone outlined their plans for the new academic year.