Head of Imam Reza International University: “Attracting Scientific Tourists Brings Economic and Cultural Development”

Reza Saeedi referring to the importance of attracting foreign students at the second “Consular Affairs Affiliates Educational Workshop of Razavi, South and North Khorasan Universities” attended by directors and officials at Imam Reza International University said, “Attracting foreign students in the country, in addition to participating in the global science production process, facilitates the transfer of technology and enrichment of the training process.”
He asserted that the Imam Reza International University has been established for more than twenty years and stated, “In addition to 6,000 students studying, 500 professors have affiliated, full-time and part-time seats.”
 “The statistics is good compared to other non-profit universities in Iran; however, in comparison with global statistics, not only Imam Reza (A.S.) university, but all universities in the country lack the favorable status” Saeedi said, recounting that the Imam Reza International University has attracted 400 foreign students in the new year.
Pointing to the fact that today tourism and scientific tourism are considered as an important topic in the world, he expressed, “Studies show that advanced countries in attracting foreign students have an income higher than our oil income.”
The Head of the Imam Reza International University pointed out that attracting scientific tourists besides economic development, brings security and cultural expansion and said, “If a country wants to grow up in the scientific field must take advantage of students and the masterminds of other countries.”
“According to statistics, they refer to the foreign student recruiting industry as the production plant of the presidents and the ministers. Universities in the United Kingdom and the United States educate a high percentage of presidents, ministers and parliamentarians from the developing countries” he said and noted the security aspect of attracting scientific tourists.
“According to statistics, out of 50,000 students studying in British universities and 500,000 graduate students from American universities, a president, parliamentarian or a minister have emerged” Saeedi commented.
“It would not be desirable for our country just to invest on domestic students. Currently, there are 500,000 empty seats in the 2,800 existing universities in the country, and we should use this capacity to attract foreign students” he said, mentioning the issue of scientific development as multifaceted.
The Head of the international University of Imam Reza (A.S.) pointed to the provision of easy conditions for the study of foreign students in Iran, and added, “Students are Iranian missionaries in their countries, and thus, their satisfaction will lead to attracting more students.”
 “I hope we can host more non-Iranian students in the country by facilitating and improving the bureaucratic processes and consular issues in which most students are involved” he said.