According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology affairs, pointed out the role of universities in various areas of the society, including economy, on the closing ceremony of entrepreneurship event of Payam-e Noor in digital area, stating: as an inseparable component of the society, universities can lay the foundation for knowledge-based economy in the country by using the unique capacity of talented and educated youth of the country.

Sattari also mentioned the significant growth of Iranian students and increased presence of students in the country, expressing: while a considerable number of Iranian students inhabited in other countries in the first years of the Islamic revolution, a remarkable part of this valuable human resource is available to our country today. However, the fundamental challenge in this regard is the role of this large capacity in producing growth domestic product (GDP) of the country.

The Large Human Resource Capacity despite Wrong Beliefs

Sattari pointed out the wrong statistics on emigration of Iranian students to other countries, affirming: while there were 170 thousand students inside the country and 100 thousand students outside in the beginning of the Islamic revolution, only 57 thousands of these individuals were in America. 

President of the national elites foundation continued: today and with more than four million students in the country and 48 thousand students abroad, merely 12 thousand students are located in America. We have a significant capacity of educated human resource, a capacity that can be effective with role playing of universities in the entrepreneurship ecosystem and formation of an appropriate foundation for entrepreneurship of these young individuals in the area of economy.

Sattari pointed out that universities and science parks can create the foundation for proper entrepreneurship and growth of startups and knowledge-based companies in provinces, asserting: with the cooperation of universities and science parks, cities can provide the foundation for growth of startups and turn the whole city into the ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation.

The vice president for science and technology affairs also mentioned the support of successful business models of the university of the Vice-Presidency, conveying: as the essential component of realization of an entrepreneurial ecosystem, universities can improve startups to in addition to helping the creation of occupations for students, a significant part of costs of research is supplied by profits of these businesses.

Sattari emphasized the formation of ecosystem for activities of startups and knowledge-based companies around universities, stating: about three weeks ago, the last statistics on the companies formed around Sharif University of Technology has been 278 companies, which increased to 305 companies until the previous week, leading to increase land cost by 25%. This is without a doubt due to the number of companies based in this area.

Tendency of Payam-e Noor University toward Technological Entrepreneurship

Mohammad Reza Zamani, president of Payam-e Noor university, marked the moving of this university toward research-oriented and entrepreneurial environment, expressing: while education has been the center of focus of Payam-e Noor university up to this day, we have aimed to create new plans on applicable and technological projects by relying on the large capacity of young and creative human resource and proper laboratory infrastructures, which will lead to business development alongside with startups and science growth centers.

Introducing the Winners and Inauguration of Three Innovation Centers

During this ceremony, three innovation centers of Payam-e Noor university initiated their work in Khorasan Razavi, Fars and Tehran provinces through conference video call.

Closing ceremony of the first and largest entrepreneurial event of Payam-e Noor university in the area of content production was held by presenting the winners of the event.

This entrepreneurial event was held August 28^th-30^th, 2017 by the support of knowledge-based economy, technology and science development headquarter and the technological company of Abre Zendegi to develop and promote university startups in the area of content production, attraction and education of potential and new entrepreneurs in university centers, formation and development of entrepreneurship ecosystem, financial, educational and spiritual support of ideas and products and guiding ideas toward commercialization.

In this event, more than 543 primary plans were received by the secretariat, from which 34 projects were moved to the next stage. After the final evaluation of projects, 11 projects were selected and were located in the accelerator of Payam-e Noor university with the cooperation of knowledge-based technology, economy and science development headquarter.