TEHRAN : The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Iran, in coordination with the Al-Mustafa International University in Tehran, organized a Sri Lanka-Iran Higher Education Collaboration Programme at the Chancery premises in Tehran on 14 July 2026. The objective of the educational event was to create a comprehensive platform to share the educational information and exchange available opportunities in the field of higher education between Sri Lanka and Iran with a view to advancing higher education and strengthening academic collaboration between the two countries. More than 25 representatives from universities, higher education institutes, Sri Lankan Students’ Association in Iran, a visiting Sri Lankan academic group and other line agencies in Iran were in attendance.
Delivering the opening remarks, Ambassador-Designate of Sri Lanka to Iran, Prof. Fazeeha Azmi welcomed the distinguished academics, scholars, students and other participants and thanked for their interaction and collaboration with the Embassy in Tehran in strengthening the educational cooperation between Sri Lanka and Iran. While highlighting the long-standing friendship between the two countries, particularly people-to-people connections and contacts through education and culture, Ambassador-Designate Prof. Fazeeha Azmi emphasized the great potential to create meaningful academic exchanges, joint research initiatives, student and staff mobility programmes and innovation-driven partnerships between the two countries. She underscored the importance of exploring the possibility of strengthening the education collaboration in line with the national requirements of concerned authorities in education sectors of both countries.
During the event, Director and the representative of Al-Mustafa International University, Seyyed Zainual Aabdeen Mirfatemel made his guest speech highlighting the close and friendly relations including the higher education sector between Sri Lanka and Iran. He briefed the current operational overview of the Al-Mustafa International University in Sri Lanka and available opportunities for Sri Lankan students in degree programmes. Congratulating the Ambassador-Designate, he stated that under the academic exchange programme of the University, Sri Lankan students have the opportunity to apply for a number of degree programmes and his university is ready to work in full capacity to expand the cooperation in the field higher education between the two countries.
At the open forum under the theme of “Connecting Nations: Sri Lanka-Iran Higher Education Collaboration” moderated by Prof. Fazeeha Azmi, the participants got opportunity to exchange ideas. They stated that the need of more information on available degree programmes including scholarships and fellowships in universities, higher education institutes and training centers in Iran enabling them to follow suitable degree programmes and trainings in Iran specially in the fields of medicine, engineering, business management and information technology. In response, Ambassador-Designate appreciated their interests and assured to make the possibility for obtaining more higher education related opportunities for Sri Lankan students in Iran.
In response to the query made by several participants of the event, Prof. Fazeeha Azmi, conveyed that the Embassy has already addressed the issue of obtaining recognition from the higher education authorities in Sri Lanka, for several Iranian Universities that are currently not recognized. She also stated that the Embassy is always ready to facilitate in such matters of concern by students.
The successful conclusion of the Programme marked another significant step in strengthening the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Iran in the education sector, while exploring new and emerging opportunities for higher education through closer collaboration between the two countries.
