Deputy of international affairs and technology exchange of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs has been established with the aim of creating the foundations for increased scientific relationship with other countries and achieving a specific and considerable status in regional and global commerce of knowledge-based products. Some of the responsibilities of this deputy include coordination of macro-management technology activities, innovation in agencies and institutions associated with foreign assistance, export of knowledge-based products and services, supplying the demand of technology (technology transfer) and preparation and development of technology diplomacy.

According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, deputy of international affairs and technology exchange follows up several goals, including planning for the development of scientific and technological relations with other countries and international organizations, evaluation of barriers and problems in expansion of scientific relationship with other countries and international organization and provision of strategies and proper situations for facilitating and developing these relationships, formulation and implementation of strengthening policies and development of technology exchange with other counties through international cooperation and other methods, defining and tracking supportive and encouraging policies and programs with the aim of development of export of knowledge-based services and products and planning and facilitating administrative actions in diplomacy of industry in three offices of international business development, technology exchange and technology diplomacy.

Therefore, we had an interview with steersman of the deputy of international affairs and technology exchange of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs to assess the level of implementation of the mentioned goals of this deputy.
Given the fact that one of the defects of diplomatic engagement in the country is lack of constructive interactions in the field of technology, do you believe that the deputy of international affairs and technology exchange has any plan to change that?

* We initiated our activities in international affairs and technology exchange since 2013 with the support of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs and national elites foundation and aimed to provide the necessary foundations for international interactions. These infrastructures are built in order develop international business of knowledge-based companies and transfer technology. To do so, we required a new system to create and repair infrastructures of international exchanges instead of act on a research-oriented level.  

This is mainly due to the fact that project-based systems could face failure because of change of employers. Therefore, creation of necessary foundations has been followed up in three offices of development of international business and technology exchange and diplomacy.

Providing 20 different services for knowledge-based companies by the corridor of export development and technology exchange

From two years ago, it was concluded in the business development office that knowledge-based companies have some faults and weaknesses for entering international markets, which have to be eliminated. Therefore, empowering activities must be defined for these companies.

In order to provide consulting and administrative services, the corridor of export development and technology exchange has been established through gathering the best and most professional private companies in the field of international services under one roof to provide services for those knowledge-based companies that aim to export their products.

Currently, there are more than 40 private companies in the corridor, providing specific services, such as the methods used to obtain international standards, licenses and permissions, market study and product design for knowledge-based companies.

In fact, these 40 companies provide more than 20 different services for knowledge-based companies and their capabilities and products are completely checked up in the first stage, so that specific services could be provided for exporting their knowledge-based products according to the final assessments.

In the form of this corridor, more than one thousand services are provided for 300 companies over the past two years. In addition, obtaining services from this corridor has an ascending trend and many requests have been received from companies that have good potentials for export or are currently exporting to other countries.

Outsourcing the Export of Knowledge-based Companies with the Aid of the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology Affairs

One of the other actions taken by the deputy of international affairs and technology exchange is establishing five export management companies. In this project, each company is able to outsource its export section instead of having a separate export department. By doing so, the possibility of participating in specialized exhibitions is increased.

One of the necessities of entrance of the deputy of international affairs and technology exchange to this area was to create export bases in other countries to support and provide services for knowledge-based companies. Today, five export bases have been established in other countries to provide services, including the participation of knowledge-based companies in tenders of target companies, evaluation of the market of each company’s product and presentation of the production needs of target country and announcing to companies, using experiences and capabilities of these bases. Moreover, eight outsourcing brokers with other models of specific services for knowledge-based companies are present to enter these companies into target countries.

Establishment of Export Development and Technology Transfer Fund

Another measure taken by the deputy of international affairs and technology exchange of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs was to establish the export development and technology transfer fund in the area of creating infrastructures of international exchanges. This is a private and specialized fund, providing financial services for knowledge-based companies to develop export and technology exchange.

In line with providing financial services for knowledge-based companies, the specialized financial package of export was designed by innovation and technology fund last year to provide various service models with an export approach to companies with the cooperation of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs and the fund.

In terms of attending the foreign travels of Sattari, vice president for science and technology affairs, by knowledge-based companies, 15 companies in the fields of nano and bio have joined Sattari in trips to China, India and Japan and 40 companies in the fields of nano- and bio-medical equipment and laboratory facilities and new energies also accompanied him on these trips.

What kinds of actions have been carried out in the field of technology cooperation?

* The aim of this section was also the development of infrastructures. For example, during one of our trips to Russia, we learned that there is no structure for following up the processes of technology area. Therefore, we formed a high commission for technology cooperation with Russia last year, which is the first type of structure on this level for technology cooperation with this country.

