In November 2016, Prof. Josef Fröhlich (Head of Innovation Systems Department) and Marianne Hörlesberger (Scientist, Business Unit Research, Technology & Innovation Policy) were invited to the Iranian capital Teheran and the Tabriz region by the Iranian Supreme Council for Science, Research, and Technology (SCSRT).

Over the last years, AIT experts have established good relationships to Iranian scientists living in Europe. For this reason, several high-level officials of the Iranian Supreme Council visited the AIT Innovation Systems Department for personal meetings and first talks. As the financial and economic sanctions against Iran had been lifted in January 2016, this return visit should help to intensify the collaboration between AIT and Iranian research institutions. The aim was to evaluate the potential of economic cooperations (in order to indirectly act as a door-opener for the Austrian economy) and to support the SCSRT in their efforts to participate in the process of Iranian internationalisation and democratisation.

In Teheran and Tabriz, Josef Fröhlich and Marianne Hörlesberger met Prof. Vahid Ahmadi, Deputy Minister for Research & Technology and General Secretary of the SCSRT, Esmaeil Jabbarzadeh, Governor of East- Azerbaijan, Hamid Kazemi, Head of the National Research Institute for Science Policy, and several other high-ranking Iranian representatives. These meetings were rounded-off with visits of selected enterprises from the automotive, electronics and textile industry.

Fröhlich and Hörlesberger were provided with an insight into the Iranian innovation system, acquired knowledge about research policy decision making processes and reported about the strong readiness of the Iranian economy to face the international competition.

Against this background, the conception of a specific project with the SCSRT has been finalised: A foresight process shall result in the definition of measures which will have to be taken in order to support the internationalisation of the so-called Tabriz SIT Zone (SIT: Science, Innovation & Technology), with a special focus on knowledge-based economy. In this context, the project should evaluate how relationships between Austrian and Iranian entrepreneurs could be intensified. Further projects are planned.

Based on the visits of Iranian scientists in Vienna and the journey of the AIT delegation to Iran, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Prof. Vahid Ahmadi (SCSRT) and Prof. Wolfgang Knoll (AIT) in November. The Memorandum builds a basis for future collaborations – to the benefit of both organisations, but also with the goal to support the economic development of both countries.