The situation of Science and Technology in Iran has been examined and surveyed and the analytical results have been compared with those of other countries on the basis of indices approved by the Cultural High Council in five sectors i.e. in human, fiscal, structural, operational and efficiency sectors during the years 1375 (1996), 1377 (1998), and 1379 (2000). The main results of the said survey are the following:

  1. The number of workforce in research sector, during the previous years, have been on the rise.
  2. The number of researchers in 2000 shows an increase of 64% if compared with the figure for 1998.
  3. A comparison of the number of Iranian researchers with the number of members of academic boards is indicative of the fact that a number of our potential researchers are not active in the field of research.
  4. Although the number of our researchers, compared with the total population in Iran, is higher than the average number of researchers available for Asia, but it is still less than the average international level.
  5. Although the budget allocated to the research activities, during the past years increased, however, the said budget is still trivial, if compared with Iran’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
  6. The private sector provides a trivial share in providing the research costs.
  7. The numbers for research centers during 1996-2000 show a quantitative growth.
  8. The numbers for scientific societies in Iran show an upward trend and the number is growing.
  9. The number of internet websites enjoys an agreeable growth.
  10. The number of active research projects is growing.
  11. The number of articles published as scientific literature is on the rise.
  12. Although Iranian nationals form one percent of the World population, but our scientific products shown at ISI site in the year 2000, was only 0.12% although the said figure is intensively increasing.
  13. Research credit by considering the number of researchers in Iran, if compared with international statistics, is very low.

Obstacles on the Way of Development of Science and Technology

Another survey has been made in this regard and the analysis of the results of such survey is indicative of the following main problems and obstacles on the way of development of science and technology in Iran:

  1. The policies and national directives in respect of science and technology have not been determined. Therefore, the concentration and distribution of facilities and allocation of resources and credits for research and development and the manner of making use of same is not necessarily based on achieving national objectives.
  2. Iranian economy, due to historical reasons, does not employ science and technology in a commercial pattern. Therefore, production of science is not profitable and does not have sustained stimulus and incentive.
  3. The management of the country is less based on science and knowledge.
  4. The structure of science and technology in Iran is not coherent and lacks any inherent coordination. The duties of scientific and technological organizations comprising universities, research centers, industrial development centers and alike have not been duly defined and segregated and there is no cooperation among them.
  5. There are no efficient judicial means and national organization for protection of intellectual and material rights of scientists, researchers, inventors, innovators and explorers in Iran.

  1. Research takes a very small share of GDP.
  2. Private sector has a very small role in research activities and in providing for its costs.
  3. The technical and logistics workforce of research activities do not posses the required expertise and social status and ranking.
  4. Iran’s share in the world production of science is negligible.
  5. There are no sufficient means of communication in respect of science and technology

Proposal Solutions

The following proposals are intended to boast science and technology indices and removing the obstacles in order to attain the desired international status:

  1. The policies and directives in respect of science and technology must be determined in tandem with the economic and political policies and directives in respect of industry, services, commerce and foreign policy of the country.
  2. The assignments and roles of the universities, research centers, industrial development research centers and parks and scientific centers must be defined and segregated from one another as regards research and production of science and technology and the relations of various sectors regarding such activities.
  3. Rectification and amendment of the regulations governing research both inside and outside the structures made for science and technology and to vest great powers to researchers and experts in the field of technology for the purpose of activating workforce potentialities in universities comprising academic boards, students in the fields of supplementary education in respect of research activities.
  4. Rectification of the laws and regulations in respect of salaries and remunerations for better protection and providing the material needs of outstanding scientists and researchers on the basis of operational indices at levels compatible with the conditions of scientists and researchers at the international level with due consideration of domestic exigencies.
  5. Formulating new legislations in order to protect the rights of inventors, explorers, authors and the like with due regard to the international regulations and practice.
  6. Regularizing the system of producing the statistics and information in the field of science and technology in the country in order to be used in adopting policies and drawing up directives and plans and making assessments.
  7. Increasing the share of research credits out of the gross domestic product.
  8. Creating legal incentives and stimuli to increase the share of Iranian and foreign private sector in research activities in Iran.

Generally speaking, the trend of growth in efficiency in respect of science and technology in our country is very slow.

A comparison of the number of researchers and the number of academic boards in Iran with those of other countries is indicative that we have an inferior position in this regard compared with other countries. In 1999, for example, according to the information at ISI Website, the scientific output of every 100 researchers was reported to be 2.6 in Iran, while in the same year, the figure for China was 5.5.

According to modern knowledge, sustained development must be based on development of scientific and technological levels. This, in turn, requires policy making, determining the guidelines and directives, accurate planning and efficient enforcement at all levels. Drawing up a clear picture of the process of development of science and technology can be regarded as a first necessary step.

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