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In the name of Allah

 

Policy and Program of Admitting International Students

Institute for Cognitive Science Studies (ICSS)

Spring 1401

 

 

  • History of cognitive science in Iran
  • Research objectives of the ICSS
  • Graduate programs at the ICSS
  • PhD Students
  • Educational bylaws
  • The status of cognitive science in Iran
  • Departments
  • International department
  • Brain and cognition clinic
  • Cognitive accelerator
  • International students
  • License of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology
  • Admission requirements
  • Laboratories
  • Library
  • Conference hall
  • Publications
  • Journal
  • Applied projects
  • Students’ Association
  • Cooperation with other universities
  • Biannual international conference
  • Management
  • Budget
  • Campus
  • Tuition fee
  • Urban facilities
  • Dormitory
  • Dining hall
  • Medical services
  • Living costs
  • Why choosing ICSS?
  • Address
  • Contacts

  

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In the name of Allah

 

Policy and Program for Admitting International Students

Institute for Cognitive Science Studies

Spring 2022

 

Cognitive sciences and technologies that have attracted the attention of the world’s top universities and research centers in recent decades, will make essential changes in science, technology, medical treatment, and the well-being of human beings in the current century. This new branch of science and technology which aims to study the cognitive functions of the mind and brain, and its mechanisms, offers new ways and means for the treatment of mental illnesses, and cognitive impairments. It changes the way we look at social phenomena and human behavior and everything that has to do with the mind and brain.

There is currently a heavy competition between cutting-edge science research institutions around the world to discover the secrets of the mind and brain and its cognitive functions, and a large amount of money is invested in projects such as brain mapping (connectomics), in the United States, Europe, China, and other developed countries.

Fortunately, Iran’s Scientific Map approved by the Supreme Council on Cultural Revolution has designated the field of cognitive sciences and technologies as priority A, and So far, great strides have been made toward its development. The approval of master’s and doctoral programs in the Ministry of Science, Research and Technologies, establishment of the Cognitive Science and Technologies Council under the auspices of the Vice President for Science and technology to promote cognitive research in Iran’s top universities and research centers, the establishment of the National Brain Mapping Laboratory for brain and cognitive studies, and establishment of the Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, as a non-governmental institute, are but some of the important measures that have taken in order to make Iran a leading country in the field in the Middle East.

History of Cognitive Science in Iran

On the initiative of Professor Kamal Kharrazi and several other professors, the Institute for Cognitive Science Studies (ICSS) was established in 1998 as a non-profit, non-governmental institute with the mission to do research in the field of cognitive sciences. Then in 2003 ICSS was licensed by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technologies to offer doctoral and master’s degree programs.

Later, in order to promote cognitive sciences and technologies at the national level, the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (SCCR) commissioned Dr. Kharrazi to draft a strategic document for the development of this new branch of knowledge and technology in other Iranian high ranked universities. This important mission was carried out by forming a working group chaired by Dr. Kharrazi, and with the collaboration of some other Iranian professors of cognitive sciences. The working group prepared the document which was approved by the SCCR and signed by the then President in 2011. More, the Scientific Map of the country approved by the SCCR in 2011, categorized the field of cognitive sciences as priority A in Iran’s science and technology strategy.

To implement the aforementioned documents, the Cognitive Sciences and Technologies Council was established in 2012 under the auspices of the Vice President for Science and Technology, and Dr. Kharrazi was appointed as its secretary. Besides, a curriculum planning committee was established in the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (MSRT) to develop the doctoral and master’s degree curriculums of cognitive sciences and technologies.

 

Research Objectives of the ICSS

The institute has the following goals:

  • Discovering important unknown facts about the mind and brain through quality empirical studies;
  • Try to explain important unresolved issues in cognitive sciences through new theories.
  • Translation of cognitive sciences into applied products that could be utilized in the individual and social life of people.

It is noteworthy that the results of the studies conducted at the institute are published as books and articles in prestigious scientific journals.

Graduate Programs at the ICSS

The institute offers the following master’s and doctoral programs:

Master: Cognitive Psychology; Mind, brain, and training; Cognitive rehabilitation; Cognitive science, design, and creativity; Cognitive Science and Media.

