The following is the full text of the speech delivered on July 4, 2015 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with university professors. The meeting was held in Imam Khomeini Hussainiyah on the 17th day of the holy month of Ramadan.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Welcome dear brothers and sisters. As I said in previous meetings, the purpose of holding the meeting with the honorable, esteemed and dear university professors is primarily to show our respect to the position of university professors. We want to establish the culture of respecting university professors in the country. This is one of the greatest Islamic teachings. Our ulama have written many books and quoted many hadiths and Quranic ayahs about this matter in the past. Primarily, the purpose of this meeting is this. Respecting university professors is a symbolic act. The second and third purposes - which are of course, important - are to listen to the statements that these dear brothers and sisters make and to discuss certain viewpoints with them.
Today's meeting was a very good one. Unfortunately, our time was limited and we could not benefit from the statements of other university professors who were supposed to deliver a speech. However, the statements that the friends in the meeting made were very good. Some of the things that they said require our follow up. Therefore, I will ask officials to follow them up.
I would like to raise two, three points. The first point is that being a university professor does not only involve teaching. It involves moral education as well. This is a secret that is known to everyone. Naturally, the person whom we learn something from and who opens a gate of knowledge to us penetrates our hearts and souls somehow. We can say that learners are influenced by their teachers. This is a very great and exceptional opportunity. There are many youth who are not willing to listen to and benefit from the advice of their parents, grandfathers and families but who are deeply influenced by a single word and signal by their teachers. University professors are like this.
Naturally, teaching is accompanied by the possibility of moral education. So, this opportunity should be seized. If our university professors are religious and if they enjoy national zeal, revolutionary motives and the spirit to do hard work, this will naturally be transferred to their students. And if they have the opposite qualities, they will be transferred to their students as well. If a university professor is fair-minded and moral, the possibility to educate a fair-minded and moral student will increase. The opposite can happen as well.
Today, the country needs those youth who can become strong arms for the progress of the country, who are full of religious motivation and insight, who have firm determination, the courage to take action and self-confidence, who believe in "we can", who are hopeful about the future, who see future horizons clearly and lucidly and who have the spirit to be self-sufficient.
Self-sufficiency does not mean refusal to learn from foreigners. We have not recommended and will not recommend this at all. We are willing to learn from those who have more knowledge than us. The spirit to be self-sufficient means refusal to be influenced, to accept others' impositions and to become victims of sharing knowledge - this is fairly common in today's world of science which is the world of arrogant power. This spirit should exist in youth. They should gain a correct understanding of where we are, where we want to go and how we want to make it. In the statements that university professors made today, there were clear points in this regard. We need youth who have the spirit to be decisive in the face of transgression and attempts to undermine national independence. University professors can instill and inject these spirits and positive characteristics into the minds of the young generation of the country - those youth who are studying and acquiring knowledge. University professors are like this.
Of course, they should do so by adopting correct methods, not by teaching ethics to students. We do not advise university professors - those who teach different fields of science - to hold ethics classes for students. This is a different task. With their behavior, with their statements, with their conduct and with their opinions on different matters, our university professors can engender these qualities in their students. When we said that university professors are the commanders of the soft war, this is what it means. As we said before, if youth are the young soldiers of this soft war, university professors are their commanders and this command should be shown like this.
The same thing exists in hard wars as well. Whenever a commander - the commander of a company, squadron and brigade - was present in the middle of the arena and fought alongside his soldiers, this exerted extraordinary influence on soldiers. This is not particular to us. It holds true for others as well. Napoleon used to sleep on the ground next to his soldiers and while he was wearing his uniform. The secret to Napoleon's military achievements which were amazing, is this: soldiers did not take orders from him in words, rather they took orders from his actions.
Our youth acted in the same way during the eight-year Sacred Defense Era. The commander of the army sometimes moved ahead of ordinary soldiers in the front lines. Sometimes, he even participated in reconnaissance missions. The commander of the army himself participated in reconnaissance missions! This is a meaningless and unacceptable course of action from the perspective of other armies in the world, but this happened in the Sacred Defense Era. It was this course of action that brought about astonishing achievements in the Sacred Defense Era. The same thing should be done in soft wars. University professors should show their presence in the middle of this arena which is the arena of a deep, vital and sacred battle. This is what we refer to as "soft war". This is a sacred defense as well.
