CHAPTER ELEVEN:

Development of Science and Technology

ARTICLE 99- In order to consolidate the policy making and executive mandates of the country’s scientific system, from the inception of the country’s Third Development Plan, the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education will be renamed as “Ministry of Science, Research and Technology”, and the functions of planning, support, evaluation and supervision, review and drawing up the policies and strategies in the areas of research and technology will be added to the mandates of this ministry.

Government is required to revise the goals, objectives, targets and functions of the said ministry within six months from the enactment of this Law, and present it to the Islamic Consultative Assembly.

ARTICLE 100- In order to lay the ground for participation of, and investment by, the non- public sector in the fields of research and technology and to provide qualitative and quantitative support to the research and technological undertakings, particularly in the areas of applied R & D, government is authorized to participate in setting up the non- public funds, strengthen the existing public funds, and take appropriate measures to enable these funds to enjoy the subsidy on the profit of the financial facilities during the period of the Plan implementation.

The articles of association of the newly established funds and the by-law of the participation procedure of the public sector, the banking system and the non-public sector to meet the required financial needs of these funds; the organizational set up, and the objectives and mandates of these funds shall be proposed jointly by the Plan and Budget Organization, the State Administrative and Employment Affairs Organization, and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology within a maximum period of one year with effect from the enactment of this Law, and to be approved by the Cabinet.

ARTICLE 101- In order to provide assistance and support to the quantitative and qualitative expansion of the activities of the non- public research centers during the Plan period, government is required to earmark financial facilities and compensatory insurance in the pertinent law and regulations and carry these provisions into effect.

ARTICLE 102-

A- To support the research projects ordered by the ministries and other executive agencies to the public and non- public universities and research centers which will bear a minimum of forty percent (40%) of their expenditure, government is authorized to finance the required funds through the annual budget bills in order to continue these projects.

The research works performed by the executive agencies through their affiliated research centers and units, where the grantor and the grantee are the same entity, are not entitled to receive the facilities indicated in this Article.

B- Proportion of the research expenditure as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product during the term of the five-year Plan will increase constantly in such a way that it shall reach to one percent in the public sector in the terminating year of the Plan, and to be borne by the general budget of the executive agencies; and half percent (0.5%) of the Gross Domestic Product in the private sector, the state-owned companies and the banks. Government is required to spend fifteen percent (15%) of these funds to finance basic research and the research works leading to attraction and production of the new technology.

C- The Plan and Budget Organization, in cooperation with the State Scientific Research Council, is required to determine the share of the research department of each of the executive agencies and the state-owned enterprises for inclusion in a separate and independent budget line. Construction, purchase, and rent of the administrative building, purchase of equipment that are irrelevant to the research work, and purchase of vehicles and payment of any other expense not related to the research work are prohibited and cannot be included as research cost. Government is required to support research in the private sector. The executive by-law of this Item shall be prepared by the State Scientific Research Council and the Plan and Budget Organization, and to be approved by the Cabinet.

The executive by-law of this Article shall be proposed by the Plan and Budget Organization, The State Scientific Research Council, Ministry of Science, Research and Technology; and the Islamic Azad University, and shall be approved by the Cabinet.

ARTICLE 103- Government is required to acquire necessary instruments and facilities needed to get easy access to the internal and external information and secure the linkage facilities to the world webs, to improve the services and to promote use of the new technology through the following provisions:

A- Creation of the required communications infrastructures and information super-highways, sufficient and wide band width through the Ministry of Post and Telegraph and Telephone; and provision of the required facilities for use of the students and the academia.

B- Separation of the functions of the “Information Provider” from the “Service Provider” and the “Communications Provider”.