Emphasizing the need for closer collaboration between universities and industry, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said Friday that government-based industries are rather “averse to innovation.” Speaking at the inauguration of the College of Management and Accounting, he thanked the managers of Tehran University and Farabi University of Qom for the “timely execution of the construction” of the new college, MNA reported.
Referring to the prestigious Tehran University as “the mother of universities in Iran,” the lawmaker highlighted the role of centers of higher learning in production and manufactures and noted that “despite collaboration with the boards of trustees of universities and stipulation of authority and funds, more remains to be achieved” in forging closer bonds between the university and industry.” He pointed to the absence of competition in most industrial sectors as one important reason for the “lack of motivation of universities to innovate,” and admitted that government-based or affiliated industry has little or no interest in promoting new ideas, methods and practices. On the problems of monopolies in many Iranian industries and some unsuccessful attempts at building their closer ties to universities in the past, he cited a few positive examples where the “industry benefitted from assistance from universities, like in the defense sector, nuclear science and energy.”
Expressing hope that the University of Tehran will help lead the way in meaningful university-industry collaboration, Larijani acknowledged the need for allocation of national funds to help promote research and development (R&D).
