According to Webda Khuzestan, the ceremony for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between Novosibirsk State University (Russian Federation) and Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (Islamic Republic of Iran) was held online today, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, with the participation of officials from both universities and representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Hatem Boustani, President of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, and Dr. Dmitry Vladimirovich Pishniy, Rector of Novosibirsk State University, with the aim of expanding educational and research cooperation.

The main areas of cooperation outlined in the agreement include the development and implementation of joint educational programs, including the establishment of preparatory faculties/courses in promising fields and disciplines; organizing internship programs for students of both universities; participation in international forums and meetings of mutual interest and benefit; as well as training and retraining of specialists upon request by Novosibirsk State University and Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences.

Notably, the ceremony was attended by several officials from Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, including Dr. Hatem Boustani, President of the University; Dr. Amir Kamal Hardani, Acting Vice-Chancellor for Education; Dr. Abdollah Rafiei, Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology; Dr. Farhad Soltani, Vice-Chancellor for Treatment Affairs; Dr. Esrafil Mansouri, Acting Director of International Affairs; Dr. Jafar Fattahi-Asl, Advisor and Head of the President’s Office; Dr. Maryam Tahmasebi, Acting Director of International Cooperation Development; Dr. Nima Bakhtiari, Secretary of the Russia Cooperation Desk at the University; Eng. Hamid Hemmati, IT Director of the University; and Ali-Mohammad Hassan, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and expert on Russian affairs.

Participants from Novosibirsk State University included Dr. Dmitry Vladimirovich Pishniy, Rector of the University and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Dr. Mikhail Petrovich Fedoruk, former Rector of the University (2012–2026); Dr. Svetlana Gennadievna Sablina, Vice-Rector for Education; Dr. Dmitry Vladimirovich Churkin, Vice-Rector for Research; Yulia Gennadievna Samoilova, Head of the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies; Dr. Vladimir Anatolyevich Reznikov, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences; Evgeny Ivanovich Sagaidak, Head of the Education Export Department; Natalia Anatolyevna Pauli, Head of the Marketing Department; Arash Azizi, staff member of the Education Export Department and interpreter; as well as Nikolai Alexeyevich Afanasov, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Novosibirsk, and Igor Vladimirovich Konshin, Head of the International Relations Department of the Government of Novosibirsk Region.