PhD: Cognitive Neuroscience (Brain and Cognition); Cognitive Neuroscience (computing and artificial intelligence); Psychology (cognitive psychology); Psychology (social cognition); Cognitive Modeling; Philosophy of Mind; Cognitive linguistics.

Furthermore, alongside the master’s and doctoral degree programs, lectures, journal clubs, short-term courses, and workshops are held at the institute to prepare the students for their qualitative research.

PhD Students

PhD program students must have the following qualifications:

  • Strong basic knowledge in their field of study;
  • Critical thinking and the ability to analyze scientific issues;
  • Strong motivation to conduct original experimental studies;
  • Creativity and initiative in presenting new practical ideas;
  • Mastery in cognitive science research methods;
  • Strong motivation and skill for group work. 

Educational Bylaws

The ICSS educational and research regulations and their relevant forms are accessible through the website of the institute as follows: Doctoral degree educational bylaws; Master’s Degree Educational bylaws; The executive steps toward a doctoral degree; The executive steps toward a master’s degree; Bylaw of affiliated faculty members; List of prerequisite courses for graduate courses; Behavioral rules and code of conduct of the institute.

The Status of Cognitive Sciences in Iran

Iran is one of the leading countries to promote research and education in cognitive science. While there are few countries in the West Asian region that are studying this field, cognitive science is a well-known field in Iran. The Iranian universities and research centers conducting research on the cutting-edge sciences, contribute to the development and promotion of cognitive science worldwide. Based on the statistics of articles published in international journals, Iran is a leading country in the field of cognitive sciences and technologies in the Middle East region.

ICSS is proud to be the only research and educational institutes in the Middle East and West Asia to be awarded the Advisory Position of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1999.

Departments

ICSS has the following departments:

Department of Psychology and Cognitive Rehabilitation; Department of Cognitive Education; Department of Cognitive Linguistics; Department of Cognitive Modeling; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Computing and Artificial Intelligence; Department of Philosophy of Mind; Department of Design and Creativity; Department of Media.

International Department

ICSS has been pursuing international cooperation since its early years of establishment. These include collaborations with the universities and research centers in the United States, China, Russia, South Korea, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, and Turkey. The institute has signed several MoUs with sister institutions in several Asian and European countries. The institute also cooperates with international organizations, including UN-affiliated organizations and agencies, as well as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

In order to provide services to international students, a department has been recently established at the institute. The department is responsible for attracting international students, and managing their affairs.

Brain and Cognition Clinic

The Brain and Cognition Clinic was established in 2018, in collaboration between ICSS and the Iran University of Medical Sciences. The clinic has been established as a model of cognitive rehabilitation center to receive patients and train students.

The Brain and Cognition Clinic (http://bcclinic.ir) is missioned to provide services not only in cognitive rehabilitation and treatment of psychological disorders but to offer educational and research services. Enhancement of cognitive functions another service of the clinic. The services of the BCC include neurology, psychiatry, aging, memory, occupational therapy, speech therapy, cognitive assessment, and counseling. BCC is equipped with devices such as EEG, EMG, rTMS, fNIRS, tDCS, eyetracker, virtual reality, neurofeedback, audiometry, and olfactometry.

Cognitive Accelerator

The cognitive accelerator of COGNOTECH was inaugurated by the Vice President for Science and Technology in 2021. COGNOTECH provides spaces and facilities for cognitive scientists and students who have come up with new ideas to be developed as a cognitive technology or service. COGNOTECH hopes to build a strong community of innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs in order to respond to current needs of the society.

International Students

The ICSS is licensed by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology of the Islamic Republic of Iran to enroll international students. The diplomas of the ICSS are signed by the ministry and respected by other countries.

The ICSS fully supports and provides all necessary assistance to international students from the moment they arrive at the airport to their settling at their designated residence.

 

Admission Requirements

Students from all over the world are admitted to the master’s or doctoral degree programs at the ICSS in the fall semester of each year.

