Professors From Iran’s Best Technical University Emigrate

In the wake of intensified political pressures by authorities, several distinguished professors from Sharif University of Tehran have reportedly migrated to institutions abroad.

Amirkabir Newsletter, a prominent Iranian student news platform, revealed on its Telegram channel that what began as an extensive emigration by students has now extended to include important university professors.

Last week, Abdolreza Simchi, a renowned professor in the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering at Sharif University of Technology, disclosed that he is now employed at the German Fraunhofer Research Institute, where he has been working since June 2023.

Vahid Hosseini, a former professor in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Sharif, has relocated to a Canadian university, while Mohammad Ali Maddah Ali, previously the head of the Blockchain Working Group at the Digital Economy Headquarters of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, has emigrated to the United States to continue his research in the field of blockchain.

Nima Asadian, who concluded his 12-year professorship at Sharif University in January 2022, has opted to work in laboratories abroad, and Abbas Heydarnouri, the former director of the Smart Software Engineering Laboratory at Sharif University, is now residing in the United States.

Stidents at Sharif University of Technology, recognized as one of Iran's premier institutions, have played a central role in recent protests against the Islamic Republic. The government's response to the protests has included widespread detention and summoning of students, along with issuing judicial and disciplinary sentences. The suppression has now extended to professors who supported the protests, resulting in some being suspended from their positions.