The National Seminar on New Perspectives in the Internationalization of Universities was hosted by the International Relations Office of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences on November 19, 2025 (28/8/1404) at the School of Public Health. This seminar was conducted both in-person and online, with participation from the international offices of the universities in Cluster Seven, including Isfahan, Kashan, and Shahrekord, as well as universities of Shiraz, Mashhad, and Zahedan. Dr. Mansour Esmaeili, Director of SSU International Campus, and Dr. Ali Mirvakili, Director of Scientific and International Cooperation at Yazd University, also took an active part.
At the beginning of the event, Dr. Mohammad-Bagher Owlia, Director of the International Relations Office, welcomed the participants and stated that the purpose of the event was to exchange ideas and expand collaboration with universities across the country on a scale broader than the national clusters. Following this, Dr. Mohammad-Amir Amirkhani, Deputy Director-General for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Health, delivered remarks on the need to enhance internationalization in education, research, healthcare, medical tourism, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment, emphasizing the strengthening of health diplomacy.
During the seminar, in addition to discussions and exchange of experiences regarding international activities of universities, the following presentations were delivered:
Presentation Title | Speaker | Affiliation |
Collaboration among Islamic Countries: Opportunities for Medical Universities — Reviewing Educational and Research Collaboration among OIC Member Universities | Dr. Ahmad Pourghasem | Representative of the OIC Committee on Science & Technology (COMSTECH) for the Expansion of Language Technologies, Faculty Member at Amirkabir University |
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Internationalization of Higher Education | Dr. Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei | Advisor to the President of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences on International Affairs |
Building Effective International Partnerships | Dr. Shapour Badiee | Vice-President for International Affairs, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences |
The Experience of Communicating with the Africa Trade Chamber | Dr. Zahra Karimian | Director of International Affairs, Kashan University of Medical Sciences |
Experience of Engaging with the German Chamber | Dr. Payam Shirvanchi | Assistant Director of International Affairs, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences |
Leading Global Engagement in a Time of Uncertainty | Dr. Manica Negahdaripour | Vice-President for International Affairs, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences |
International Faculty Members: Competencies and Characteristics | Dr. Zahra Lori-Gouini | Director of International Affairs, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences |
Digital Citizenship in an International University: Opportunities and Challenges | Dr. Maryam Nikfard | Faculty Member, |
