The ECO Secretary General, H.E. Dr. Hadi Soleimanpour participated in the First Symposium of the Rectors of ECO Member States Universities held virtually on 4 March, 2021. The Symposium was organized by Allahmeh Tabataba’i University of Iran in collaboration with the ECO Specialized Agencies. The Symposium, attended by over 50 participants from the ECO Member States, recognized the significance of innovative and pragmatic approaches for enhanced regional cooperation in the field of education.
During the inaugural session of the Symposium, the ECO Secretary General delivered his opening speech and thanked the organizers for providing an opportunity to the relevant stakeholders, academics and intellectuals for exchanging views in order to meet the challenges of the contemporary world in the field of education and research. Dr. Soleimanpour highlighted the importance of close cooperation among the ECO Member States in education and research for realization of the Organization’s strategic goals.
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid multi-dimensional developments taking place at the global level, the ECO Secretary General emphasized on the need for transformation in educational and research policies of the ECO Member States. While sharing some of the recent achievements of the ECO in the field of research, he mentioned the establishment of ECO Research Center that would benefit the region by contributing economic research studies as well as feasibility studies for the ECO regional projects. He further maintained that there is need to establish an institutional linkage or networking of universities, through ECO Specialized Agencies, for promoting regional cooperation in the fields of science and education, and execution of joint research projects.
Towards the end of the Symposium, a special discussion session was arranged where the participants provided their views and shared their experiences for enhanced regional cooperation in the field of education and research in the wake latest challenges of the globalized world. The delegates acknowledged the efforts and valuable contributions of the ECO Secretariat, ECO Cultural Institute and the Allahmeh Tabataba’i University of Iran for successful organizing this important Symposium.