While we have had collaboration workgroups or cooperation committees for other countries, the high commission for technology cooperation with Russia is even higher than the status of a minister, led by deputy prime minister of Russia and vice president for science and technology affairs of Iran.

Establishment of this committee has been associated with the formation of 10 workgroups, output of some of which has been acceptable. In these two years, good collaborations have been followed up in the commission more than the request of the organization. For example, given the capacities of this committee, academic cooperation workgroup established in the past year and deans of top rated universities of Iran and Russia had a meeting in Moscow and in Iran in the last October. In this meeting, 35 individuals from top universities of Russia, from deputies to university deans, participated, which led to the signing of 29 cooperation documents in the present of Sattari.

Establishment of “Silk Road” Scientific Fund for Development of Technology Collaborations

One of the other effective and beneficial acts of deputy of international affairs and technology exchange was the establishment of “Silk Road” scientific fund, document of which was signed by Science Academy of China and vice present of Iran during the last travel of Iran’s president to this country in the present of presidents of Iran and China.

We announced the call for joint projects of this fund this year as well. In total, 10 projects in the fields of nanotechnology, new energies and cognitive sciences were selected and their financial sources will be mutually provided by the two countries. It has been decided to significantly increase the bilateral cooperation and financial support of these projects in 2017. In the last year, we increased technology-related collaborations with Austria, for which a joint technology cooperation workgroup was established to design a five-year cooperation plan for Iran and Austria. The last trip of the vice president for science and technology affairs to this country in the previous year was for this reason.

Improvement of technology cooperation with Hungary was also defined in the form of a joint fund between the countries, followed by signing an agreement with South Korea in the field of cultural technology and creative industries during the trip of president of Iran to Korea.

The next action of this fund was to create capacities for cooperation with mega science project, and cooperation in this regard led to improved capabilities of Iranian scientists. Having access to machinery and equipment for a new generation of accelerator in Spain with the title of “Alba” by Iranian scientists is one of the achievements in this regard.

Presentation of Science and Technology Status of Iran with Publishing an UNCTAD Report

Another project of the deputy for international affairs and technology exchange, which was carried out with policy-making headquarters of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs was following up the updating of UNCTAD report with the aim of assessing the growth and development of science and technology in Iran in the past year in Geneva. Fortunately, it was agreed to update the report of 2005  after a meeting with the officials of the science and technology committee of the United Nations.

The new report will be unveiled in May 2017 during the 20^th annual meeting of science and technology committee for development in United Nations in Geneva in the present of representatives of member countries.

What are the actions taken by the deputy for international affairs and technology exchange in the technology diplomacy area?

* Two years ago, an important document was signed in the field of technology diplomacy titled as “Joint Plan of Action with the Aim of Development of Technology Diplomacy” in ministry of foreign affairs by the vice president for science and technology affairs and ministry of foreign affairs. This document has many articles, the majority of which have been carried out up until now.

One of the articles of this document was to pass a course by Iranian diplomat. Therefore, the related courses are conducted in Pardis technology parks, attended by diplomats and some ambassadors of the company to learn about the current situation of science and technology of the country and capacities and problems of knowledge-based companies. By participation in these courses, Iranian diplomats and ambassadors will be able to focus on technology more during their travels and have meetings with other countries to expand technology-related interactions. From two years ago until now, about 400 individuals of experts and directors of the department of foreign affairs have participated in these courses.

Present of the vice president for science and technology affairs in annual seminars of ambassadors over the past three years has been accounted as an important event, carried out with the aim of development of dialogue and technology diplomacy outlook between ambassadors. Currently, a technology team is sent to other countries to accompany the minister of foreign affairs. Improvement of capacities of headquarters in the international field is one of the most important acts of deputy for international affairs and technology exchange. This has been associated with increased ability of technology development headquarters of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs in international interactions and achievements.

Moreover, a project has been initiated for cooperation of non-resident Iranian scientists and national elites foundation. Over these years, more than 500 non-resident Iranian experts and scientists have returned to Mashhad and are now active in various fields. For example, 40 knowledge-based companies have been established after the return of non-resident Iranian scientists to the country.

What are the future plans of this deputy?

 

* We have aimed to seriously follow up the plans of the last year. Two years, we might have been forced to present new plans for each year because it was the beginning of our activities. However, this year, the main focus of the deputy of international affairs is on the completion of plans of previous years and support of non-resident Iranian experts and scientists, development of international businesses and expansion of technology diplomacy and technology exchange.