To obtain admission to ICSS, the applicant has to submit the following documents:

– A brief history of the educational and professional background of the applicant and the goal he/she intends to achieve at ICSS;

– A completed online application which would show the field of study and the semester the student intends to start his/her study;

– A document to show a minimum score of 450 on TOEFL exam;

– A written commitment to pass the Persian language course in Iran for six months or provide a passing score from an authorized abroad Persian language Training Center, acknowledged by the Iranian government. Courses at ICSS are delivered in Persian, but the textbooks are mainly in English. In addition, due to the common vocabulary in Persian and the languages ​​of Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as Urdu, Turkish and Arabic, applicants from these countries can learn the Persian language within six months by taking courses available at Persian language institutions in Iran.

– Official Persian or English translation of the applicant’s transcripts, diplomas, and academic records;

– Notarized legal documents in Persian or English showing the support of the person or organization that is responsible for the student’s tuition fee, accommodation, and other expenses during the period of study at the ICSS. Otherwise, the student has to show an original bank statement that shows the minimum balance needed to cover the expenses of one academic year in Euros or in other valid currencies.

After receiving all the above documents, the ICSS would process the documents and make the necessary decision about the applicant’s admission.

Laboratories
The institute has two advanced laboratories, as follows:
•    Neurology (human lab)
With its advanced equipment and specialized software, the human lab of the ICSS has a special place in cutting-edge research in the field of cognitive sciences. Memory, and other cognitive impairments, developmental and acquired disorders, addiction, and cognitive assessment are among the areas that are studied at the ICSS neurological (human) laboratory.

  •  Neurology (animal lab)
    This laboratory makes it possible to record the neural activity of the brain of animals. The laboratory is fully equipped for studying the animals’ memory, brain electrophysiology and the effects of ultrasound waves on nerve cells. The molecular and genetic section of the animal lab is recently added to the ICSS facilities.Library
    The institute’s specialized library strives to provide researchers with the latest books in the field of cognitive sciences, both in print and digital. In addition to Persian and English books, the students and researchers have access to databases and scientific journals. The complete list of Persian and non-Persian printed and digital books, and the titles of the students’ dissertations, are available on the institute’s website.Conference Hall
    The institute benefits from a modern and well-equipped amphitheater, with all necessary facilities, and equipment to hold international conferences and specialized meetings, both face-to-face and virtual. Obviously, professors and students can use these facilities to present their academic achievements.Publications
    The institute has an active publishing department. The quarterly of “Advances in Cognitive Science” has been regularly published since 1999 and is the only quarterly in cognitive sciences published in the Middle East. In addition, dozens of volumes of cognitive science books have been published by the institute.

    Journal
    The quarterly Journal of Advances in Cognitive Sciences is a platform for the views and research outcomes of professors and students working in the field. The articles published in the journal are peer-reviewed. The audiences of the quarterly are psychologists and experts in various fields of cognitive sciences.

Applied Projects
The office of applied projects was established in April 2021 to support translational projects designed to produce technology and provide services. The office helps professors and students who have a workable idea to form a research team, search for fund, and turn that idea into a technological product or service protocol.

Students’ Association
The ICSS Students’ Association is established as an independent entity by the ICSS students. The purpose of the association is to promote and strengthen the scientific capacity of talented students, and to provide them with opportunities to mobilize their creativities. The Student’s Association strives to strengthen the culture of teamwork among students through applied research. The activities of the Student’s Association include the followings:

Holding conferences, meetings, seminars, lectures, and scientific-cultural festivals; holding specialized courses and workshops; carrying out research and scientific activities; organizing scientific competitions and exhibitions; establishing contacts with student’s associations of other domestic and international institutions and universities; planning for scientific tours and research trips; establishing contacts with industry, and academia community.

Cooperation With Other Universities
University professors, researchers, students, and all those interested in the field of cognitive sciences can use the institute’s facilities, and participate in its international and domestic seminars; and short-term training courses; benefit from the ICSS library and databases, or receive the quarterly journal of Advances in Cognitive Sciences.
Researchers can also sign a contract and use the institute’s laboratories to conduct their own research.

Biannual International Conference
The biannual international conference of cognitive sciences has been held regularly and recently its 9th session was held in collaboration with Kharazmi University, both factually and virtually. This conference is attended by prominent professors and researchers from other countries as well as many domestic professors and students of cognitive sciences.

Management

The president of the ICSS board of trustees is Professor Kamal Kharrazi and the ICSS director is Professor Moradi.

