Khatam University Holds Ceremony to Introduce New Faculty Members

According to the Public Relations and Website Office of Khatam University, the ceremony to introduce the university’s new faculty members and honor four Khatam University professors who had recently been promoted to the rank of associate professor was held this morning, Wednesday, September 23, in the university’s amphitheater. The ceremony was attended by Ayatollah Dr. Seyyed Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khatam University; Dr. Majid Ghasemi, President of Khatam University; as well as the university’s vice presidents, managers, and faculty members.

Ayatollah Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khatam University, congratulated the new faculty members and told them: “Professors, know your own worth. I am an elderly teacher, but when I look back on my past, I come alive and feel invigorated. What greater joy is there than to pass your light on to others and nurture them?”

He went on to discuss the place of mysticism in Iranian-Islamic thought, describing the entire world as a manifestation of the divine names and attributes of God. He said: “Mystics say that a teacher is a manifestation of two kinds of divine names. One is the name Rabb [Lord], and the teacher is a manifestation of the Lord and the educator; the other is the name Muhyi [the Giver of Life], and the teacher is a manifestation of bringing life and renewal.”

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khatam University also referred to the large number of applicants for faculty positions at the university and emphasized that those selected through the recruitment process had undergone very rigorous screening. “It is interesting that some of these dear colleagues, despite having many years of teaching experience at reputable universities in Iran and abroad, have been willing to give up continuing their work at those institutions and come to Khatam University.”

Mohaghegh Damad then posed the question, “What is the secret of the Khatam story?” Answering his own question, he said: “The President of Khatam University has devoted his entire being to the development of science and culture, and for him, the presidency means precisely this. In fact, the secret of the Khatam story lies in Dr. Ghasemi himself. What makes a university flourish is the integration of knowledge with dedication, enthusiasm, and innovation.”

Referring to the university’s remarkable development across various dimensions, both physical and institutional, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khatam University called on the university’s professors and faculty members to take an active part in its scientific conferences and academic gatherings and to further advance this center of learning through their knowledge.

At the ceremony, Dr. Majid Ghasemi, President of Khatam University, congratulated the attendees on the new academic year and congratulated the university’s new faculty members on successfully joining the Khatam University academic community. Addressing them, he said: “You, dear colleagues, are the future of the economy and politics, and the country’s capabilities in every field are inspired by your capabilities.”

He went on to say that the idea of establishing Khatam University had been in his mind since 1986, when he was serving as Governor of the Central Bank. He also shared memories related to his love of learning and his passion for the world of knowledge, as well as his beginning his teaching career at the age of 14. “The reality is that teaching is in my blood, and my personality and temperament are more suited to working in this field than in any other,” he said.

The President of Khatam University then referred to the progress of the university’s 10-year strategic plan. Noting that two years had passed since implementation of the plan began and that, according to the plan, the university should have achieved 20 percent progress by this point, he said: “By the grace of God, we have achieved more than 30 percent progress in this period alone; indeed, in terms of physical development, we have progressed much further.”

Stating that the Khatam University campus is being completed on an area of approximately 450,000 square meters, he referred to “Surpassing Stanford” as the university’s main slogan. Addressing the professors and faculty members, he said: “We intend, by establishing the Khatam University campus, to turn it into a center of science in the Middle East, and rest assured that we will provide all the facilities necessary for your scientific activities there. The responsibility of safeguarding the legacy of ancient Iran and the primary mission of reviving, preserving, and elevating society and the name of Iran rests, first and foremost, with you, our great teachers.”

The CEO of Bank Pasargad also referred to his participation, in his capacity as Chairman of the Iran BRICS Business Council, in the recent BRICS summit in New Delhi. He described the summit as a valuable opportunity to showcase our country’s capabilities in various fields, particularly in the economic and scientific spheres. Referring to the efforts being made to strengthen coordination among the member countries of this international organization, he described the outlook for BRICS activities as positive.

Prior to the remarks by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the President of Khatam University, Dr. Bahaeddin Shariat, Vice President for Education and Graduate Studies of Khatam University, described the university as a home of science, knowledge, and technology. He then presented a report on the recruitment process for new faculty members. According to the report, 325 people applied for faculty positions at Khatam University in response to the recruitment call issued in 2025. Following the initial screening, 133 applicants were invited for interviews, and subsequently, 19 candidates were introduced to the Ministry of Science for final interviews. Ultimately, 16 of these candidates joined Khatam University, while the recruitment files of three others are currently in the final stages before their appointments are issued.

He stated that the process of promoting the academic ranks of Khatam University professors began in 2021 and that, since then, 3, 2, 3, and 4 faculty members, respectively, have been promoted from the rank of assistant professor to associate professor each year. He also referred to the commencement of the independent operation of Khatam University’s Promotion and Tenure Committee and announced that the committee’s first meeting would be held during the final week of the current month.

According to the Vice President for Education and Graduate Studies of Khatam University, the university ranked first last year in terms of faculty recruitment among the country’s public and private universities, and there is hope that it will maintain this position this year as well.

Ahmad Mahmoudian, Vice President for Human Capital, Administrative, and Financial Development of Khatam University, also addressed the ceremony. He stated that a university is a place where the future is contemplated before it is built and that, undoubtedly, the university’s professors bear the principal responsibility in this process. He congratulated the new faculty members on joining the university and several of the university’s assistant professors on their academic promotions.

He also recalled Dr. Ghasemi’s role in the establishment and academic development of Khatam University in recent years and expressed hope that this growth would continue.

Following these remarks, a ceremony was held in the presence of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the President of the University, the Vice President for Education and Graduate Studies, and two veteran heads of Khatam University’s academic departments. Appointment certificates were presented to the new faculty members, as follows:

Zeinab Baradaran Khanian, Mehdi Dehghan, Narges Haji Molla Darvish, Payam Norouzi Chelcheh, Mahsa Jahandideh, Ali Zarif Honarvar, Mohammad Ghaffari, Behnam Bahrak, Zahra Nouri, Mohammad-Sadegh Mousapour, Neda Alasvand Chaghakhour, Bahareh Jalali Farahani, Zahra Jalili, Hamed Abedini, Seyedeh Mahsa Bagheri Amraei, Tahereh Meydani Haji Agha, and Mahmoud Nouri.

The ceremony also included the presentation of certificates of appreciation to four Khatam University professors in recognition of their academic contributions and their promotion from the rank of assistant professor to associate professor. The professors honored were:

Seyyed-Reza Jalalzadeh, Maryam Daneshvar, and Fatemeh Karimi Jafari, all from the Department of Management, and Marzieh Hashemi, from the Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences.