Dr. Abdolreza Baniali, Cultural Advisor of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Egypt, met with Dr. Ehsan Ghabool, Director of International Scientific and Academic Relations and International Student Affairs of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, and Dr. Mohammad Taghavi, Director of the Center for Teaching Persian to Non-Persian Speakers on Wednesday, January 20, 2021. In this meeting, Dr. Ghabool, while referring to the history of cooperation between Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and universities in Egypt commencing about 50 years ago, expressed satisfaction with the joint programs of teaching Persian language and literature through the liaison of Cultural Advisor of the Islamic Republic of Iran ; he expressed hope that Cultural Department of the Iranian Embassy to create scientific and research opportunities in various fields. Dr. Ghabool referred to capacities made possible by cyberspace, Dr. Ghabool called for the cooperation of cultural consultants to establish international academic relations in various fields with Egyptian universities through cyberspace. Iran's cultural advisor in Egypt also thanked Ferdowsi University of Mashhad as one of the top universities in Iran in the field of international scientific cooperation and called for maintaining and expanding the activities and cooperation of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad with Egyptian universities, especially in teaching Persian language and literature. He also welcomed Dr. Ghabool’s suggestions for joint short and long courses, exchange of professors and students, and virtually conducting joint research projects with Egyptian universities; he announced his readiness to pursue the realization of such potentials.

   In this meeting, Dr. Taghavi, the Head of the Center for Teaching Persian to Non-Persian Speakers, also introduced the Center and explained how Persian classes amid COVID-19 pandemic. He also announced that the Center is ready to hold a comprehensive Persian language test and send teachers to Egypt for teaching Persian. The Center had already sent professors to Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Mauritania and Bangladesh for this very purpose.