A UC Davis delegation is preparing for a long-anticipated visit to the University of Tehran next week -- a trip "to break bread," increase cultural understanding, explore academic collaborations, and reconnect with alumni.

Led by Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef, the group of travelers includes Mohammad Mohanna, Sacramento business leader and UC Davis Foundation Board member; Enrique Lavernia, dean of the College of Engineering; Neal Van Alfen, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Bill Lacy, vice provost for university outreach and international programs; and Bob Kerr, director of international visitors and alumni.

"We had hoped to host the president of the University of Tehran at UC Davis in 2002, but he was unable to obtain a visa," said Vanderhoef. "So this upcoming trip is our effort to take UC Davis to the University of Tehran."

Vanderhoef acknowledged some concern about the recent surge in violence in the Middle East. "I'm worried some," he said. "And certainly people are concerned for us. But we're evaluating with our hosts, and with the advice of the State Department, whether our planned trip should go forward now or perhaps be postponed. At the moment, it appears to be a go."

The group is scheduled to depart April 25 and return May 1.

The trip was born of a 1999 gathering of Iranian-American alumni and students and university leaders hosted by Mohanna. The desire to initiate academic interactions led to Vanderhoef's writing a letter inviting the University of Tehran president to visit UC Davis. Mohanna carried the letter of invitation to Iran on the chancellor's behalf.

A visit to UC Davis was planned for February 2002, but the University of Tehran president couldn't obtain a visa.

The UC Davis travelers have all received their visas, but have one more hurdle -- an export control license that must be granted by the federal government. The license limits the exchange of information with U.S.-embargoed countries.

"This is the first time ever after the Iranian Revolution (of 1979) that an institution of UC Davis' caliber has visited an institution of the University of Tehran's caliber," said Mohanna. "This vision of dialogue, this effort to break bread, to turn nations into peoples, is so important."

Added Vanderhoef: "It's important to sit down, to talk with each other, to get a sense of what's possible. We believe very firmly that we need to interact, university to university, for the sake of our students and our faculty."

The campus delegation will meet with University of Tehran President Reza Faraji-Dana, vice presidents, deans and faculty of agriculture and engineering, and with about 50 UC Davis alumni and friends and their spouses and children.

The University of Tehran will cover all the travelers' costs but airfare.

The Greater Sacramento community is home to a large number of Iranian-Americans, second in number only to Los Angeles. For many years, Iranian students have led international student enrollments at UC Davis, but only three have enrolled since 2000 and currently none are studying here.

"These students enriched the campus environment and many returned to Iran to establish successful careers that are making a difference in Iran and the world every day," said Bob Kerr, director of international visitors and alumni. "We would like to return to a semblance of those days."

A group of Iranian alumni is planning "a big dinner for their chancellor, to thank him because 'what we are is what UC Davis has made us to be,'" said Mohanna.

Engineering Dean Enrique Lavernia said he is looking forward to learning about the state of engineering education in Iran and exploring how such recent technology as the Internet and computers have influenced the engineering curriculum used to teach Iranian students.

"I would also like to understand the relationship between the quality of life in Iran and science and engineering education and to share my goals and vision for engineering at UC Davis with our Iranian colleagues."

Neal Van Alfen, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, noted that UC Davis and agricultural scientists of Iran have traditionally worked closely because farmers in California and Iran grow many of the same crops.

"We can thus learn from each other, and, since Iran is the origin of some of these crops, it is to our mutual advantage to maintain the type of relationship that allows exchange of genetic materials for the benefit of farmers in both countries," he said. "Our agricultural and environmental challenges are similar, so ex-change of information can help us both protect the quality of our water and air and find ways to conserve our natural resources. We both have much to gain from scientific exchanges."