 

Budget

The budget of the institute is covered by the tuition paid by students, applied research projects funded by other organizations, laboratory service charges, governmental and private sector funds.

 

Campus

The original building of the institute was in Tehran, which is now dedicated to the ICSS Brain and Cognition Clinic to provide cognitive therapy services to patients with cognitive disorders, and training students of cognitive rehabilitation. The new campus of the ICSS was inaugurated in 2014 in Pardis city, 18 km east of Tehran. The ICSS campus consists of classrooms, conference halls, a well-equipped amphitheater, a library with internet access to data banks, human and animal laboratories, administration departments, kitchen, and dining hall, and a guest house for the temporary stay of foreign guests.

Tuition Fee
The tuition fee for a full master’s degree program at the ICSS is 3,000 Euros and for a full doctorate program is 6,000 Euros. Students can pay the equivalent of that amount in Iranian Rials in cash or through ICSS bank accounts.

Urban Facilities
ICSS is located in the city of Pardis with a population of over two hundred thousand. Pardis city with a surface area of 299 square kilometers and advanced infrastructure is located 18 kilometers east of  Tehran. The average height of Pardis is about 1800 meters above sea level. The city is surrounded by high mountains and a pleasant climate. Historical monuments and various natural phenomena are but some of the other characteristics of Pardis city. Pardis is connected to Tehran by a modern freeway that passes through mountains and beautiful natural landscapes.

The city has many scientific, research, cultural, and recreational centers and parks that students can enjoy visiting. The Science and Technology Park located on the outskirts of the city hosts several hundred knowledge-based companies. The city of Pardis provides all municipal services to its inhabitants comparable to the most advanced cities in the world.

Dormitory
The Institute does not have accommodation facilities, but renting an apartment in Pardis in different sizes, individually or collectively, is easy and quite cheap. The ICSS provides full guidance to international students for renting and lodging. There are many new buildings available in Pardis to accommodate the students. The housing rental rate in the city of Pardis is about one-half to one-third of Tehran. If the student prefers to live in Tehran, the journey from Tehran to the campus by private car or public transport takes 45 minutes. The city subway between Tehran and Pardis is under construction.

Dining Hall
The kitchen and dining room are available at the ICSS campus which provide lunch for students and faculty members at preferential prices.

Medical Services
Several public and private general hospitals, clinics, and a large number of doctors and dentists are available in the city to provide all medical services to the students. The institute also can provide medical insurance to the international students against a small insurance fee. The Brain and Cognition Clinic is also available if the students would be in need of psychological consultation.

Living Costs
The World Tourism Organization has named Iran one of the cheapest tourist destinations. Every year, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran spends large sums of money on subsidies for basic goods and services. For example, the price of 10 liters of gasoline is one Euro in Iran, and a full meal in a 5-star restaurant is only 10 to 15 Euros. Water, electricity, gas, telephone, and urban transportation costs in Iran can be considered the cheapest services in the world. The living cost in Pardis is on average 30% cheaper than in Tehran.

Why Choosing ICSS?
Attracting students from other countries is not a new phenomenon in the history of Iran. Jundishapur University, the oldest university in the world, before the rise of Islam, as well as Iranian universities and scientific centers during the Islamic civilization, had always welcomed foreign students and researchers. Currently, tens of thousands of international students from 5 continents are studying in various fields of science and technology, medicine, humanities, social sciences, and religions in Iranian universities. Iran, with 15 million students in its elementary and high schools, 5 million students in its universities, and a 90% literacy rate in a population of 86 million, is one of the world’s most successful countries in education.

More than two decades research, and teaching has made the ICSS a reliable and up-to-date institute in cognitive sciences. So far, more than 100 PhD graduates of the ICSS have been recruited by the companies, universities, and academic centers of Iran and other countries. The institute is the best option for the international students, especially from Iran’s 15 neighboring countries, who speak Persian or whose national language is very close to Persian.

Address: Pardis City, Shahid Ghasem Soleimani Blvd., Cognitive Sciences Blvd., Postal Code: 1658344575 Institute for Cognitive Science Studies.

Contacts:

E-mail: info@icss.ac.ir

Phone: +9821-76291130

Fax: +9821-76291140