Inauguration of Complementary Dining Halls at the University of Kashan

Inauguration of Complementary Dining Halls at the University of Kashan

The complementary dining halls at the University of Kashan were inaugurated in the presence of Dr. Hossein Emamali-Pour, Director General of Planning and Programs at the Student Affairs Organization.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Emamali-Pour expressed his satisfaction with the facilities and conditions of the complementary dining halls and emphasized the significance of establishing these halls alongside the university’s public dining services, noting the multiple benefits they offer to students.

He highlighted the variety and the quality of the served foods as key features of the complementary dining halls, stating that while public university restaurants typically offer one or two meal options, the complementary halls provide up to twenty options per meal. Dr. Emamali-Pour also noted the price differences in complementary dining halls, explaining that these variations reflect higher quality ingredients and better facilities.

The Director General of student affairs organization further mentioned that a pilot phase for establishing 50 complementary dining halls across 17 universities has begun, with the goal of expanding coverage to approximately 70 universities in the second phase, particularly targeting universities with student populations over 2000, with the potential to include smaller universities in the future.

He added that since February of the previous year, the status of dining services at selected universities has been reviewed, and fortunately, universities have made every effort to achieve the goals set by the Ministry of Science and the Student Affairs Organization. Emphasis on quality control, hygiene, and pricing is a primary objective of establishing complementary dining halls, ensuring adherence to standards and orderly, supervised private sector involvement in this sector. Dr. Emamali-Pour also referred to the pilot program for a new nutrition model, stating that its main aim is cost management and transparency in food expenditure.

Samira Sadat Naseri-Manesh, Head of the University’s Nutrition Supervision Office, added that the complementary dining hall project at Kashan University was assigned to a contractor on August 6, with an estimated budget of 2.5 billion Tomans for implementation. The first phase, comprising separate sections for female and male students across two floors, has been inaugurated and is operational, while the second phase is scheduled for implementation in the summer of the following year.

She explained that the lower floor was designed according to female students’ preferences, while the upper floor reflects male students’ tastes. The dining hall offers 14 different meal options for dinner and 25 choices for lunch, highlighting the variety and facilities available.

Naseri-Manesh also noted that the second complementary project has been assigned to a contractor since last year, with further construction planned in the future.