Major automaker Iran Khodro (IKCO) has signed a research and development agreement with Islamic Azad University of Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi Province, to use academic potentials for boosting the key sector.
Seyyed Reza Norouz-Zadeh, the head of IKCO branch in Mashhad, signed the agreement with Masoud Taheri, dean of the university, during a meeting on Wednesday, IRNA reported.
Taheri explained that IAU intends to strengthen relations with the auto sector to transfer knowledge and skills to the key industry, and assist the automaker in integrating modern methods to increase production.
“The agreement allows for the effective use of academic resources in developing research projects and addressing IKCO's technological needs,” he added.
Emphasizing the restrictive effects of US sanctions, Taheri said the agreement taps into local potentials to get around the restrictions and reduce the country's reliance on foreign suppliers.
“The collaboration will also provide students with an opportunity to study new issues in the automotive fields. More academic research will widen know-how in the field,” he added.
Taheri noted that the deal will help streamline the priorities of research projects and facilitate the shared use of workshops, laboratories, libraries and databases.
“The two sides may also hold educational conferences and seminars, promote the implementation of proposals, lay the groundwork for student apprenticeships and schedule regular visits to labs and research processes to keep each other updated,” he said.
Norouz-Zadeh hoped that IKCO’s collaboration would produce positive results.
“Developing high-performance, cost-efficient and eco-friendly engines by using cutting-edge technologies is high on IKCO’s agenda,” he said.
Last April, IKCO’s Powertrain Company (IPCO) signed an R&D agreement with IAU for similar development purposes.
Babak Negahdari, the deputy head of research and technology at IAU, said with two main and 31 provincial branches, over 400 campuses and research centers, along with more than 11,000 laboratories and workshops across Iran, IAU can provide the auto sector with sufficient facilities to help boost its activities.
“IAU can help IPCO modify and upgrade the design of its products by conducting tests at the university's workshops and laboratories,” he said then.
Earlier Ties
Iran Khodro has been striving to incorporate academic potentials into automotive manufacture in the form of joint projects.
In the summer of 2019, the company entered into an R&D agreement with the Iran University of Science and Technology to expand cooperation and technologically upgrade its products.
Signed by Jabbar Ali Zakeri, the university’s chancellor, and IKCO’s CEO Farshad Moqimi, the deal called for implementing tech research projects related to the automaker’s new production strategies, detection of defects and troubleshooting the production chain.
The deal also envisaged developing logistical plans, upgrading production technology and manufacturing a series of auto parts via state-of-the-art technology with the help of academic experts and the university’s laboratory facilities.
In addition, the automaker committed to help graduates commercialize their tech products and research attainments, and offer consultation to students willing to base their dissertation on automotive issues.
SAIPA
In a similar move, the Iran University of Science and Technology signed an agreement with the other giant automaker SAIPA in June 2020 to help the company upgrade its products with new technologies.
The two sides agreed on establishing a specialized taskforce to design joint projects, absorb university graduates in industrial units as technical and scientific advisors, conduct research using university facilities and strengthen the academic center’s role in SAIPA’s new projects.
The automaker said it intends to seek the help of university graduates, professionals and tech units based in academic center to systematically transfer new technologies and knowhow to automotive production chains.
Automotive officials believe that universities should get more involved with key industries, especially the automotive sector, to help upgrade systems and expedite domestic production.
The academia, tech ecosystem and industry can forge synergy to protect the domestic economy from the headwinds caused by US sanctions.
Parts Makers
As curbing reliance on foreign resources has become an important goal of Iran’s economic sector, the fever of knowledge upgrade and indigenization has also gripped the domestic parts makers.
SAPCO, which is a major parts supplier for IKCO and SAIPA, initiated interactions with the academia and the technology ecosystem since last year by signing 80 agreements.
The deals were in a wide range of fields, including the production of electronic stability control system, hydraulic wheel for IKCO's Peugeot 206 model and refrigerant gas used in vehicles' cooling system.
The company also signed agreements worth 4.2 trillion rials with Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and several industrial units based in Khorasan Razavi Province last year.
Mansour Mansouri, director of SAPCO, said that in line with the agreement, local parts makers will help SAPCO localize the technology needed for making 34 key parts that used to be imported.
Localization of technology will help Iran curb capital flight to the tune of €40 million.
In addition to industrial collaboration, the company also entered into an agreement with Ferdowsi University of Mashhad to exchange technical know-how between graduates and experts in the fields of auto manufacture and mechanics.
Mansouri emphasized that innovative and smart solutions developed by young talented teams can help boost the automotive industry and upgrade the sector in terms of production technology, design and parts manufacture.
