Education

Student Exchange Coordinators' Exchange and Zirakzadeh-Exploratorium Exchange

The US-Iran Program facilitated two exchange visits to Iran from April 18 - May 2, 2004: a student exchange coordinators' exchange hosted by the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, and a museum exchange between the San Francisco Exploratorium Museum and the Zirakzadeh Science Foundation (ZSF).

The student exchange coordinators' delegation included the presidents of Oberlin College, the American University in Cairo, the International Research and Exchanges Board, and two US-Iran Program staff. The American delegation met with officials in the Iranian Ministry of Education and with faculty and students at the universities of Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz to discuss opportunities for developing direct relationships between American and Iranian universities in order to facilitate the exchange of faculty and students.

This visit provided the opportunity for American and Iranian educators to meet for the first time and to talk with each other about their individual institutions and ideas for future collaboration. The visit also allowed the American participants to see a variety of Iranian universities, spend time on campus, talk with students, learn more about the different programs offered, and get an overall sense for what American students might experience if they were to spend a semester or a year at an Iranian university.

The Americans were given a warm welcome by their Iranian counterparts, who stated, "We have to look beyond politics and focus on common ground between mankind. All values of people can be the basis for this common ground. We must listen as a prerequisite for understanding, which will allow for tolerance and mutual respect".

From April 25 through May 2 Erik Thogersen and Jessica Strick, both exhibit developers from the San Francisco Exploratorium Museum, visited Zirakzadeh Science Centers in Tehran, Isfahan, and Ahwaz as a follow-up to the US-Iran Program's May 2001 exchange of a group of eight Iranian scientists, astronomers, and educators to the US. The American developers served as an important resource to the Iranians, who are pioneering the concept of hands-on museums in Iran and who built many of their own exhibits from a "cookbook" of how-to recipes developed by the Exploratorium Museum. The American and Iranian participants exchanged ideas and discussed effective strategies that the Iranians can use as they continue to develop their exhibits and work to build new science museums.

This exchange allowed the American exhibit developers to gain an understanding of the museum development field in Iran, particularly regarding the development of hands-on science museums, which are relatively new in Iran. Having visited a number of ZSF and non-ZSF affiliated science museums and talking with administrators, docents, and technicians, Erik and Jessica are better positioned to interact with Iranian exhibit developers, to exchange ideas and best practices, and to provide direct assistance as requested.