History and Introduction

History and Introduction:

University of Tabriz Research Affairs Office initially started its supporting services for research in February 1974 under the title of "General Office for Research Affairs" within the organizational chart of the Vice Chancellery for Education and Research; however, from 1985 the office continued to serve under the direct supervision of the re-organized Vice Chancellery for Research in the following two distinct subdivisions each providing services to multiple of research activities:

• Research Affairs Department: The Department supports and provides administrative services to university-funded and externally-funded research projects; national and international seminars and conferences; master and doctoral dissertations; and publications in journals.

• International Relations Department: The Department supports and promotes international scientific collaborations; study opportunities; scholarships; and sabbatical leaves and international visits of the UT Executive Board and staff members.

Viewing the expansion of executive activities in both departments in the following years, the former Research Affairs Department developed into two independent units under the separate titles of "Research Affairs Directorate" and "The International Academic Cooperation Directorate", this time, within the new organizational chart of the University in 2002. At present, research affairs Directorate is active under the direct supervision of the Vice Chancellery for Research and Technology so as to be able to comply with todays' research goals, demands and perspectives of the institution.

However, in the process of ongoing developments in Research and Technology, those services and charges not organizationally related to the job description of the Research Affairs Directorate were detached and transferred to the Personnel and Postgraduate studies Directorates depending on the type of activities.

Likewise, based on the decisions taken by university authorities in 2005, coordinating jobs dealing with participation of staff members at international scientific events held abroad as well as abroad short-term and long-term study leaves were detached from the International Academic Cooperation Directorate and entrusted with the Research Affairs Directorate. The Research Affairs Directorate now continues to serve (1) - to provide a suitable platform for researchers and scholars with clear and coherent planning, (2)- to eliminate parallel and redundant measures (3)- to accelerate administrative operations (4)- to simplify research rules and regulations and (5)- to administer appropriate policies in research activities.