A delegation from the Islamic World Science and Technology Citation and Monitoring Institute (ISC), headed by its President, Professor Mohammad Mehdi Alavianmehr, paid a working visit to Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University. The delegation brought a package of proposals to expand cooperation that began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in July of last year.
Established in 2008 by Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology and approved by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, ISC maintains a database of peer-reviewed scientific literature from 56 countries of the Islamic world. Its functionality is similar to that of scientometric databases such as Scopus and Web of Science, but unlike them, ISC preserves national identity, allowing researchers from non-English-speaking countries to present their studies on the broader international stage.
Over the past year, scholars from Saint Petersburg Mining University have published 83 research papers in several leading Iranian scientific journals. As the oldest technical university in Russia, together with ISC, they serve as ideal “gateways” for establishing scientific ties between the academic communities of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states and their colleagues in Russia and other BRICS countries.
«In Russia, there are more than 8,000 scientific journals, and our institute is ready to take an active role in expanding their indexation. Iran, like Russia, has faced a discriminatory policy from the West — including in the scientific sphere. In particular, this concerns the suspension of assigning unique DOI identifiers to scientific publications. We therefore had to create a sovereign system of scientific communication. This led to the introduction of our own identifier (DOR), and search systems for academic publications similar to Google Scholar are being successfully implemented. We also work on university rankings and cooperate in this regard with the compilers of the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU, the Shanghai Ranking).
Getting to know Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University in person has reinforced our view of your institution as one of the highest-level educational establishments, with a clear development strategy aimed at serving the national economy. ISC adheres to the same principles in its work,” said Professor Alavianmehr.
Rector of the Mining University, Professor Vladimir Litvinenko, supported the idea of developing scientific cooperation and creating a concrete action plan in this regard. He also introduced the Iranian guests to the university’s existing system for developing research potential:
«Just as a child acquires proper speech skills by being immersed in a language environment, so too must a young scholar absorb a research and publication culture and understand the philosophy of science. As part of the Presidential Pilot Project, the Mining University has included the module ‘Foundations of Scientific Knowledge’ in its curriculum. I believe our methodology could be valuable for nurturing research talent in Iran and other countries of the Islamic world».
The effectiveness of the educational model of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University is confirmed by scientometric data. In 2024, more than 90% of the university’s faculty members published at least one paper in first- or second-quartile scientific journals. The Hirsch index, which reflects both publication volume and citation rate, averages 12–18, and the university aims for even young researchers to maintain an index of no less than 9.
During their two-day visit, ISC President Mohammad Mehdi Alavianmehr and Vice President for International Relations and Scientific Diplomacy Dr. Mohammad Reza Falahati toured the university’s educational centers, visited the Mining Museum, and explored the “Sablino” educational and research training site.
«I am deeply impressed by the well-structured connection between the transfer of theoretical knowledge to students and its consolidation through practice — especially after visiting Sablino. I would also like to highlight the close cooperation between the Mining University and major industrial companies, as well as their involvement in the educational process. The university and its partners operate as a single team. Both staff and students are disciplined and united by common goals and objectives. My son is in his final year of school, and among the top priorities for his further education, I will certainly recommend Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University» –said Professor Alavianmehr in a brief interview with Forpost».
The final protocol of the working meeting included a joint action plan between Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University and the ISC for the 2025/26 academic year. It provides for the establishment of a “Russian-Iranian Center for Scientometric Research” based at the Mining University. The center will focus on developing a verified network of experts in strategically and critically important industrial sectors, monitoring and expanding a database of high-quality scientific journals, preparing and publishing annual scientometric reports on key areas of research, and working toward a joint international ranking system for science and technology universities.
The expansion of scientific communication also involves the creation of joint educational programs, the development of new academic courses, and the organization of seminars. Collaborative efforts to enhance the infrastructure for the dissemination of scientific knowledge will include, for example, the promotion of DOR codes developed by ISC.
As Mohammad Mehdi Alavianmehr noted, the mineral resource sector plays a major role in Iran’s economy, just as it does in Russia. Consequently, scientific publications in this field are of great interest. The Institute cooperates closely with the Ministry of Petroleum of the Islamic Republic of Iran, meaning its research agenda directly influences government decision-making in this key economic sector.
Upon returning to Iran, ISC leadership will take part in a meeting at the Office of the President of the Islamic Republic, where they will report on the results of their visit to Saint Petersburg and outline the prospects for further cooperation.