|
 | Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Susan Kelly, with Non-Resident Ambassador-Designate of the Islamic Republic of iran to Fiji, his Excellency, Mr Seyed Majid Tafreshi Khameni |
|
The University of the South Pacific welcomed the first Non Resident Ambassador - Designate of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Fiji, His Excellency, Mr Seyed Majid Tafreshi Khameneh, on Wednesday 26 June, 2013.
In meeting with His Excellency Mr Khameneh at USP’s Laucala Campus in Suva, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Susan Kelly noted that the Ambassador-Designate’s visit to the University had come at an excellent time, given that USP has since embarked on the realization of its new Strategic Plan 2013-2018, which places emphasis on the University’s objective to further development.
His Excellency, Mr Khameneh, commended the University for taking the concerns of the Pacific region into consideration and being a leader in research and the cultivation of relations with countries and institutions in the areas of resource preservation (energy, food and water security) and climate change.
His Excellency, Mr Khameneh, also noted that the University has yet to develop formal relations with institutions and agencies in Iran, and said he would be honoured to help lay the foundations for a sustainable collaboration between the University and Iran. He, in agreement with the Acting Vice-Chancellor, said that interaction between the University and Iran would open up great possibilities for both parties.
“Supporting a University, is supporting the future of a country,” the Ambassador-Designate said, adding that cooperation between USP and agencies and tertiary institutions from Iran, would be beneficial in securing the intellectual future of the next generation of Pacific Islanders to become decision makers and responsible citizens in all of USP’s member states.
He also mentioned other possible areas of collaboration which included student exchange programmes and the exchange of teaching staff in areas such as Islamic studies with a focus on empowering women through religion. Professor Kelly further noted that the University continues to foster favourable relationships through Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and other agreements in its engagement with other academic institutions and agencies.
His Excellency, Mr Khameneh, discussed at length, Iran’s strong emphasis on tertiary education, mentioning that Iran has a public which is approximately 90 percent literate and places a great cultural emphasis on tertiary education. He said it would be a great opportunity to collaborate with USP on developing relationships with Universities in Iran.
Professor Kelly agreed, noting that although literacy rates in the Pacific have increased, with institutions like USP at the forefront in terms of driving these numbers, there was a lot that could be learnt from the situation in Iran, and collaborations with Iranian Universities could be a starting point. This would in turn enhance the University’s educational goals under the Strategic Plan.
Professor Kelly thanked His Excellency, Mr Khameneh, for visiting and said the University is looking forward to further its relationship with Iran.
|
