Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

Report from: Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, International Affairs Office

Published on: June 11, 2024

An in-service training workshop for the staff of the Vice-chancelleries for Education and Student and Cultural Affairs of the university with the theme of "An introduction to the principles of internationalization of higher education" was held on June 9, 2024.

The workshop was chaired by Dr. Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, Advisor to the Chancellor of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences for International Affairs and the following subjects were presented by attended by invited speakers at the workshop:

The importance of internationalization of medical education

Dr. Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, Advisor to the Chancellor of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

The experience of Sistan and Baluochestan University in the internationalization of higher education: challenges and approaches

Dr. Ahmed Naseri, Respected member of the academic staff, director of international affairs of the University of Sistan and Baluchistan, Zahedan, Iran

Intercultural considerations in the education of international students

Dr. Hadi Abbasi, Vice Chancellor for Students and Cultural Affairs, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

Challenges of international students in the field of medical education in Iran

Dr. Javid Hussein Akhtar, International graduate of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and family physician of Zahedan Health Center

According to public relations report, Dr. Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, Advisor to the Chancellor of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences for International Affairs, said: “International students are considered our scientific ambassadors, after graduating and returning to their countries, these ambassadors can help to expand the scientific and academic relations between our university and our country by being placed in various job positions”.

He considered the presence of international students as a basis for the expansion and development of university and national infrastructures with an international perspective to compete with other countries and international student recruitment markets in the region and the world.

Referring to the goals of internationalization of medical education, he said: “Improving the quality of medical education, moving towards scientific authority at the national, regional and international levels, introducing the country's capabilities and scientific achievements to the countries across the world, participating in regional and global educational arenas, and breaking scientific boundaries, moving in the boundaries of global knowledge, introducing Iranian culture to the countries of the world, getting to know the cultures of the countries of the world, reducing the costs and challenges of participating in training courses for all countries of the world and creating knowledge-based wealth in the field of higher education are among the goals of the internationalization of higher education”.

He also stated: “For the internationalization of the university, special attention should be paid to the appropriate organizational structures and cultural behaviors of the academic staff”.

Dr. Tabatabai said: “Considering the current conditions of the world, which is moving towards globalization, internationalization is a response to the existing conditions, university graduates are increasingly seeking global job positions. Therefore providing quality educational services according to the international standards is prerequisite for taring knowledgeable and skillful graduates with international qualifications”.

Dr. Tabatabaei stated that it is not possible to opt out of the global environment for higher education, because its effects are inevitable, and said: “In the past, the concept of internationalization was mostly known by attracting international students, in the last half century, with the expansion of factors such as globalization, advent of new technologies, International marketing and international competitiveness of this phenomenon, more attention has been paid to this matter by educational systems of different countries”.

Advisor to the Chancellor of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences for International Affairs said: "Internationalization is important because it has changed the global platforms for education and has connected the three dimensions of economy, politics and culture with scientific and academic affairs."

Dr. Ahmad Naseri, a faculty member and the Director of International Affairs of Sistan and Baluochestan University, also said:” Iran is one of the leading countries in scientific diplomacy in the world. Since thousands of years ago, Iranian scientists, doctors, artists, philosophers, etc. were well known across the world”.

He continued: “Some of the requirements of internationalization include: cultural activities, financial transparency, monitoring the quality of education, international outlook, appointing the trustee of the system, providing year-long services, complying with educational standards and monitoring the quality of research”.

Dr. Mohammad Hadi Abbasi, Vice Chancellor for Students and Cultural Affairs of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences also said: “Cultural security is a set of activities related to survival, promotion and cultural interaction”.

“Intercultural competence is a prerequisite of internationalization of medical education. It aims to understand and respect people who are perceived to have different cultural affiliations from oneself; respond appropriately, effectively and respectfully when interacting and communicating with such people; establish positive and constructive relationships with such people and to understand oneself and one’s own multiple cultural affiliations through encounters with cultural “difference”.

Copyright © 2024 Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, All rights reserved. Date updated: 11/06/2024

Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us on: internationaloffice@zaums.ac.ir