Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology affairs, attended the meeting of knowledge-based economy and production leap as the last part of his one-day trip to West Azerbaijan province, and mentioned: the knowledge-based economy in the provinces is realized when all the provincial officials want and join hands. The Vice-Presidency has a different attitude toward this area, compared to other government organizations. We believe that development is an endogenous event, and development occurs by the province’s youth.

According to the vice president for science and technology affairs, we are only a platform that is used as a tool. There is no magic lamp to solve problems in provinces.

The president of the national elites foundation continued: knowledge-based economy is not advanced with money. Its principle is idea, innovation and activity, which is in contrast to oil economy that moves with the money of the technology and knowledge owner.

Oil Economy Will Prevent Innovative Achievement in the Country

The president of the headquarters for culture knowledge-based economy added: employment destroys our children’s self-confidence. This type of thinking dominates all economics that use underground resources.

Sattari continued: we have made some mistakes in the education field that need correction. However, it will take time and the proper culture must be built in this regard. We must feel the presence of more than 2000 faculty members and 100,000 students in the province and they should be able to solve the problems of the province with their knowledge.

The president of the national elites foundation continued: it is different in knowledge-based economy. We must determine the knowledge of faculty members and students in people’s life and problem-solving and economy in the society. We must create value for people.

Universities Must Avoid Government Money

Sattari asserted: in a knowledge-based economy, if you want to produce a product from research, it must be private sector investment. Research is not product-oriented with government money.

Comparing this year’s trip to the trip made in 2014, Sattari expressed: the differences are obvious when I compare this year's trip with the first trip. First of all, there are cultural differences, and it is very good and admirable that all the provincial authorities feel sorry for the native children and try to keep them in the province.

The vice president for science and technology affairs continued: this thinking is very important, but their return must be evident in your province. The entrepreneur must be the crown and the value.

We Will Decrease the Risk of Private Investment in Science

According to the president of the national elites foundation, the government has the responsibility of investing on these infrastructures. My duty is to assist the formation of science and technology parks and the provision of the infrastructures for technological companies and universities. We need to bring private sector investment into companies and reduce the risk of private sector investment.

Sattari also emphasized: today, we made decisions to develop the province's technology park. We inject any amount of money into the park. We have to make this park worthy of children.

According to Sattari, the country's budget has three main pillars, education, health and defense. This position must be used correctly. The private sector must invest in universities and their development. The nature of the private sector in this area creates wealth.

The president of the biotechnology development headquarter marked: I thank Urmia University for donating a large part of its land to the provincial park. The fact that the university itself is moving towards creating an innovation zone makes our task heavier to help this province more.

He added: use empty buildings for the creativity of the youth. We are fully prepared to rebuild these buildings.

Sattari continued: I request that you expedite the administrative actions for the Provincial Research and Technology Fund.

Elite Soldiers Is an Unprecedented Agreement in the Country

The vice president for science and technology affairs suggested the University of Urmia to move toward a center that produces products from research.

Pointing out the Artmia Project, he mentioned: for instance, we have Artmia in this university, for which a 25-year research has been carried out. Nevertheless, no product has still been produced. Why? Because no company has been created in this field yet. However, good people were raised with government money, but commercializing it requires creating a company.

According to Sattari, the Vice-Presidency fully supports this issue and accepts the risk of investment. However, the products must be sold to people.

The vice president for science and technology affairs expressed: research has two parts, either basic research that must be provided by the government or commercialization research, in which the government must only reduce the research risk and be the capital of the private sector.

The president of the national elites foundation pointed out the conscription of elites, asserting: this approval has been unprecedented in the country and has been backed up by the Supreme Leader. In this regard, administrative processes should be accelerated.

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