Institutional conditions and the potential role of the Iranian academy of sciences in sustainable development of Iran

A country’s economic prosperity, social development and sustainable development are directly related to its science and technology ranking. Competency in science is a necessary but insufficient condition for the transformation of science to technology and innovation, which serves as the driving force for science-based economy and sustainable development. Investments in science have improved Iran’s ranking to 17 on the global scale. However, various governments have not utilized the enormous potential of the Iranian Academy of Sciences as the country’s science and technology authority, and the relation between the government and the Academy follows the pattern of developing countries. The common cause of Iran’s deficiency in the transformation of its considerable scientific capabilities to technological ability and innovation for sustainable development is primarily due to the country’s deficiency of institutional conditions and at its apex the rule of law. Judicial independence for equal and just administration of the existing laws, passage of new bills for strengthening institutional conditions and a government of law and not of men, in the first place, and government’s utilization of the Academy’s considerable potential as the country’s science and technology authority, in the second place, are prerequisites to achieving a science-based economy, and thereby economic prosperity and social as well as sustainable development.