The Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal, His Excellency Saliou (Alireza) Niang Ding, together with his delegation, has paid a two-day visit to the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), during which visits were made to the university’s scientific and research centres.

The programme began with a visit by His Excellency to the university’s Science and Technology Park. During this visit, the technologies and industrial products developed by companies based in the park were introduced and presented, including innovations in optical systems for material identification and pest detection, electrical engineering, smart-parking systems, mining exploration and extraction, SCADA and power-system management, high-precision medical imaging and livestock breeding. At the end of this part of the programme, His Excellency expressed his satisfaction with the visit and, referring to his experience in various countries, commended Iran’s scientific and technological progress despite challenges and limitations.

A meeting was then held with the IASBS President, Prof Sadollah Nasiri Gheydari, his deputies Prof Zaare-Nahandi and Dr Khodaie-Far, members of the university leadership, His Excellency the Ambassador of Senegal and the accompanying delegation. In this meeting, a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening academic, research and industrial links between the IASBS and Senegalese educational, research and industrial institutions was signed by both parties. Prof Nasiri Gheydari opened the meeting by welcoming the guests and outlining the long-standing relations between Iran and Senegal and the level of awareness of Senegal within Iran. He regarded the current level of academic cooperation with Senegalese institutions as insufficient and emphasised the need for continued dialogue and practical action in line with the provisions of the agreement. His Excellency expressed his appreciation for the visit and endorsed the remarks of the President, affirming the role and responsibility of the embassy in facilitating links between the universities and industries of the two countries.

His Excellency and the accompanying delegation subsequently visited the research laboratories of the Departments of Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Physics. In this part of the visit, academic staff and researchers introduced their advanced research equipment and explained the achievements and practical applications of ongoing projects.

The cultural component of the visit, organised in coordination with the Provincial Cultural Heritage Office, included tours of historical and cultural sites in Zanjan such as the Rakhtshooykhaneh (historic washhouse), the Zolfaghar Mansion (Saltmen Museum), the Gheysarieh Bazaar, the Medicinal Plants Museum and the Farhang Bookstore (Mr Taghaddosi’s bookshop).

A further meeting was arranged jointly by the IASBS and the Zanjan Governor’s Office, during which His Excellency and the Director of International Academic Cooperation at the IASBS met with the Governor of Zanjan and his deputies. In this session, the need for sustained follow-up on scientific, industrial and research agreements in fields such as agriculture, electrical engineering and the utilisation of the province’s diverse capacities was highlighted.

On the final day of the visit, the guests, in coordination with the university and the Provincial Cultural Heritage Organisation, visited the Soltaniyeh Dome, this unique historical monument.

Overall, the visit enabled His Excellency to become acquainted with the scientific and research capacities of the IASBS and the capabilities of the province, to gain an introduction to Zanjan’s tourism potential and to witness the signing of a cooperation agreement between the university and the Embassy of Senegal aimed at facilitating scientific, research and industrial collaboration and strengthening academic relations between the two sides.