Monash University provides the following clarification regarding recent media reports concerning past research collaborations.
Key points
- Monash has had no institutional relationship or funding arrangement with Sharif University of Technology since 2013.
- The research involves open, civilian-focused renewable energy technology, not defence or military work.
- Dr. Mohammad Ravanji is an Australian permanent resident who contributed to this work as a Monash Research Fellow.
Monash University is committed to the highest standards of research integrity, national security, and transparency. We proactively work to ensure robust management of security risks and fully support the need for rigorous national security processes in an evolving global environment.
Institutional relationships and funding
There has been no Monash-Sharif University of Technology institutional relationship, agreement, MoU, funding arrangement, or project arrangement since 2013, when a previous MoU expired.
Furthermore, no ARENA, DCCEEW, CSIRO, Monash, GridZync, or other Australian project funding has ever been paid to Sharif University of Technology or to Iran.
Nature of the research
The research focuses on "grid-forming inverters," a technology essential for helping Australia and other countries operate reliable electricity systems with high levels of renewable energy. This work is open, civilian, peer-reviewed renewable-energy grid-integration research, not defence research or military work.
Dr Mohammad Ravanji is an Australian permanent resident. His involvement in publications and student co-supervision arose solely from his role as a Monash Research Fellow, not from any institutional arrangement with Sharif University.
At no point did Dr Ravanji have access to confidential, sensitive, export-controlled, defence-related, vendor, partner, GridZync, or non-public project information. While some papers published after his departure list his affiliation as Sharif University, this reflects his location at the time of publication, not the source of the research funding or institutional oversight.
Compliance and national interest
Monash University remains fully compliant with all Australian Government directives, including requests from the Foreign Minister to manage collaborations with international entities. We continue to strengthen our approach to research integrity and oversight in alignment with national interests.
The University continues to monitor these situations closely and remains committed to the safety and well-being of our diverse international community.
