Twelve Iranian universities are set to join the Higher Education Partnership Conference (HEPCON) in Bali, Indonesia. The conference aims to enhance strategic scientific and educational cooperation with Indonesia, diversify international student enrollment from Iran, highlight Iran's educational offerings to attract students from East Asia and establish ties with regional higher education institutions. Mohsen Sarraf, Scientific and Research Counselor of Iran in Southeast Asia outlined these goals in a statement to IRNA.
The official expressed confidence that the participating universities will make a significant impact at the international event by using innovative approaches to showcase Iran’s academic attractions to millions of international students in the region, thereby encouraging them to pursue studies in Iran. In addition to attending the Indonesia Educational Fair, Iranian universities will participate in meetings of the East Asian higher education network and sign scientific and educational agreements.
Bringing together over 100 universities and representatives from over 100 Indonesian universities, converge with representatives from more than 20 countries to explore opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and mutual growth in higher education. The main goal of the HEPCON is to cultivate global partnerships, streamline student exchange programs, enhance the quality of higher education, foster global partnerships, and share scholarship opportunities through B2B setups.
The event also seeks to promote collaboration and international partnerships among higher education institutions worldwide. According to the head of the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC), Iranian universities have seen an improvement in their rankings in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) and QS World University Rankings. These global rankings highlight universities' strengths and weaknesses, as well as their scientific standings relative to each other.
However, they have the potential to enhance science diplomacy and attract international faculty and students. Additionally, they can influence policies that foster international competitions and contribute to the globalization of universities. In the 21st edition of the QS World University Rankings (2025), nine Iranian universities were listed among the world’s top institutions. Notably, Sharif University of Technology ranked 342nd, University of Tehran 368th, Amirkabir University of Technology 403rd, Iran University of Science and Technology 436th, and Isfahan University of Technology 489th, securing the top five positions.
In addition, Tabriz University (552nd), Shiraz University (691-700), Shahid Beheshti University (851-900), and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (951-1000) were also featured among the top Iranian universities in the rankings. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings (WUR) 2024 recognized 73 Iranian universities across 10 out of 11 subject areas, with two universities—Institute of Higher Education of Scholars and University of Sanat Naft—also included. Sharif University of Technology led the country with a ranking of 301-350, followed by Amirkabir University of Technology in second place, while Science and Technology University and University of Tehran were ranked third.
