“Some companies and industries like car manufacturing do not make any efforts for innovation and research because of monopolies. Therefore, removing monopoly on the industries is key to a major change in industry-university interaction,” Zanganeh said.

He said the country’s economy should become competitive, adding that the government’s more-than-enough support for industries would harm the industrial sector.

Zanganeh said competition should be the main driving force behind development of technology.

“Currently, more than 90 percent of industries and companies are run by the government or by the private sector. Therefore, privatizations have not been effective,” he said.

Zanganeh said a significant plan devised by Petroleum Ministry is to commission the administration of a number of oil reservoirs to universities.

“Petroleum Ministry is also seeking to manufacture equipment. It has the manufacturing of 10 items of commodities on the agenda now,” he said.