Science and Innovations in Iran This page intentionally left blank Science and Innovations in Iran Development, Progress, and Challenges E d i t e d b y A b d o l S . S o o f i a n d S e p e h r G h a z i n o o r y SCIENCE AND INNOVATIONS IN IRAN Copyright © Abdol S. Soofi and Sepehr Ghazinoory, 2013. All rights reserved. First published in 2013 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN® in the United States— a division of St. Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN: 978–1–137–03009–2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the Library of Congress. A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: January 2013 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Abdol Soofi dedicates this book to the loving memory of his son, Rosteen, April 24, 1975—June 26, 1994 Sepehr Ghazinoory dedicates this book, with thanks for financial support, to the Center for International Research and Scientific Cooperation If learning were suspended in the highest parts of heaven the Persians would attain it. — attributed to the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) by Ibn Khadun in Al-Muqaddimah Contents List of Tables and Figures ix E d i t o r s ’ P r e f a c e xi F o r e w o r d xiii H o s s e i n M o h a m m a d i D o o s t d a r 1 I n t r o d u c t i o n 1 Abdol S. Soofi and Sepehr Ghazinoory 2 The History of Science in Iran from a Physicist’s Perspective 15 Reza Mansouri 3 From Developing a Higher Education System to Moving toward a Knowledge-Based Economy: A Short History of Three Decades of STI Policy in Iran 39 Mehdi Goodarzi and Soroush Ghazinoori 4 The National Innovation System of Iran: A Functional and I n s t i t u t i o n a l A n a l y s i s 5 7 Abdol S. Soofi, Sepehr Ghazinoory, and Sanam Farnoodi 5 Information and Communication Technology: Between a Rock and a Hard Place of Domestic and International Pressures 87 Sepehr Ghazinoory and Reza Jamali 6 Nanotechnology: New Horizons, Approaches, a n d C h a l l e n g e s 1 1 5 Fatemeh Salehi Yazdi and Mohammad Ali Bahreini Zarj 7 Biotechnology in Iran: A Study of the Structure and Functions of the Technology Innovation System 139 Tahereh Miremadi viii ● Contents 8 Nuclear Technology: Progress in the Midst of Severe Sanctions 159 Behzad Soltani and Marzieh Shaverdi 9 I r a n ’ s A e r o s p a c e T e c h n o l o g y 1 8 5 Parviz Tarikhi, Mohammad Abbassi, and Maryam Ashrafi 10 The Automotive Industry: New Trends, Approaches, a n d C h a l l e n g e s 2 1 7 Manochehr Manteghi 1 1 C o n c l u s i o n 2 4 5 Sepehr Ghazinoory and Abdol S. Soofi List of Contributors 2 4 9 Name Index 2 5 1 Subject Index 2 5 5 Tables and Figures Tables 2 . 1 Indicators of Educational-Scientifi c Development, 1 9 7 9 – 2 0 1 2 3 3 3.1 Key Indicators of Research and Technology Development in Iran, 2005–2009 48 3.2 Policy Documents on Science, Research, and Technology Formulated after the Revolution in Iran 51 4.1 Entrepreneurial Attitudes and Perceptions: S e l e c t C o u n t r i e s 6 1 4.2 Participation of Individuals in Entrepreneurial Activity 64 4 . 3 Education Statistics 7 1 5.1 Trends of e-government in Government Agencies 101 5.2 Indicators of Communication and Information Technology Development in Iran 107 6.1 National Priorities in Nanotechnology 119 6.2 Technology-Market Services Corridor (TMSC) Services 124 6.3 Pilot Projects Run by the INIC and Th eir Current Status 131 7.1 Timetable of Major Events in the Course of SCRTIS B u i l d i n g 1 5 1 8.1 Nuclear Technology Achievements in Iran 175 10.1 Iranian Automobile Firms and Th eir Output, 2010 226 Figures 1.1 Coordination Failures and Government Remediation 6 2.1 History of Science Institutes in Iran 22 4.1 Governance of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Iran 70 This page intentionally left blank Editors’ Preface ver the last two decades, Iran has gone through a major indus- trial transformation in spite of “abnormal” obstacles in the O path of the country’s development. All indicators point to the industrial “takeoff” of the economy. However, little is known in the English-speaking world about these fundamental developments and the challenges the policy planners faced and continue to face in the devel- opment processes. This book is an attempt to fill this knowledge gap by critically exam- ining, first, the Iranian government’s science, technology, and indus- trial policies that support the industrialization and national defense of the country, and, second, by reviewing the innovation activities of Iranian enterprises . Specifically, the book will, for the first time, present in a single volume an overview of the organizations , policies, conduct, and per- formance of those government organizations that have the task of devel- oping traditional as well as emerging technologies in the country. In short, the book is a collection of chapters that allows us to gain an understanding of the structure and dynamics of the science and tech- nology policies of the Iranian government. Furthermore, the chapters will critically examine the major challenges that the country faces in developing traditional and emerging technologies. The Iranian government plays a pivotal role in development of tech- nologies and the production of aggregate output in the country. With the state taking a prominent role in technological development in Iran, and toward the characteristic uniformity of the proposed chapters in the book , the editors invited a group of authors to contribute chapters related to a broad outline of the proposed book, and have the honor of having had their invitation accepted. Most of the authors are in a posi- tion of leadership in organizations devoted to the creation of knowledge bases in relevant technologies, and all of them have intimate knowledge xii ● Editors’ Preface of the activities of the institutions and agencies with which they are associated. This volume is the product of the collective efforts of all of the contributors to this book. Accordingly, the views expressed in the following chapters are those of the authors of the chapters and not of the editors of the book. We are grateful to Ms. Evelyn Martens for her editorial assistance in reviewing the chapters. Foreword he important role that Iran is taking in international scientific cooperation and the pivotal role it is playing in learning, gaining T experience, and contributing to two-way transfers of advanced science and technology between itself and the international community is not a phenomenon that is familiar to everyone. In order to establish a powerful, effective presence on this stage and achieve success in attain- ing this goal, all Iranian researchers, scientists, and managers as well as their international counterparts must be aware of each other’s capabili- ties in science and technology. This awareness is a precondition for the expansion of the initiation of and the support of ongoing scientific and technical collaborations and interactions between Iranian researchers and their international colleagues. The Center for International Scientific Studies and Cooperation [CISSC] has been established to support scientific activities, promote the development of technology, and expand the relationship between Iranian universities and research centers on the one hand, and interna- tional scientific centers on the other. Accordingly, the Center , in order to create a suitable framework for promoting efficacy in the interactions between Iranian scholars and researchers and their international col- laborators, provides financial assistance as well as technical and moral support to researchers and scholars in Iran. The present book aims to introduce the achievements of Iranian sci- entists, researchers, and industrialists who are active in the science and technology fields to the international community. By supporting this project, which is the result of a set of timely, insightful analyses con- cerning the latest scientific and technological developments in Iran that make up the chapters of the book, the Center believes it is promoting further research and development activities in Iran, and by doing so, it has implemented its mission in this regard. Hossein Mohammadi Doostdar Head, the Center for International Research and Scientific Cooperation This page intentionally left blank CHAPTER 1 Introduction A b d o l S . S o o f i a n d S e p e h r G h a z i n o o r y Introduction Developing economies often achieve industrial development and catch up technologically in normal development circumstances through the acquisition of foreign technologies by means of mechanisms such as pur- chasing equipment from abroad, licensing, subcontracting, engaging in foreign direct investment, hiring foreign experts, participating in joint ventures and the formation of strategic alliances, manufacturing origi- nal equipment, and purchasing foreign enterprises outright.