Message from Dr. Hossein Simai Sarraf, Minister of Science, Research and Technology, on the occasion of the start of the new academic year
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
I consider the blessed coincidence of the month of Mehr, the start of the new academic year, with the season of the glorious week of Sacred Defense and the week full of goodness and blessings of unity as a good omen for the start of the new academic year. I hope that the spirit of sacrifice, freedom, and the great attributes of the Prophet of Mercy and the nurturing of students by Imam Sadiq (PBUH), will be a source of knowledge and spirituality in the academic sphere of the country. This simultaneous occurrence is a valuable opportunity for the higher education community to adhere to the ethical and rational principles of our beloved Islam and to practice acceptance, solidarity, and national cohesion.
Undoubtedly, the first condition for the dignified existence of a nation is the benefit from wisdom, knowledge, and commitment to human ethics. The university, as the driving force of societal advancement and development, not only provides education, research, and technology but also awakens the spirit of curiosity and critical thinking in students. Therefore, the university must prepare students to confront the major issues of society and to engage in respectable social life.
The country's higher education system, with its vast human resources including professors, staff, and students, has been successful in various fields, particularly in training skilled and committed human resources. It is hoped that through optimal planning and management, it can fulfill its "social responsibility" in solving the country's issues by uniting all active social forces and currents.
Relying on the infinite divine power and adhering to the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUH), along with the support and efforts of the esteemed scholars and educated youth of this land, we strive to work more resolutely and responsibly than before to establish educational justice and to protect the rights of academics, uphold the rule of law, expand rational discourse in universities, establish logic in dialogue and free thought, recognize the authority of science, maintain the scientific authority of universities, and promote scientific and cultural diplomacy in the world, ensuring the dignity of academics, preserving independence, developing welfare, creating tranquility, and providing financial and moral support to academics. In this path, I urge my university colleagues and dear students to make diligent efforts to reach the peaks of excellence and progress, secure the "Science and Technology Strategy," and bring vitality to society.
I congratulate and extend my best wishes at the beginning of the new academic year, the season of growth and renewed blooming of the garden of knowledge and awareness, to all esteemed members of the faculty, dear students, and dedicated, hardworking, and committed staff of universities and higher education, research, and technology institutions across the country. I wish health and prosperity for each dear one, especially for the new students, and emphasize that the orientation and horizon of our activities should be based on scientific governance and cultural excellence, quality enhancement, and skills development in educational, research, technological, and innovative programs, so that in the light of these efforts, we can play an effective and efficient role in solving the challenges faced by our system and the country.
I hope that all of us academics can, with trust in Almighty God and in light of the wise guidance of Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader, and by seeking the pure spirit of martyrs, especially the esteemed martyrs of science and academia, take significant steps towards creating a vibrant, healthy, and peaceful academic environment for the future generation of our Islamic homeland through a "national consensus" approach.
