"We exported $2.3mln worth of (knowledge-based) goods in 1996 and the figure increased to $612mln in 2010 which amounted to 2.7% of Iran's non-oil exports," Soltankhah said.
"The figure increased to $840mln last year," she added.
Soltankhah reiterated that Iran plans to boost export of its knowledge-based products to $1.2bln in the current Iranian year (started on March 21) to come closer to the goals envisaged in Iran's Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2015).
According to the development plan, exports of knowledge-based commodities should constitute 5% of Iran's non-oil exports in 2015.
Her remarks came after the Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council - affiliated to the science and technology department of the presidential office - announced plans to double financial support for post-graduate dissertations and theses in order to fulfill development needs, improve industrial products and knowledge-based companies.
The program is implemented in order to encourage the knowledge-based companies to define research projects to develop their technology, to persuade the researchers to meet the research needs of industries, to strengthen the connection between industry and university, to guide researches towards applied activities, and to create new jobs.
The financial support will be paid after obtaining the applied results and the conversion of technical knowledge to knowledge-based company or the related industry, or the establishment of a company in regard to the need of the industry, and after being approved by Technological Services to Market Institute of Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council.
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Publish Date: 31 August 2012 - 20:25
Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Nasrin Soltankhah announced that the country exported $840mln worth of knowledge-based goods and products in the last Iranian year.