Speaking with Shana correspondent, Chehardoli said that the Petroleum University of Technology with 85-year history, was the second oldest higher education institution in Iran adding during the recent years it has been one of the superior scientific and research institutions of the country, having served the Petroleum Ministry, domestic and international companies in view of graduated human resources. 

Pointing to the Petroleum University of Technology’s cooperation with foreign universities, he said that after going ahead with a memorandum of understanding as the basis for cooperation with Basra University for Oil and Gas (BUOG) from Iraq, “we plan to expand our cooperation this year which is set to cover issues like Joint educational and research activities, exchange of professors and students and holding joint camps.”

“Likewise, we have reached an agreement with the Russian University of MGIMO, based on which the students will spend part of their educations in Iran and the other part in Russian. These students will be awarded two degrees at the level of master, one from inside and the other from the foreign university.” According to Chehardoli.  

He further said that the university had held negotiations with Russian University of Kazan, seeking boosting international cooperation via taking part in various international exhibitions.     

To expand our international activities, we are trying, with the help of the Ministry of Science, to establish a faculty in one of the African universities to train students from around the continent, the chancellor said.  

Referring to Shahid Tondgoyan Petroleum Engineering Competitive Event (TPEC), he added that the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) was interested to operate in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and considering the shortage of these kinds of activities, Petroleum University of Technology decided to launch such an event, noting that up to now the university has received 130 demands from different universities’ professors and students as well as innovative and knowledge-based companies to take part.