Three memoranda of understanding have been signed between the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS) in Zanjan and the Rouzbeh Charity Institute, Pars Pardazesh Company, and Zanjan Autism Association, to mark National Basic Sciences Day and to commemorate Abu Rayhan Biruni. This was during a meeting on “Basic Sciences and Social Responsibility” held at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS) in Zanjan on Thursday, 4 September 2025.

The meeting was attended by heads, vice presidents and directors from the Zanjan Governorate and provincial executive bodies and was held in the University’s conference hall. The IASBS President, Prof Sadollah Nasiri Gheydari, welcomed the guests and described the basic sciences as a valuable reserve for the country’s future, stating that any society that invests in this field takes steps towards sustainable development. Referring to UNESCO’s resolution designating 2022 as the International Year of Basic Sciences, he highlighted the efforts of Iranian scientific associations in the field, which led to the designation of 4 September, Abu Rayhan Biruni’s birthday, as National Basic Sciences Day in the official calendar of Iran.

Prof Nasiri Gheydari emphasised the need for universities to attend to their social responsibility, referring to new evaluation criteria of “social responsibility, health and sports, and data-based services” introduced by the Minister of Science, Research and Technology in his recent speech. He added that the IASBS has already taken practical steps in all three areas, including signing memoranda on women’s empowerment and health, and launching a data centre with substantial investment.

He went on to say that every innovation and technology originates from the basic sciences, citing the experience of advanced countries such as China, where investment in basic sciences has strengthened their scientific and technological capacity. He stressed that Iran’s scientific, economic and cultural strength will be realised through science and technology, and universities must play a serious role in this process.

Later in the meeting, the Director General of Communications and Information Technology of Zanjan Province, Dr Farzad Tavakoli, delivered a speech. He referred to the province’s standing in technology indicators and internet penetration, naming Zanjan as the first province to host a national backup infrastructure centre of the Ministry of ICT. He considered this an important opportunity to develop data centres in the province. He also referred to the province’s stable electricity network and its position on the country’s east–west communication corridor as a favourable opportunity for investment in information and communication technology. He described the productive collaboration between the IASBS and his office over the past 20 months as an important achievement, leading to five joint initiatives: establishing the first Internet of Things laboratory, expanding cooperation with the University’s Science and Technology Park, planning for reference laboratories in cyber and network equipment, and providing stable infrastructure for the University’s data centre. He added that the involvement of local Zanjan companies in this cooperation has been a significant national contribution.

Dr Nabiollah Mohammadi, the Member of Parliament for Zanjan and Tarom, also addressed the meeting. He expressed appreciation to the founders and directors of the IASBS, describing the University of Basic Sciences as a source of pride for Zanjan Province. He stated that attention to the basic sciences and rational scientific thinking can pave the way for the country’s development, while distancing from scientific management leads to underdevelopment. Referring to various types of social responsibility, he said the event, the signing of agreements, and the groundbreaking ceremony exemplified “persuasive social responsibility”, aimed at creating positive effects in society, going beyond the law and based on human and divine motivation. Honouring the memory of the martyrs, he expressed hope that the efforts of universities and the scientific community would contribute to the progress, scientific strength and sustainable development of Iran.

Finally, Dr Morteza Barari, an academic staff member and former President of the ICT Research Institute, spoke about information technology and social responsibility. He pointed to emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and data science, and said that the academic infrastructure of Zanjan Province was well-positioned for strengthening the digital economy and content- and network-based e-commerce. Referring to social responsibility indicators in the digital economy in advanced countries, he described the country’s human resources as the foundation for this advancement.

At this event, three outstanding young talents of Zanjan Province were also honoured: Mr Mehdi Aghajanlou, a winner of the 2025 World Mathematics Olympiad gold medal in Australia; his accomplished mathematics teacher, Dr Mehdi Afshar,; and Mr Navid Kordlou, who has ranked fifth nationwide in the national university entrance examination in experimental sciences from Khodabandeh County.

In another part of the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the IASBS and the Rouzbeh Charity Institute to launch and operate the Rouzbeh Social Innovation Centre. A second memorandum was signed with Zanjan Autism Association for the construction of an educational, rehabilitation and welfare park for autistic children on the University premises under the name “Ehsan Mandegar”. The third multilateral memorandum, signed between the Provincial ICT Office, the University’s Science and Technology Park and Pars Pardaz (private ) Company, covered the establishment of a data centre for national use and a reference laboratory for electronic, electromechanical, computer, hardware, software and Internet of Things equipment.

The CEO of Pars Pardaz Company announced scholarships for two of the honoured young talents of Zanjan, as part of their social responsibility programme, and also pledged to provide full data technology services free of charge to Zanjan Autism Association under a forthcoming agreement.

At the end of the meeting, participants visited the exhibition of knowledge-based companies at the IASBS Science and Technology Park, hosted in the Chemistry Department auditorium. Later, with the presence of university and provincial officials, groundbreaking took place at the site of the Autism Park for Children, marking the start of construction. During the ceremony, children with autism were also actively involved as part of the social responsibility initiative.

The Basic Sciences and Social Responsibility meeting, held on 4 September 2025 at the IASBS, resulted in three major memoranda of cooperation: launching the Rouzbeh Social Innovation Centre, constructing the Autism Educational and Rehabilitation Park, and establishing a national data centre and reference laboratory. It also included honouring three outstanding young talents from Zanjan Province, providing them with financial and moral support, and breaking ground for the Autism Park.

The report of this meeting has also been published on the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology website.