We have about 70,000 university professors who are members of academic boards. This is a source of honor. I remember that in the early years of the Revolution - in early 1360s which perhaps continued until late 1360s - the number of academic board members was estimated to be five, six thousand. This figure has reached 70,000 now and this is a source of pride for the country, the Revolution and our universities.
Fortunately, a great portion of this large and extensive force has been formed by religious, pious and revolutionary individuals who believe in the principles of religion and the Revolution. This is a very important matter and phenomenon. The value of these religious and revolutionary members of academic boards should be appreciated. I am addressing this to our dear managers and the officials in the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. They should appreciate the value of such individuals. The honorable ministers and managerial boards in different ministries should appreciate the value of these religious university professors who are committed to religious values, who have stood by their claims, who were not intimidated by propaganda invasions and crafty deceptions - many of which we know about - and who did not retreat in the face of such propaganda. Dear managers, you should appreciate the value of religious elements and university professors.
This was the first issue which was about the importance of university professors. If I could meet with all these 70,000 dear university professors of the country, I would certainly do it and if I could listen to each and every one of them, I would certainly do it as well. But it is clear that we cannot do so because this sweet and valuable date hangs on a tall palm-tree [an expression based on a poem by Hafiz].
The second point is about the issue of science. Fortunately today, the scientific movement of the country has turned into an orientation, one that has undoubtedly become established in the country. Our university professors, our scientists and our youth have been working on this since 15 years ago and we are witnessing its results in the scientific rank of the country. We have come 16th in the world in the area of science. This is very important. Our scientific rank was much lower than this. They managed to help the country become 16th and this is a very valuable phenomenon.
There are a few points in this regard: one is that achieving this high scientific rank originated from our astonishing rate of work. According to global statistics, the scientific growth rate of the country is 13 times faster than the global average. This was announced by scientific centers in the world and we have pointed it out several times. This fast rate has declined today. Some people say that we have fallen behind in the area of scientific progress and some people deny this and both groups present certain figures for their claims. This is the point: apparently, we have not been demoted from 16th or 15th. This is true, but we should have progressed. That is, that fast rate of progress should have continued, but it has decreased today.
The dear brothers and sisters in different ministries should pay attention to this point. That fast rate of scientific progress does not exist today. You should act in a way that the fast rate of scientific progress does not go down. As military personalities say, "This movement should not stop orbiting" [A well-known Persian expression]. Of course, we know that naturally, the more we move forward, the more this fast rate will decrease. When we are behind others to a great extent, there are many untapped capacities that can be used, but naturally, the more we move forward, the more these capacities will decrease because they are used. We know this, but that fast rate of scientific progress should not decrease dramatically.
The second point is that the scientific environment of the country should be kept away from uproar and controversies. I am not saying that politics should not exist in universities. Perhaps, many people still remember that in the Ramadan meeting that I had with university professors several years ago, I severely criticized those who wanted to eliminate politics from universities and student environments. This aroused some complaints. I believe that the academic environment is an environment for political understanding, analysis, knowledge and awareness. So, I am not against politics in academic environments, rather I am against political demagoguery, political deception, and uproar. Such uproar harms the main task which is scientific work and progress, considering all the characteristics that this issue has.
One of the tasks that was carried out in the past one, two years and that was horribly wrong was the issue of scholarships. Even if their claim was correct, the way to pursue it was not to highlight it in the press. Of course, after some research was carried out, it became clear that their claim was not entirely correct and that the games that newspapers had played were not true. They delivered detailed reports to me which were based on research. If some individuals obtained an illegal concession, there are certain legal ways to pursue this. They can call it off and there is no need to create uproar over the matter. Creating uproar leads to controversy and this is a poison for scientific environments because such environments need to work in a peaceful atmosphere.
