Meeting of Lorestan's Elites and Technologists with the Vice President for Science and Technology, at Lorestan University

A discussion-based meeting of elites, technologists, and presidents of universities and higher education centers of Lorestan province, with Dr. Hossein Afshin, Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy of the President and Head of the National Elites Foundation, hosted by Lorestan University, with the presence of Engineer Seyed Saeed Shahrokhi, Governor of Lorestan, was held.

According to the public relations of Lorestan University, this meeting was held with a discussion-based approach on Wednesday morning, May 6th of this year, in the Shahid Ebrahimi meeting hall of Lorestan University.

Lorestan, a breeding ground for elites/ Support based on performance and feedback

The Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy of the President, in his speech at this meeting, said: "The potential and capacity of Lorestan province is much more than what we are currently witnessing; in Lorestan province, there are many capabilities; Lorestan province is a breeding ground for elites".

Dr. Hossein Afshin, explained: "It is necessary for the Science and Technology Park of the province and the major universities of the province, such as Lorestan University, to provide more and better guidance and support to the elites of Lorestan; one of the important duties of science and technology parks and growth centers is to strengthen awareness about the support paths for elites and to facilitate the path of support for elites".

Dr. Afshin, stated: "We are looking to make the processes of guiding and supporting elites and knowledge-based companies with the required conditions easier and faster".

He stated: "The basis of support for growth centers and knowledge-based companies in the provinces is how much their activities have returns and feedback; the more feedback the activities have, the more effective they are, it is natural that the support will continue".

The Vice President for Science, stated: "Our approach is that when a decision becomes a resolution, we have defined a timeline for the implementation of that resolution at the provincial level, and we monitor and review how much of the content of the resolutions has been implemented".

Dr. Afshin, provided explanations about the follow-up for the welfare issues of elites, including housing for elites.

In another part of his speech, he also answered the questions of the attendees about strengthening the mechanisms of support for laboratories.

The Vice President for Science and Technology of the President also referred to the issue of supporting the growth center and explained that based on coordination with the Governor of Lorestan, we will support the growth center that is considered to strengthen the path of science and technology in the province.

Attention to elites is one of the important components of the country's progress

The Governor of Lorestan, in his speech at this meeting, said: "One of the important components of the growth, progress and authority of any country is the amount of attention that country pays to science, knowledge and research; this is also advanced by elites and owners of science and knowledge".

Engineer Seyed Saeed Shahrokhi, explained: "America and Europe, with awareness of the role of elites in the progress of the country, have always tried to attract the elites of other countries, including our own country; based on the guidelines of the leader of the Islamic Revolution, if the enemies are constantly seeking to show power in the world, it is because of science, knowledge and technology; for this reason, the university elites of the province should also, more than ever, strive to strengthen the scientific authority of Iran".

Shahrokhi, continued: "Iran has had numerous martyrs in the path of scientific and technological growth and development; this itself indicates the great impact of elites and researchers on the progress and authority of the country at the national and international levels".

He stated: "Currently, there are 33 knowledge-based companies in Lorestan province, but in my opinion, the number along with the quality of activities should be much more than this amount".

The Governor of Lorestan stated: "Lorestan province has many talents in the field of science and technology; but we should not be satisfied with the current situation and we should try to make the scientific movement of the country take more momentum day by day".

Engineer Shahrokhi, continued: "One of the problems of knowledge-based companies is that they say that at the beginning of the path, the registration process is difficult, complex and long; of course, we should also try at the provincial level to expand the necessary platforms and infrastructure for training, consulting and guidance (creating an efficient agent for training, consulting and answering the questions of companies); I hope that part of the issue, which is in the hands of Tehran, will be resolved with the orders and measures of the respected Vice President for Science".

He added: "Currently, there are five growth centers in Lorestan province; there are 220 technology companies in the science and technology park of the province and the growth centers of the province; more than one thousand people are also working in the technology companies of the province".

Elites are the engine of progress of any society

The President of Lorestan University, in this meeting, said: "The development and progress of any society depends on the participation of the elites of that society; the driving engine of any society is the elites of that society".

Dr. Mehrdad Dadestani, explained: "Elites include scientific, political, social, economic, etc. elites, each of whom plays an effective role in the progress of society; elites play a leading role in institutionalizing rationality in society".

Dr. Dadestani, described: "Lorestan University has a growth center that, with the cooperation of the Vice President for Technology and Innovation and the Vice President for Research of the Ministry of Science, the Elites Foundation of the province, etc., we have been able to define a technology ecosystem for this center".

He stated: "We need support from the university's growth center in infrastructural and research matters; Lorestan University has prepared the land use plan for the revival of oak forests, which needs support; another plan is the land use plan for energy and the environment, which has also been prepared by Lorestan University with an approach to paying attention to renewable energies, which also needs more financial and infrastructural support".

The President of Lorestan University, also provided explanations about the law on the leap in knowledge-based production and stated that unfortunately, the capacity of this law has not yet been well used in Lorestan province.

He noted: "We ask the senior officials of the province to encourage industries in this regard to strengthen the applied research needed by industries and society based on the cooperation between the research and development units of industries and universities, and on the other hand, industries also benefit from the tax exemptions related to the provisions of the law on the leap in knowledge-based production".

Elites; the country's assets for solving problems

In this meeting, Dr. Mohsen Arefnejad, President of the Elites Foundation of Lorestan Province, and Dr. Mahmoudreza Shakerami, President of the Science and Technology Park of Lorestan Province, also emphasized the importance of the position of elites in the progress of the country and the effectiveness of elites in the decision-making system with an approach to solving the problems of society in short speeches.

In this meeting, each of the presidents of the universities of the province and other participants also shared their suggestions with the Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy of the President.