All of us know that universities, with their current form, are a western phenomenon, but universities in the sense that they are educators of geniuses and outstanding personalities are not a western phenomenon in any way. This has a millennium-long history in our country. Universities, with their current form, are based on the west, but this country has had schools that built the likes of Ibn Sina, Farabi, Mohammad ibn Zakariya Razi and Kharazmi. They were educated in this country. These names that we are mentioning are well-known names, but there are also thousands of unknown names from among physicians, engineers, inventors, literary personalities, philosophers and mystics, all of whom have been educated in our country.
I would like to quote something from George Sarton. When others say something, people accept it more easily than when we ourselves say it! This is why I am quoting him, otherwise I am not used to quoting sentences from westerners. George Sarton – who has written a history of science, a well-known book that has been translated and published and that all of you have probably read – says, “Iranian scholars have played the most important role in this civilization. When we remove the works of Iranian scholars from this collection, we have actually removed the most beautiful part.” Sarton is a scientific historian.
Statements in meeting with heads of universities, research and growth centers and science and technology parks; November 11, 2015.
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