IRIS Signs MOU with ECOSF during its International Training Workshop

IRIS Signs MOU with ECOSF during its International Training Workshop
April 30, 2017

Isfahan Regional Center for Technology Incubator & Science Park Development (IRIS) - under the auspices of UNESCO organized a training workshop with the support and cooperation of Isfahan Science & Technology Town (ISTT) and in collaboration with the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation also under the Auspices of UNESCO (ISTIC), and the Economic Cooperation Organization’s (ECO) Science Foundation (ECOSF). IASP’s West Asian and North African Division (WANA) also contributed to the workshop.

This 4 day workshop focused on “Technology-Based Entrepreneurship for Developing Countries “ and had participants from the ECO countries including Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan , Iraq and Iran and also a number from the international community including Italy, Oman, Malaysia,Bangladesh and Korea.

IRIS and ECOSF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the opening ceremony of the workshop on April 25^th, 2017 in the Abbasi Hotel in Isfahan, Iran. Under this MoU, ECOSF and IRIS will work together to further strengthen the mutual collaboration in development of S&T Parks and Incubation Centers andin the promotion of Innovative and Entrepreneurial Initiatives in the ECO region.

This jointly organized workshop took advantage and offered the expertise of the representatives of three international organizations (IRIS, ISTIC and ECOSF) making it unique in its kind. The directors of these organizations addressed the participants during the opening ceremony and explained why such an alliance is beneficial and how they intend to complement each other.

Prof. Dr. Manzoor Soomro, President of ECOSF, explained that in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development set by the United Nations, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals defined therein and the explicit recognition of the role of science, technology and innovation as a vital driver of sustainability, ECOSF plans to partner up with IRIS in the dissemination of the culture of establishing Science and Technology Parks and Technology Business Incubators and also in the provision of scientific capacity building to ECO Countries. With IRIS’s extensive experience in the development and management of technology parks and ECOSF’s vast reach and influence in the ECO countries the collaboration has the potential to create great impact and induce development.

In her welcoming speech, Dr. Sharifah Maimunah Syed Zin, Director of ISTIC, emphasized on the track record of successful cooperation between ISTIC and IRIS and hoped that the partnership continues for years to come.

In conclusion Dr. Mohammad Javad Omidi, Director of IRIS, stressed that the joint intent behind such collaborations and workshops is to increase the realization of technological solutions to social needs and demands. He expressed hope that the exposure of individuals with key roles in developing countries to the concepts of Technology–based Entrepreneurship is the cause of a ripple effect towards innovation and entrepreneurism in the participants originating countries.

The workshop concluded on the 28^th of April, 2017 at the closing ceremony of the 13^th Sheikh Bahai National Technopreneurship Festival organized by Isfahan Science and Technology Town (ISTT).

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