Meeting of the Delegation of Hasanuddin University of Indonesia with Alzahra University

Dr. Jamaluddin Jompa, Chancellor of Hasanuddin University of Indonesia, at the head of a delegation from the said university, accompanied by Dr. Abolhasan Khalaj Monfared, Director of Academic and University Cooperations of Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, Dr. Mohammad Reza Ebrahimi, Iran's Cultural Advisor in Indonesia, and directors of Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, in the morning of Tuesday, June 23, 2023 visited Alzahra University and met the administration and officials of Alzahra University.

The Indonesian University board included Dr. Aka Satra, vice president of Hassanuddin University, Professor Adi Molana, head of the Natural Disasters Research Institute, Dr. Saudi Mohammad, faculty member at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, and Dr. Supratman, director of the Indonesian TV channel and a graduate of Al-Mustafa Al-Alamiya Society. From Alzahra University, Dr. Zahra Nazim Bekai, Chancellor of the University, Dr. Leila Tajik, Director of International Academic Cooperation, Dr. Yadolhah Ordukhani, Vice President of Research and Technology of the University, Dr. Zainab Sadeghi, Vice President of Cultural Affairs of the University, Dr. Leila Samani, Vice President of Student Affairs of the University, and a number of university professors were present.

Dr. Jompa expressed his pleasure to visit Alzahra University and thanked for the hospitality of this university and said: "We are very impressed by academic activities in Iran and we are very interested in expanding academic relations and cooperation." Referring to the recent visit of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Indonesia, he expressed his deep commitment to strengthening the long-standing relations between the two nations of Iran and Indonesia.

Dr. Jamaluddin Jompa added: "The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran places special emphasis on visiting Alzahra University as a leading women's university in Iran, and for this reason, we are interested in starting academic cooperation with Alzahra University. Hasanuddin University has 50 thousand students, 60% of whom are girls. The heads of many of our faculties, as well as our international director, are women, and it is a matter of honor for us to take a step towards expanding the scientific relations between the two countries." Emphasizing the need to increase student exchange between the two countries, he considered this very necessary and effective in order to compensate for the distance and separation of the two nations.

Dr. Nazem Bokaee, Chancellor of Alzahra University, welcomed the delegation of Hasanuddin University of Indonesia in her speech and by reciting Surah Kauthar and pointing to the role model of Hazrat Zahra (PBUH), the beloved daughter of the Prophet of Islam, for Iranian Muslim women and girls, on the common grounds of the two nations of Iran and Indonesia, religion and Holy Quran and shared Islamic identity, as well as the importance of scientific and cultural interactions between the two countries.

Dr. Bokaee added: "44 years after the Islamic Revolution, Islamic Iran has seen great progress, especially in the field of women. Today, more than 36% of the faculty members of our country's universities are women, and more than 50% of the university entrance exam applicants are girls. With 60 years of history, Alzahra University has about 11,000 students in 11 faculties in three undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels in the fields of life science, engineering, social sciences and economics, educational sciences, sports, literature and languages, art and theology are studying. She added that recently the permission to establish Faculty of Family Studies was specially granted to Alzahra University.

Referring to the social, political, economic and cultural activities of the Iranian women, Dr. Nazem Bokaee announced the readiness of Alzahra University for skill training and empowerment of women. She also proposed cooperation in the field of training courses on Iranian handicraft skills and household arts, as well as scientific cooperation in the field of research on medicinal plants and herbal medicines, considering the climate and geographical location of the vast land of Iran.

While welcoming the Indonesian guests, Dr. Tajik, the Director of International Academic Cooperations, introduced the colleagues of Alzahra University present at the meeting and the specific proposals of Alzahra University for cooperation with Hasanuddin University of Indonesia, including the exchange of study opportunities, the awarding of student educational and research scholarships and conducting joint studies in the field of women and family, teaching Persian language and literature and Iranology in Indonesia, as well as holding joint scientific seminars and conferences. She also mentioned the possibility of holding Iranian handicrafts training courses in Indonesia.

Dr. Urdukhani, the Vice President of Research and Technology, by enumerating the joint educational fields of Alzahra and Hasanuddin University, proposed joint scientific meetings and conferences, joint teaching and counseling of student theses, as well as the exchange of educational and research scholarships and opportunities between the two universities, membership in the editorial board of scientific journals of the two universities, and carrying out joint research projects. He also proposed the establishment of a chair of Persian language and literature and Iranian studies at Hasanuddin University of Indonesia.

In his speech, Dr. Khalaj, Director of Academic and University Cooperations of Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, also expressed his happiness about the interest of the university authorities of the two friendly and brotherly nations, Iran and Indonesia, for the development of academic cooperation, he emphasized on the vast capabilities and facilities available in the universities of Iran to accept Indonesian students. He also considered the signing of the cultural cooperation document between Iran and Indonesia as a useful and auspicious event for the development of academic cooperation between the two countries.

Dr. Ebrahimi, Iran's cultural adviser in Indonesia, while welcoming the guests and praising Alzahra University for its international cooperation, expressed his happiness at the meeting of the officials of the two top universities of Iran and Indonesia. Referring to the significant development of Islamic countries in recent decades, and the improvement of the scientific and academic capacities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he emphasized the importance of developing student exchange with the Islamic world, especially Indonesia.

At the end of the meeting, the memorandum of understanding on academic cooperation between Alzahra University and Hasanuddin University was signed by the chancellors of the two universities, and gifts and commemorative plaques were exchanged between the two universities.