In Iran, a PhD means ... Pizza Hut delivery work

Middle East Times ^ | May 31, 2005 | Aresu Eqbali

[AdrianR]

I agree, the education system must have been there long before. Mullahs' role has been mainly not tampering with that too much.

Some of stories that I hear from Iranian scientists are reminiscent of Soviet Union. I grew up in former Soviet Union and heard stories about the life at universities there in the later stages of the Communist regime (1970s/early 1980s). "How to smuggle a Christmas tree into the university while Communists are not watching" type. What I hear from Iranians can be similar in spirit (trying to bypass what the regime imposes them and challanging the regime in little things), despite the ideologies of the two regimes being so different.

I wonder if there is anything more behind those superficial similarities. Sign that the regime might crack? Maybe not yet.

[Sonny M]

They can come here, where typical Human Resources sychophants will fall all over them. They need to hire them because of their skin color.

Not so sure, there is a pretty long pecking order in affirmative action before these guys would get a shot.

That said, on the pecking order they are probably closer to whites (being the last pick) then they are to blacks (who would be the first picks).

[MarkL]

IRAN HAS 70,000,000 people. Oil revenues don't go so far with such a burgeoning population. Iran's other major export is pistachio nuts.

And of course, terrorism!

Mark

[joemo]

I imagine "A"s are handed out generously for Hate Jews 212...the art of strap-on munitions.

if you were to earn a place in an iranian university, you would be at the very top, as there is a lot of population and not that many places to be had. now the universities are also the hotbeds of anti-regime feeling. these people are risking their lives protesting. not long ago, violent militias raided university dorms, beating and smashing and even taking some people away.

so maybe what you said is kind of backwards. its the universities that are full of intelligent people who are willing to stand up against the regime. and, believe me, they dont hate jews or america. dont for a second think that the rhetoric of mad clerics or the regime has anything to do with the more educated parts of iranian society.

and as for the quality of the education? i know people who who studied in tehran. they are very smart people. one girl is earning 6 figures doing r&d in the IT industry. the others i know are also very talented and intelligent people. when iran finally emerges from the shadow its been under since 1979, you will be amazed at what they can offer the world.

[Fabozz]

"Iran's other major export is pistachio nuts."

If only those were the only nuts they exported.