Unfortunately, some people poured this poison into the mouth of universities on the basis of the political demagoguery and deception that I spoke about. Why should they do so? Besides the fact that this was an oppressive measure against many people, it was an illegal, ill-advised and immoral course of action. This is while they speak about morality: "Why do those who invite to repentance do it less than others? [From a poem by Hafiz]" Was this a moral course of action? We should avoid controversies. You should prevent the higher education environment to become a victim of controversies.
The next issue is the issue of humanities. We are behind in the area of humanities. The friends who spoke about humanities placed great emphasis - rightly so - on the issue of humanities even in the area of industry. What they said is correct. The figures that our dear brother presented were interesting to me. He said that 40, 50 percent of industrial achievements originate from engineering and technical matters and that 50, 60 percent of them originate from humanities - management, cooperation and diligence. He is right and this is very important. Fortunately today, a number of brothers raised good points about humanities. They raised points that I too wanted to raise. Of course, I have raised them before as well. I too have sometimes discussed them.
Humanities are very important. Fortunately today, this is being worked on in the country. I can witness the tasks that are being carried out in the Council of Cultural Revolution - the friends that are working in the department of reform in this Council - and the tasks carried out in universities. As you witnessed today, a number of friends spoke about humanities as well. This shows that a domestic effort exists in universities. This effort is being made by scholars and knowledgeable personalities. Therefore, this effort should be supported - in different ways - from the outside. One of the manifestations of this support is that universities and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education should follow the rules passed by the department of reform.
Certain rules have been passed by this department as was pointed out by one of the brothers in the meeting. Those rules that have been passed should be implemented. The amount that has been worked on should be implemented. It should not remain in the notebooks, file cabinets and - as this brother said - in the labyrinthine corridors of the Ministry or the Council of Cultural Revolution. They should be implemented. What our brother said is completely correct. The Ministry should pay attention to this. Dr. Farhadi is sitting here. These are matters that I want him - in particular - to pursue because the task is a great one. Today, the scientific movement and the universities of the country are in the hands of these good brothers of ours. They should pursue the matter diligently and in the real sense of the word.
Another point is about the research budget. I should say that certain explanations are necessary for the matters that I am discussing with you, but we are close to adhan and I do not want to lengthen the discussion more than this. The research budget is important. It is several years now that I have been emphasizing this matter in this meeting, in other public meetings and in my private meetings with the executive officials of the country. Unfortunately, the information and the reports that I have received show that they have looked at our statements as words of advice like the advice that a person offers on a minbar. This should not be case and they should work on it.
In the strategic plan, four percent of the overall budget has been specified for research. However, because we do not have the capability to do so in the short term, we should allocate 1.5, 2 percent because this is doable. Notice that in the present time, the budget that is being allocated to research is much lower than one percent. This is one issue. Another issue is that research grants should be spent in a correct and calculated way. These grants should be spent where they should.
Another point is about the comprehensive scientific plan. Well, this plan was completed with the efforts of our friends and now a good and complete plan is available to the country. This is very valuable. According to the reports that I have received, experts approved of it after the plan was prepared. They did not find a major and fundamental flaw in the plan that was prepared in the Council of Cultural Revolution. This means that it was completely approved of, but this comprehensive scientific plan should be implemented.
The first step to do this is to create a discourse. I have heard the friends who travel to provincial cities and who visit different universities say that many university professors and even managers - let alone students - are not well-informed about the comprehensive scientific plan. One of the friends in the meeting said that many people do not have enough information about the economy of resistance - that we have brought up - either. Well, this is one of our weak points. If we want something to be done, the first step is to turn it into a common discourse. The issue of science was one of these tasks. It became a discourse, it naturally entered the process of implementation and it turned into an orientation. The same thing should be done for this matter. The issues related to the comprehensive scientific plan of the country should become a discourse and they should be implemented in a serious way. This is one point.
