Providing a support package including various suggestions for attracting Iranian elites from outside the country is one of the priorities of the Vice-Presidency. In this regard, eight main services are provided to Iranian experts residing outside the country. 

According to the book of 40 years of science, technology and innovation, the estimates show that about 1% of all Iranian students are studying abroad, which is not a large number compared to the international mean (about 3%).

“In 1979 and before the Islamic Revolution, Iran was ranked first in terms of the number of students in the United States. Meanwhile, there are more than 10,000 students in the United States while we are ranked 12^th in this field.”

According to Irna, at the beginning of the revolution, there were 170,000 students in the country and 100,000 Iranian students studying abroad.

Meanwhile, according to official statistics, there are now more than four million and 500,000 students studying in the country, 25 times more than in the early years of the revolution. The number of Iranian students studying abroad has reached 48,000 and is less than half that of the early years of the revolution.

However, developed and developing countries such as China, Malaysia and Turkey have high levels of exchange and migration of elites and specialists with overseas. Meanwhile, the Vice-Presidency has offered various supportive suggestions to Iranian entrepreneurs and professionals abroad by developing a coherent program.

At the forefront of this support are eight services that have been directed at attracting more academics and researchers abroad.

Support of technological activities and establishing new companies, post-doctoral facilities, support of occupation in innovation centers and accelerators as an instructor and counselor, facilities for sabbatical leaves, housing facilities, support of occupation in valid domestic companies, support of holding lectures and specialized workshops, and supporting cooperation with professors are the main eight services directly and indirectly provided to elites outside the country.

According to this plan, domestic companies that recruit Iranian elites will receive the support of the Vice-Presidency. In addition, they can benefit from different types of financial supports, grants and other facilities, and the Iranian elites can use welfare facilities, such as housing facilities.

A report by the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs