On 7 May 2016, a delegation from AP-HP visited TUMS Liver Transplantation Center located in Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, meeting with TUMS Chancellor, Dr. Jafarian and a number of other professors and physicians of the center.

Dr. Jafarian spoke of transplantation in Iran in General mainly focusing on liver transplantation. He introduced facilities and equipment of the center and considered opening an exclusive transplantation center for children as one of TUMS objectives. Also, TUMS attempts to improve transplantation services in East of Iran, he added.

The center intends to invite Iranian specialists to have cooperation in this regard, the chancellor said and continued that nature of transplantation requires organized and consistent management. Dr. Jafarian further stated that a central body in Ministry of Health almost covers all the costs in relation to the operation as the organizer, however, more support is needed in this regard. The government’s support plays the major role in liver transplantation in Iran, he further emphasized.

After the visit, the delegation, which included Prof. Didier Houssin, Medical Advisor, Department of International Affairs of AP-HP and Christophe Hodee, Project and Administrative Manager of AP-HP, had a meeting with TUMS Chancellor, Vice Chancellor for Global Strategies and International Affairs and Head of TUMS School of Public Health at Central HQ of the university, discussing and negotiating possibilities for mutual collaborations.

Prof. Houssin presented AP-HP in brief saying that the hospital is supervised by both the French Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science and Education for its two separate parts of health services and medical education. Talking about the history of AP-HP to be over 100 years, he expressed willingness to initiate collaborations in the areas of academic and research cooperation, long-term partnership in management of facilities and training of staff and construction of facilities and consultancy regarding development.

Members of the meeting discoursed various issues including student exchange with each TUMS school on a case by case basis, holding workshops at AP-HP for TUMS faculty members, etc., as possible future projects.

To end the meeting with the promise of putting collaboration intentions into practice, TUMS and AP-HP signed a Memorandum of Understanding.