President Hassan Rouhani's choice for minister of higher education says creating a "calm" atmosphere and promoting "vitality" at universities will be among his top priorities if he wins parliament's vote of approval.
"We believe creating such an atmosphere at universities is necessary in order to allow everybody to properly carry out their duties," Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi told reporters on Sunday.
Nili had earlier met with lawmakers and presented his plans to them, IRNA reported.
In that meeting, he said as part of his plans he will take measures to secure "more investment by the private sector" to facilitate expansion of universities and encourage private investors to play an active role in research programs and establish knowledge-based companies
Majlis to Vote on Wednesday
Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani officially acknowledged the receipt of Rouhani's letter on the nomination of new minister of higher education on Sunday.
Larijani read out the president's letter at the open session of parliament and said a confirmation vote on the proposed candidate will be held this week on Wednesday.
Rouhani wrote a letter to the Majlis last week, in which he proposed Nili Ahmadabadi for the post of science, research and technology minister.
Nili's nomination came two months after the Majlis voted for an impeachment motion to dismiss then minister of higher education Reza Faraji-Dana.
The conservative members of parliament had accused Faraji-Dana of mismanagement, especially concerning the case of students expelled from universities.
Rouhani later appointed Mohammad Ali Najafi, who himself had failed to obtain the parliament's vote of confidence for the post of education minister, as caretaker minister of higher education.
Nili Ahmadabadi is currently the caretaker chancellor of the University of Tehran. He is a professor of metallurgy and obtained his Ph.D. from Japan's Tohoku University in 1994.
