VZCZCXRO4803
RR RUEHDE
DE RUEHLO #0414/01 0321219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011219Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1616
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 2377
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0120
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0247
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0129
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0412
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2781

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 000414 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ECA/PE/V/R/N (ABED-KOTOB) 
NEA/PPD 
DUBAI FOR RAMIN ASGARD 
 
E.O. 12598:  N/A 
TAGS: OEXC SCUL IR UK
SUBJECT: AMERICAN-IRANIAN UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  A recent UK-based Iranian participant in the 
International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), Ali Pedram, has 
developed a proposal for an "American-Iranian University 
Partnership." It calls for expanding U.S. university partnerships 
with Middle East institutions to include Iran.  The goal is to first 
increase academic collaboration and exchanges, then eventually to 
develop a university-based, non-governmental institution to help 
identify potential exchange participants in Iran and foster 
exchanges.  The proposal stems from his IVLP participation, and 
particularly from meetings with the Center for Middle East Studies 
at Northeastern University in Boston.  Post encourages NEA and ECA 
to meet with Pedram and Northeastern officials during a March/April 
Pedram visit to the University to explore opportunities for 
cooperation on Iran outreach. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Mr. Ali Pedram participated in the special IVLP for Iranians 
"Teaching Area Studies" held November 15 - December 2, 2006.  Pedram 
is an Iranian citizen currently in the United Kingdom completing his 
Ph.D. on Iranian Politics and the Democratization Process at the 
University of Durham.  He is concurrently an Associate Professor at 
the University of Newcastle. 
 
¶3.  At his IVLP debriefing session, Pedram presented a proposal for 
establishing an "American-Iranian University Partnership."  It was 
inspired by meetings with staff of the Center for Middle East 
Studies at Northeastern University in Boston during his IVLP visit. 
Mr. Pedram was impressed with Northeastern's Dialogue of 
Civilizations project 
(http://www.iaf.neu.edu/dialogue_of_civilizat ions), through which he 
said the University had experience partnering with other academic 
institutions in the Middle East.  Northeastern was looking at 
including Iran in this program, but needed help connecting with the 
right Iranian universities and developing relationships. 
 
¶4.  Pedram's proposal envisions him securing a visiting scholar 
position with a U.S. university to work on developing the 
American-Iranian University Partnership.  This project would have 
three phases: 
 
a. Phase One - The U.S. university would select one or two Iranian 
universities with which to conduct video conferences, exchange 
academic papers, exchange speakers on academic topics and conduct 
seminars.  Existing programs that U.S. universities run with partner 
institutions abroad, such as the Northeastern University Dialogue of 
Civilizations, would serve as the foundation.  Mr. Pedram feels that 
adding Iran into such existing programs would "prevent suspicious 
attitudes" on the initiative and pave the way for Iranian 
acceptance. 
 
b. Phase Two - Signing of a memorandum of agreement between the U.S. 
university and selected academic and cultural institutions in Iran 
to provide for two-way student and faculty exchanges, Persian 
language classes in Iran for American students and cultural 
exchange. 
 
c. Phase Three - The possible establishment of a "Monitoring 
Democratization Process in Iran" unit.  This unit would survey 
attitudes on a variety of reform measures, first among academics 
then in the broader society.  It could also develop indexes to 
measure progress on democratization.  To be workable, Pedram said 
such a project must have participation by academics loyal to the 
government, not just dissidents and liberal minded academics which 
has resulted in past failures. 
 
¶5.  The most interesting part of Pedram's proposal is his insight, 
drawing on his IVLP experience, that establishing a U.S. academic 
institution in Iran could allow that institution to work in 
cooperation with the Department of State to identify potential 
Iranian participants for U.S. exchange programs.  Pedram was 
impressed by the role of the Institute of International Education 
(IIE) as an NGO that worked as a partner with the Department in 
organizing exchange programs.  He felt that this model of a non-USG 
entity being the point for exchange programs could provide a 
workable mechanism for having an on-the-ground presence in Iran 
necessary for effectively providing information on, and identifying 
participants for, U.S. exchange programs. 
 
¶6.  Northeastern University has since invited Pedram to visit from 
March 15 - April 12, 2007 to participate in the Dialogue of 
Civilizations project.  During this visit Northeastern wants him to 
assist with expanding the project to include Iran.  Specifically, 
they want him to help establish links with Iranian universities, set 
 
LONDON 00000414  002 OF 002 
 
 
up a workshop focusing on Iranian students and their role in 
promoting democracy, and organize a video conference with an Iranian 
university for the spring semester.  Northeastern hopes to follow up 
with a visit to Iran sometime this year.  In e-mails to Pedram, 
Professor Denis J. Sullivan (617-373-4409, d.sullivan@neu.edu), the 
Director of the Middle East Center for Peace, Culture, and 
Development has also broached with Pedram a future visiting 
fellowship.  All of this points to real potential for implementing 
the ideas Pedram expressed in his proposal in cooperation with 
Northeastern University. 
 
¶7.  COMMENT: Pedram wants to spark USG interest in providing 
assistance to implement the ideas that he and Northeastern 
University have discussed.  We do not see this as self-serving. 
From our debriefing (septel), it was clear that Pedram was highly 
energized by his IVLP experience and wants to build on it.  He 
returned with a fundamentally changed view of the U.S. and a strong 
appreciation for the need to increase contacts and exchanges between 
the peoples of the United States and Iran (or at least academics). 
 
 
¶8.  COMMENT (cont.) We recommend NEA and ECA meet with Pedram and 
Professor Sullivan during Pedram's upcoming visit to explore 
opportunities for USG cooperation with their planned Iran outreach 
efforts.  London Poloff/"Iran Watcher" views this initiative as 
directly supporting USG policy interests in substantive, transparent 
policy exchanges with Iranian civil society.  This is also a good 
example of the inspiration and new thinking on Iran outreach that 
comes from exchange programs for Iranians.  We are pleased to 
follow-up with Mr. Pedram, or facilitate contact, should the 
Department wish to pursue any of his ideas.  Program Officer Sana 
Abed-Kotob in ECA/PE/V/R/N can provide further details on those Mr. 
Pedram met during his IVLP. 
 
TUTTLE