Hawzah News Agency – Speaking on Monday at the 35th International Kharazmi Festival, Ayatollah Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi called this festival one of the symbols of the country's scientific dynamism and said, "Kharazmi Festival is a place to discover talents and a place to present superior projects to society and can be a hope for thinkers, especially young people".
The President described paying attention to scientific efforts and research as one of the prominent features of the Islamic Republic and said, "The Supreme Leader of the Revolution himself always encourages the country's innovators and researchers".
Dr Raisi pointed out the necessity of tangible effects of the efforts of scientists in people's lives and noted, "Scientific development in the country is a continuous movement, the effects of which must be observed in meeting the needs of the country".
Explaining the concept of "beneficial science", the President said that answering the questions and meeting the needs of society is the main mission of scientific centres and said, "Scientific research is not just for inclusion in journals and gaining research points, and all scientific efforts should be practical and solve the problems of the country".
Regarding the need to develop interdisciplinary knowledge, Dr Raisi stressed that many issues and problems have an interdisciplinary aspect, adding, "The government, motivated by overcoming problems, is determined to support interdisciplinary areas".
Ayatollah Raisi continued his speech by saying, "The effectiveness and efficiency of research and innovative efforts in the country depend on their commercialisation, and it is only in this case that research and innovation can have added value and be useful for the development and progress of the country".
The President described knowledge-based companies as the main reference for commercialisation of technology and innovation in the country and said, "Knowledge-based companies are among the assets of the country. If the ministries, organisations and industrial complexes align themselves with scientific and knowledge-based centres, and on the other hand, the knowledge-based companies direct their efforts and activities in order to meet the needs of these complexes, a brilliant result will be achieved for the country".
In this regard, Dr Raisi emphasised on determining the missions of universities and scientific centres in accordance with the needs of the country and said, "It is necessary to pay attention to local, regional and international needs in the type of missions of the country's scientific centres".
The President added, "Easy access and encouragement of young people to science and knowledge is an important issue that can pave the way for scientific growth and prosperity in the country".
In the end, Dr Raisi emphasised, "University should be the centre of ethics in the society and the place of acquiring science and knowledge along with ethics. Science and epistemology knows no geographical boundaries and science and knowledge can be acquired from anywhere".