Another important point that is related to this issue is about the higher education reform plan. One of the friends in the meeting pointed out that if all the issues that we are discussing are our priorities, it means that we have no priority at all. This is a completely correct and reasonable statement. Another friend said that we should determine which industrial fields we want to make progress in and then we should make human and financial investments in them and focus our efforts on. This is a completely correct statement as well. Once, I said this on the issue of sports. I said that we can come first or second in two, three sports and therefore, we should pursue them. In some sports, we do not hope to come first or second. I am speaking about those sports for which there are international competitions. As it happens, they did so. They worked on these sports to some extent and their efforts produced results.
The same course of action should be adopted in this regard. We should take a look and see which fields of study in which universities and areas of the country have priority. The scientific-geographical reform of the country means this. We should see which fields of study in which universities we should follow and invest in and then we should ask universities for results. This is another issue. Therefore, the higher education reform plan should be completed and implemented.
What I want to say at the end of my statements is that you dear brothers and sisters should appreciate the value of your profession. We can find no existing profession that is dearer and more respectable than your profession. You have undertaken great tasks and you are carrying them out. The determination to carry out tasks should increase on a daily basis in the Ministry of Science and Higher Education if we wish these tasks to be accomplished.
Another point that I have written down to discuss is about an increase in the number of graduate students in higher education levels. Fortunately, the number of such students has dramatically increased and this is an extraordinary advantage, but correct planning should be done on the outputs of this important phenomenon. In higher education levels, students are after carrying out research and writing articles and theses. This requires a system, a fundamental outlook and a general guideline so that we know what should be prepared for the good of the country. If this does not happen, we have wasted resources including university professors, students, funds, management and different other resources. Such fundamental outlooks, fundamental plans and fundamental systematization of issues related to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education are major tasks that should be carried out. By Allah's favor, the country's problems will be solved in this way.
What you university professors are carrying out is important. What the scientific management organizations of the country - mainly formed by ministries and the President's Deputy of Scientific Affairs - are doing is important. Therefore, they should attach great significance to what they are doing. Such tasks should be really assessed and evaluated so that we know what important tasks are being carried out.
As a number of friends pointed out in their speeches, the goal of the enemies of the Iranian nation is to prevent our country and people from achieving their true civilizational position. They felt that this movement has begun in the country and this is why they have imposed sanctions on us. I too believe that sanctions were not imposed because of the nuclear issue, the issue of human rights and the issue of terrorism.
There is a story in this regard. Someone asked, "Why does he not shed tears when the rowzakhan performed the Ali Asghar rowza?" They answered, "This person has beheaded hundreds of Ali Asghars. How can he shed tears in the Ali Asghar rowza?" They [the Americans and westerners] themselves are terrorists. They themselves are opposed to human rights. Are they pressuring a country only for the sake of human rights? The issue is not this. There are more important calculations behind this issue. A people, a movement and an identity have come into being that pivot around principles opposed to those of global arrogance and the oppressor-oppressed system. They do not want this to develop. We are in such a condition. We are in such a position. Therefore, we should move forward and work hard.
Of course, sanctions create some problems, but they cannot prevent our progress. In order to achieve progress, we should use our capacities and you university professors can play your part in this regard. The Ministry of Science and those ministries that are in charge of scientific affairs have fundamental and important roles. You should appreciate the value of these roles and you should follow them. You should ask Allah the Exalted for help as well. The holy ayah that the friends recited - "If you help the cause of Allah, He will help you and make firm your feet" [The Holy Quran, 47: 7] - is God's inviolable promise.
Dear God, by the blessedness of these days and nights, by the blessedness of the Commander of the Faithful's (peace and greetings be upon him) immaculate blood, by the blessedness of the pure blood that was shed in the recent years on the path of truth - as a result of which certain martyrs emerged in our country - and by the blessedness of these efforts and holy personalities, make our people get close to honor and true happiness on a daily basis. Dear God, bestow Your blessings on the mujahids and activists of this path including our honorable university professors and students, and those who make efforts on the path of knowledge. Associate the immaculate soul of our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) and the pure souls of martyrs with the martyrs of the early Islamic era.
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings