Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LONDON414
2007-02-01 12:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy London
Cable title:  

AMERICAN-IRANIAN UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP

Tags:  OEXC SCUL IR UK 
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RR RUEHDE
DE RUEHLO #0414/01 0321219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011219Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1616
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 2377
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0120
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0247
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0129
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0412
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2781
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 000414 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

ECA/PE/V/R/N (ABED-KOTOB)
NEA/PPD
DUBAI FOR RAMIN ASGARD

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL IR UK
SUBJECT: AMERICAN-IRANIAN UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 000414

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

ECA/PE/V/R/N (ABED-KOTOB)
NEA/PPD
DUBAI FOR RAMIN ASGARD

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL IR UK
SUBJECT: AMERICAN-IRANIAN UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP


1. SUMMARY: A recent UK-based Iranian participant in the
International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP),Ali Pedram, has
developed a proposal for an "American-Iranian University
Partnership." It calls for expanding U.S. university partnerships
with Middle East institutions to include Iran. The goal is to first
increase academic collaboration and exchanges, then eventually to
develop a university-based, non-governmental institution to help
identify potential exchange participants in Iran and foster
exchanges. The proposal stems from his IVLP participation, and
particularly from meetings with the Center for Middle East Studies
at Northeastern University in Boston. Post encourages NEA and ECA
to meet with Pedram and Northeastern officials during a March/April
Pedram visit to the University to explore opportunities for
cooperation on Iran outreach.
END SUMMARY.


2. Mr. Ali Pedram participated in the special IVLP for Iranians
"Teaching Area Studies" held November 15 - December 2, 2006. Pedram
is an Iranian citizen currently in the United Kingdom completing his
Ph.D. on Iranian Politics and the Democratization Process at the
University of Durham. He is concurrently an Associate Professor at
the University of Newcastle.


3. At his IVLP debriefing session, Pedram presented a proposal for
establishing an "American-Iranian University Partnership." It was
inspired by meetings with staff of the Center for Middle East
Studies at Northeastern University in Boston during his IVLP visit.
Mr. Pedram was impressed with Northeastern's Dialogue of
Civilizations project
(http://www.iaf.neu.edu/dialogue_of_civilizat ions),through which he
said the University had experience partnering with other academic
institutions in the Middle East. Northeastern was looking at
including Iran in this program, but needed help connecting with the
right Iranian universities and developing relationships.


4. Pedram's proposal envisions him securing a visiting scholar
position with a U.S. university to work on developing the
American-Iranian University Partnership. This project would have
three phases:

a. Phase One - The U.S. university would select one or two Iranian
universities with which to conduct video conferences, exchange

academic papers, exchange speakers on academic topics and conduct
seminars. Existing programs that U.S. universities run with partner
institutions abroad, such as the Northeastern University Dialogue of
Civilizations, would serve as the foundation. Mr. Pedram feels that
adding Iran into such existing programs would "prevent suspicious
attitudes" on the initiative and pave the way for Iranian
acceptance.

b. Phase Two - Signing of a memorandum of agreement between the U.S.
university and selected academic and cultural institutions in Iran
to provide for two-way student and faculty exchanges, Persian
language classes in Iran for American students and cultural
exchange.

c. Phase Three - The possible establishment of a "Monitoring
Democratization Process in Iran" unit. This unit would survey
attitudes on a variety of reform measures, first among academics
then in the broader society. It could also develop indexes to
measure progress on democratization. To be workable, Pedram said
such a project must have participation by academics loyal to the
government, not just dissidents and liberal minded academics which
has resulted in past failures.


5. The most interesting part of Pedram's proposal is his insight,
drawing on his IVLP experience, that establishing a U.S. academic
institution in Iran could allow that institution to work in
cooperation with the Department of State to identify potential
Iranian participants for U.S. exchange programs. Pedram was
impressed by the role of the Institute of International Education
(IIE) as an NGO that worked as a partner with the Department in
organizing exchange programs. He felt that this model of a non-USG
entity being the point for exchange programs could provide a
workable mechanism for having an on-the-ground presence in Iran
necessary for effectively providing information on, and identifying
participants for, U.S. exchange programs.


6. Northeastern University has since invited Pedram to visit from
March 15 - April 12, 2007 to participate in the Dialogue of
Civilizations project. During this visit Northeastern wants him to
assist with expanding the project to include Iran. Specifically,
they want him to help establish links with Iranian universities, set

LONDON 00000414 002 OF 002


up a workshop focusing on Iranian students and their role in
promoting democracy, and organize a video conference with an Iranian
university for the spring semester. Northeastern hopes to follow up
with a visit to Iran sometime this year. In e-mails to Pedram,
Professor Denis J. Sullivan (617-373-4409, d.sullivan@neu.edu),the
Director of the Middle East Center for Peace, Culture, and
Development has also broached with Pedram a future visiting
fellowship. All of this points to real potential for implementing
the ideas Pedram expressed in his proposal in cooperation with
Northeastern University.


7. COMMENT: Pedram wants to spark USG interest in providing
assistance to implement the ideas that he and Northeastern
University have discussed. We do not see this as self-serving.
From our debriefing (septel),it was clear that Pedram was highly
energized by his IVLP experience and wants to build on it. He
returned with a fundamentally changed view of the U.S. and a strong
appreciation for the need to increase contacts and exchanges between
the peoples of the United States and Iran (or at least academics).



8. COMMENT (cont.) We recommend NEA and ECA meet with Pedram and
Professor Sullivan during Pedram's upcoming visit to explore
opportunities for USG cooperation with their planned Iran outreach
efforts. London Poloff/"Iran Watcher" views this initiative as
directly supporting USG policy interests in substantive, transparent
policy exchanges with Iranian civil society. This is also a good
example of the inspiration and new thinking on Iran outreach that
comes from exchange programs for Iranians. We are pleased to
follow-up with Mr. Pedram, or facilitate contact, should the
Department wish to pursue any of his ideas. Program Officer Sana
Abed-Kotob in ECA/PE/V/R/N can provide further details on those Mr.
Pedram met during his IVLP.

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