In this study, by focusing on the findings of the UNITEL Project Module: Universities-Business Collaboration (An Overview and Some Experiences), we have learned that fostering universities-business (industries) collaboration applies innovative teaching and learning strategies based on technology enhanced learning (TEL) and collaborative methodology so that the UNITEL project sought to address the current issues by putting into practice a working methodology to modernize STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. Thus, conduction of a study on collaboration between universities and business (industry), as part of UNITEL Project, implies that such collaboration becomes a cornerstone of innovation and competitive advantages for economic development, entrepreneurship and industrial modernization. The primary goals of this paper are to review the conceptual discussion that the Module conducted and investigate the learning lessons that resulted from its findings. To reach out empirically these ends, we have developed an econometric framework of a trade gravity model to observe the estimated effects of Science and Technology (S&T) indicators on bilateral trade between Iran and Vietnam for 20 exporting goods groups (industries) during 1998-2022. The implication is that tradable industries benefit from investments in technology enhanced learning (TEL), which is a percentage of R&D expenditures and is proxied for an S&T indicator. © 2025 IEEE.
Iranian Economic Review (10266542)29(1)pp. 25-49
Immigration is one of the factors affecting macroeconomic variables, including foreign trade. Considering the large number of Afghan migrants throughout the world, this study sought to investigate the effect of Afghan migrants on the imports and exports of this country during 2001-2019, using the semiparametric augmented gravity model for the empirical purpose of the study. The results of the semiparametric estimation of the fixed effects model have indicated that the role of emigration on the volume of exports and imports of Afghanistan has a non-parametric effect. That is, on some levels of emigration, the increase in the number of immigrants abroad has increased trade and confirms the existence of a complementary relationship between labor migration and trade, contrary to the theory of Heckscher-Ohlin, but at other levels, the accumulation of immigrants has caused a decrease in the volume of Afghanistan's imports and exports. This result is consistent with Heckscher-Ohlin 's theory. Of course, it can be due to the integration of immigrants in the host society and the disconnection with the destination countries, the difference in skills level and information of immigrants. © Author(s).
Journal of Policy Modeling (01618938)45(5)pp. 935-956
This study assesses the likely effects of different political structures on economic growth by the effects of interest rate on the linkage between financial markets. For this aim, we chose two developing economies with different governance structures, Iran and Argentina. There is a political structure in Iran influenced by religion, whereas Argentina's political structure does not deal with religion. We first assess the causality amongst the financial markets of the stock market, bank deposits, and the foreign currency market (CM). Then, the effects of the markets and inflation on economic growth are assessed using Granger-causality tests and Markov-switching models. The results show that there are bidirectional causalities between the financial markets in Iran, and unidirectional causalities in Argentina. The markets affect economic growth in the both countries. For Iran, the monetary policy instrument of interest rate indicates no causalities to the markets, whereas there are strong causalities from interest rate to the markets in Argentina. As a result, Argentinian Central Bank can affect economic growth through the money flow between the markets by freely changing interest rate proportioned with the economic situation. Whereas there is no such a possibility for Iran's Central Bank. In other words, an active Central bank against the inflation volatility in Argentina versus a passive Central Bank in Iran is one of the consequences of the interest rate repression in a political structure influenced by religion. © 2023 The Society for Policy Modeling
