The Think Tank of the M8 Alliance Scientific Collaborations Holds 2nd Meeting

As per the report of the Office of Vice-Chancellor of Global Strategies and International Affairs at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, this meeting was held on 11 June 11, 2019, with the presence of Dr. Kordi, TUMS Vice-Chancellor for Global Strategies and International Affairs; Dr. Changizi, Dean of TUMS School of Allied Medical Sciences; Dr. Takian, the Secretary of Scientific Collaborations of the M8 Alliance of Universities; and other delegates and faculty members of different TUMS schools.

Dr. Takian presented a brief history about this alliance and stated that “eight universities and academies based in the University and Hospital of Chirita in 2009, celebrating the University's three hundred year history as a symbol of the integration between East and West Germany in medical sciences, formed the Global Consortium of the Group of Eight in Berlin.”

“The M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centers, Universities and National Academies has 25 universities, academies and research centers from 6 continents and 18 countries that work for global health promotion regardless of political boundaries.” he mentioned.

Dr. Takian added that, “the proposed membership of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in the M8 Alliance was given to the Chairman of the World Health Assembly in 2017, and, after one year, TUMS became one of the twenty-four members of the M8 Alliance and the only university from the Middle East and North Africa region.”

He also mentioned that the 7th Regional Meeting of the World Health Summit was held by TUMS in May 2019 in Kish Island, Iran, calling it a great opportunity for health diplomacy in Iran. He explained that 130 participants from 47 countries were present in this international meeting and 147 invited spokespersons gave lectures in different panels of this event.

He continued, “it is expected that in the next few months, four or five joint projects will be launched with the universities of this alliance and, if possible, MoUs will be signed with a number of them.”

Dr. Kordi, identifying one of the greatest problems in international academic affairs to be lack of collaboration and unclear expectations in joing venture, emphasized the fact that the Office of Vice-Chancellor for Global Strategies and International Affairs has made efforts to complete the organizational structure for international affairs to overcome this problem. He pointed out that that assigning special persons in charge of scientific collaborations with different countries will increase the knowledge of political, social, cultural, academic and higher education systems on both sides.

It was also decided that in two weeks, all the present members will identify the capacities and capabilities of the M8 Alliance of Universities to collaborate in different fields with a comprehensive view of the entire university. Finally, the results of the interactions carried out will be submitted to the Secretary of Scientific Collaborations of the M8 Alliance in order to provide the necessary support and planning to form the initial cooperation up until the 11th session of the World Health Summit.