A new technology-oriented university will be established in Tehran’s Pardis Technology Park, based on a contract recently signed between the government and the academia.
The deal was signed by Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology, and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, the dean of Islamic Azad University, on Saturday, the vice presidential office’s website Isti.ir reported.
Sharing resources and optimizing Pardis Technology Park’s capacities were among the contract issues, which are aimed at creating a more efficient connection among the academia, tech enterprises and industry.
At the signing ceremony, Sattari said IAU is promoting entrepreneurship by investing in knowledge-based companies and startups.
“The move makes IAU an innovative and entrepreneur university that will have a big share of creating jobs in the country. In a conventional education system, this is considered a modern and tough thing to do,” he added.
Confirming Sattari’s words, Tehranchi said the would-be technology university will present a new educational method that might transform conventions by making universities entrepreneurial and creative, with the ability to facilitate problem solving.
Tehranchi noted that similar projects are being set up by the provincial branches of the university.
“These efforts make the university a game-changer in the country’s economy,” he said.
The ceremony concluded with the signing of another contract on establishing a specialized accelerator. Powered by IAU and the vice presidential office, the accelerator will soon start preparing fledgling tech units.
Pardis Technology Park is based in Pardis, a satellite town 20 km east of Tehran. Established by the vice presidential office for science and technology, it offers free and subsidized working space for technology companies and emerging startups.
According to the park’s website (Techpark.ir), it can host 132 startups and knowledge-based companies, including Asan Pardakht Parsian and Saman Electronic Payment (payment service providers), AsiaTech (Internet service provider), Saman Satellite Communications (telecom service provider) and Shezan (startup accelerator).
Park Plans Expansion
Mehdi Azimian, the head of expansion office at Pardis Technology Park, said the park can help establish up to five branches in the capital in the form of innovation factories.
Speaking with Mehr News Agency, Azimian said the park has two branches, namely Azadi and Highway.
Azadi Innovation Factory was launched in August 2018 at an abandoned chemicals factory near Azadi Square, west of Tehran. The center is backed by the Vice Presidential Office for Science and Technology and is managed by Sharif University of Technology.
Highway, the capital's second innovation factory, is still under construction but is partially operational. The factory is being established in an old building near Tehran’s Nobonyad Square.
“The space, which is 5,000 square meters wide, was formerly owned by Iranian Space Agency,” he added.
Based on an agreement between the vice presidential office and Tehran Municipality, abandoned buildings will be transformed into tech hubs for fostering innovative ideas.
Azimian said negotiations are underway for establishing the third branch named “Pardis Summit”. He did not elaborate on the new project.
Extending support to new startups and technology firms has been on the government's agenda since 2013 when President Hassan Rouhani began his first term in office.
Over the past few years, numerous tech parks have been established throughout the country.
Currently, there are seven tech parks in Tehran Province, most of which are backed by major Iranian universities, including Tarbiat Modares University, University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University and Islamic Azad University.
These tech parks carry the name of universities backing them.
Nationwide Push
Tehran is not alone in its push for establishing innovation factories and tech parks. Numerous centers have also been launched across Iran.
Innovation factories are to be launched in Iranian metropolises by the vice presidential office to expand the startup and knowledge-based ecosystems.
According to Esmaeil Qaderifar, an official with the office, innovation factory projects in the provinces of Khorasan Razavi and East Azarbaijan are almost complete and will become operational in the near future.
“Tabriz in East Azarbaijan will get its third innovation factory when a construction project is completed,” he said.
"Feasibility studies are underway in Fars, Isfahan and Yazd provinces for introducing similar projects."
Qaderifar noted that the new projects resemble innovation factories in Tehran, namely Azadi and Highway, which have attracted and housed numerous tech teams and startups.
“Provincial projects have also been established in abandoned factories to keep the projects cost-efficient,” he said.
The Roads and Urban Development Ministry, municipalities and governorates in the host cities are assisting the vice presidential office in implementing these projects.
At the innovation factories, startups and knowledge-based companies find legal, technical and financial support to develop their activities.
