Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh delivered a lecture at ENU

A delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran headed by Deputy Foreign Minister, Head of the Institute of Political and International Studies (IPIS) Saeed Khatibzadeh arrived at The L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University on an official visit.

During the visit, the Iranian delegation met with ENU Rector Yerlan Sydykov. The parties discussed the prospects of cooperation in the field of higher education, including staff training, academic mobility, as well as the implementation of joint educational programs.

Welcoming the guests, Rector Yerlan Sydykov stressed the university’s interest in strengthening ties with Iranian universities, in particular, in the context of training highly qualified specialists in the field of nuclear energy.

"As you know, Iran has accumulated a wealth of experience in the field of nuclear technology. Taking into account the plans for the construction of nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan, the need for training specialized specialists is increasing. We are ready to cooperate with Iran's technological universities, and we are also open to accepting Iranian students in dual degree and academic mobility programs," ENU Rector said.

For his part, Saeed Khatibzadeh proposed signing a memorandum of cooperation between ENU and the Institute of Political and International Studies of the Iranian Foreign Ministry (IPIS). According to him, this agreement will allow for the exchange of students and teachers, as well as expand research and educational cooperation.

"IPIS is the leading analytical and academic center in Iran. The Institute conducts master's degree programs, professional retraining in the field of international relations and actively participates in shaping the foreign policy agenda," Said Khatibzadeh said.

Rector Yerlan Sydykov supported the initiative of signing the memorandum and expressed readiness for further elaboration of the document.

It should be noted that during the visit, Saeed Khatibzadeh, Doctor of Political Sciences and International Relations, delivered a lecture to ENU students, during which he spoke about the key vectors of Iran's foreign policy, as well as shared his expert opinion on global security and regional cooperation.

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The L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University is actively developing cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. To date, the university has signed memoranda and agreements with three leading universities in Iran.

In 2019, the Abu Rayhan Biruni Center for Iran-Kazakhstan Economic Research opened at the ENU’s Faculty of Economics, whose activities are aimed at developing joint research projects and deepening bilateral ties in the economic sphere.

Since 2015, ENU faculties have been taught by 7 professors from Iranian universities, including Allameh Tabataba'i University and Tarbiat Moallem University. Amirhossein Mousavi, a teacher, is working at the Faculty of Information Technology this academic year.

Since 2020, three professors from Allameh Tabataba'i University have also been working at ENU as scientific consultants.

For many years, the Ariana Persian Language Club, founded in 2001, has been successfully functioning in ENU. Students get acquainted with the rich Persian culture, learn the language and traditions. The Persian Language and Culture Center was opened with the support of the Iranian Embassy in Kazakhstan, which also donated more than 1,000 books and fully equipped the learning space.

In February 2024, Acting Professor of the Oriental Studies Department Samal Tuleubayeva and Senior lecturer of the Religious Studies Department B. Kalemshariv completed a scientific internship at the Institute of Short-term Study and Research Programs at Al-Mustafa International University in the city of Qom, a spiritual capital of Iran.

In 2023, ENU hosted a round table on the topic "Study of Cultural Ties Between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Kazakhstan", dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states.