Comparative Analysis of Higher Education Transformation in Iran: Explaining the Instrumental Development Model and Signs of Transition toward Strategic Development during the Pahlavi and Islamic Republic Eras

Sadeghi, Mohsen

doi:10.22034/jiera.2026.593063.3573

Comparative Analysis of Higher Education Transformation in Iran: Explaining the Instrumental Development Model and Signs of Transition toward Strategic Development during the Pahlavi and Islamic Republic Eras

Document Type : Original Article

Author

mohsen sadeghi

Department of Futures Studies, Faculty of Strategic Management, National Defense University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/jiera.2026.593063.3573

Abstract

Purpose: This study comparatively analyzes transformations in Iranian higher education across the Pahlavi and Islamic Republic eras, charting its evolution from an instrumental to a strategic development framework.
Method: Employing a comparative-analytical approach with documentary-archival methodology, data were synthesized from official documents, legislative acts, and national reports concerning governance, student enrollment, and scientific output. Analysis integrated historical-institutional comparison with qualitative content analysis.
Findings: Results indicate that while Pahlavi-era higher education prioritized instrumental goals—supplying administrative and technical manpower for the modern state—the Islamic Republic era is defined by quantitative expansion, institutional diversification, and substantial growth in postgraduate education and scientific output. This reflects a strategic reorientation toward endogenous knowledge production and social equity, though critical challenges remain regarding quality enhancement and qualitative disparities.
Conclusion: Iranian higher education is transitioning toward a strategic model characterized by structural diversification and expanded research infrastructure. However, empirical evidence suggests an ongoing institutional evolution rather than a fully consolidated paradigm shift. Consolidating this transition requires enhancing educational quality, reconfiguring institutional functions, and systematically aligning academic outputs with societal and industrial requirements.

Keywords

Iranian Higher Education

Comparative Analysis

Instrumental Development

Strategic Development

Subjects