TEHRAN, Aug. 31 (MNA) � Science Minister, Farhadi, told the media that 14 universities of Iran are among the top 100 academies of the world and currently 141 scientific projects are jointly run by Iranian and foreign universities.

�A special attention was paid to the expansion of higher education in Iran after the Islamic Revolution of 1979,� said Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mohammad Farhadi on Tuesday, �to that extent that, at a stage, higher education in Iran had enlarged 25 times bigger than its status at the beginning of the Islamic Republic and the average rate of progress in this field has been 14 times higher than the average of the world.�

The official also recounted that re-equipment and modernization of laboratories of universities, in addition to opening new masters and PhD programs are the other major moves of the current administration.

�Another major measure is the joint projects with other universities of the world which is an element of scientific progress in the world,� boasted the science minister, �In this line 141 scientific projects are jointly conducted by universities of Iran and renowned universities of the world involving 400 professors.�

Farhadi asserted that while formerly 5 Iranian universities were among the top 100 universities of the world now 14 universities of Iran are in the list of top universities of the world.

By Mehr News Agency