CAS President Bai Chunli and Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Affairs Sorena Sattari exchange gifts on behalf of the two sides. (PhoTo By Pedram Nazari)

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) on setting up a Silk Road science fund has been reached between Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Office of the Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Affairs.

On January 23, CAS President Bai Chunli and Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Affairs Sorena Sattari jointly signed the MOU in Teheran at a ceremony attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Bai said that the signing of the MOU was a milestone in science and technology cooperation between CAS and Iran’s science and technology community.

According to the MOU, the two sides will cooperate in some key areas, such as nanotechnology, recyclable energy, brain and cognitive sciences and biotechnology. Cooperation will include co-funding research programs and symposiums, supporting exchange of research and management personnel, carrying out joint education and training programs, sharing information about science and technology events and jointly building science and technology parks.

At a follow-up session, the two sides reviewed the progress made in scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges since last May and discussed issues related to the implementation of the MOU.

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology and medical care, particularly in pushing forward collaboration between high-technology enterprises.