Iran’s vice president for science tips Rayan int’l competition as national investment to retain talent

Iran’s Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, Hossein Afshin, described the Rayan International Competition as “a national investment to retain talent,” during the event’s closing ceremony on Friday in Tehran. 

According to the Vice Presidency’s Communications Center, Afshin said the competition had evolved beyond a conventional contest, becoming a platform to identify skilled youth who might otherwise consider emigrating.  

“Rayan showed them they can stay, compete, learn and build inside Iran,” he said. 

Addressing participants, Afshin emphasized that global competition today is “between minds, not muscles,” adding that success belongs to those who “see earlier.” 

He noted that this year’s edition brought together 30,000 participants from 137 countries across all continents in a single problem-solving arena without borders. 

Afshin said the initiative, launched last year with support from the vice presidency and hosted by Sharif University of Technology, aims to train a generation capable of advancing Iran alongside global scientific progress.  

Beyond programming, he added, Rayan promotes algorithmic thinking, teamwork, and employable skills. 

He highlighted Iran’s ambition to shift from a consumer to a producer of global technological talent, particularly in fields such as artificial intelligence.  

Afshin concluded by thanking organizers, experts and participants, expressing hope that “the path of seeing will become a path of building” for young competitors