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, stated during the signing of a cooperation agreement between the vice-presidency for science and technology affairs and general staff of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran: teaching skills to the large population of soldiers in the country can be a valuable infrastructure for realization of knowledge-based economy.

He pointed out the signing of the cooperation agreement with the aim of preparing the young population and soldiers to be entrepreneurs in order to establish creative businesses, expressing: according to this agreement, during the last six months to one year of the military service of soldiers, they can learn knowledge-based skills by visiting knowledge-based companies and technological units to take steps toward creating added value and occupation.

The president of knowledge-based economy, technology and science development headquarter, regarded the growth of culture of entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem to be associated with the promotion of the culture of knowledge-based economy in the area of armed forces as the goals of this agreement, affirming: this agreement is signed to pave the way for participation of a considerable section of necessities for realization of knowledge-based economy in the country, which is young and educated human resource of the country, who are serving the military, in development of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

President of the national elites foundation continued: before, a condition was provided according to the interactions between these two fields, so that each year, about two thousand top talents of the national elites foundation could spend their military services in the form of projects. Fortunately, agreements were made to implement a part of projects in non-defensive areas, which is aimed to be elevated. 

Preparedness to Enter the Market Along with Acquiring Defensive Abilities

Major general Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, general director of general staff of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, pointed out that the military service duration is a good opportunity for acquiring skills and preparing the youth to enter the business market. In this regard, he continued: in an agreement signed with the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, a large number of the youth passing their military service will have the opportunity to attend knowledge-based companies and learn about business market skills and be prepared for occupation and entrepreneurship after their military service duration.

Provisions of the Cooperation Agreement between the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology Affairs and General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran

The goals of the agreement signed by Sorena Sattari from the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs and major general Mohammad Hossein Bagheri from the general staff of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran include change in the society culture in order to increase the willingness of the youth toward attending military service and guiding the public toward learning skills, improvement of occupational skills and facilitation of job hunting by graduated soldiers and creation of an entrepreneurial spirit among university graduates, improvement of level of general and specialized knowledge about business and optimal use of these abilities in order to meet the needs of the industry, and promotion of entrepreneurship through the development of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem for direct the activities of the professional youth and idea owners.

Performing Research to Eliminate the National Challenges

The Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs introduces prioritized researches to the national elites foundation of armed forces every year in order to improve the participation of elites, that must attend the military service, in the implementation of priorities of the comprehensive science plan of the country and to present technological solutions for national challenges. In this regard, a part of the capacity of “agreement between the national elites foundation and general staff of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in providing prizes for professional soldiers” is allocated to performing relevant researches to eliminate the national challenges proposed by the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs.

In order to increase the skills and capacities of employment of human capital in the country and use of domestic capable enterprises from the skills and professional services of the young and educated manpower, those subject to the general duty can spend the last six-12 months of their service in knowledge-based, creative, productive and service companies with research and development units that are approved by the ministry of industry, mine and trade and companies located in technology parks according their individual skills and abilities.

Knowledge-based Projects as Alternative to Military Service

The Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs has aimed to create the infrastructures for detection of talents of those subject to general duty and recognize the needs of incorporated companies and introducing individuals to eligible companies with the cooperation of the general staff of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In addition, key individuals and founders of successful startups, and knowledge-based companies and institutes and creative companies can also continue their military service as elites approved by the national elites foundation within the framework of regulations of the general staff of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.