Hamid ABDI, Seyed Ebrahim MİRSHAH JA’FARI, Mohammad Reza NIL, Saeid RAJAEIPOUR

Missions of Future Curricula for Realizing the Visions of Iranian Higher Education on the horizon, 2025

Problem Statement: To Iranian policy makers, higher education plays a key role in realizing the country’s development visions. This has led to the mapping of visions of higher education in upstream resources. In this regard, curriculum is an essential tool for higher education to fulfil its functions optimally. However, despite its significance, the clarification of the missions of future curricula is almost entirely neglected in Iran as the subject of research. Purpose of Study: This study aimed to clarify the missions of future curricula of Iranian higher education based on the visions of the country’s higher education on the horizon of 2025 (Iran’s 20-Year Vision Plan). Research Methods: The present research was developmental in terms of purpose, and was conducted through a combined exploratory method in the academic year 2014-15. The qualitative method was used to analyse the qualitative content of the upstream resources (e.g., artefacts and policy documents) as well as interviews with 14 experts from higher education. In addition, the quantitative method was used to collect data from 338 faculty members and PhD students. In this research, the data obtained from qualitative content analysis of the interviews was used to build the questionnaire. Findings: Findings indicated that the emphasis on research and technological functions, alongside that of education and service, pursues the goal of translating the knowledge acquired in the country into product. The results also revealed that, the approach to future curricula is society-oriented, and the accountability to the society should be at the centre of strategies of curriculum development. Implications for Research and Practice: The present study emphasized making Iranian universities more mission-oriented and aligned with the realization of higher education perspectives as well as the realization of sustainable development through following the established missions for the curriculum.

Keywords:

Higher education missions of future curricula, sustainability, upstream resources, visions of higher education,

PDF

___

Akker, J. V. D. (2010). Curriculum design research. In J. V. D. Akker, B. Bannan, E. Kelly, N. Nieveen, & T. Plomp, (Ed.), An introduction to educational design research (3rd print). Enschede: Netzodruk.
Antonakis, J., & Hooijberg, R. (2007). Cascading vision for real commitment. In R. Hooijberg, J. G. Hunt, J. Antonakis, K. B. Boal, & N. Lane, (Eds.), Being there even when you are not: Leading through strategy, structures, and systems, (Vol. 4) (pp. 235-249). Elsevier Science: Amsterdam.
Barlett, P. F., & Chase, G. W. (2004). Sustainability on campus: Stories and strategies for change. MIT Press: Cambridge.
Creswell, J., & Plano Clark, V. (2007). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Darden, M. L. (2009). Beyond 2020: Envisioning the future of universities in America. Rowman & Littlefield Education: New York.
Desai, V., & Potter, R. B. (2006). Doing development research. SAGE Publication Ltd, p. 3. Expediency Discernment Council. (2004). General policies of the government for development of science and technology. Retrieved http://ppc.alzahra.ac.ir/Portals/0/siyasathaeh%20koli.pdf
Expediency Discernment Council. (2005). Iran’s 20-year vision plan based on the policies issued by the supreme leader. Retrieved from http://vceducation.kums.ac.ir/kums_content/media/image/2016/11/94249_orig.pdf
Ferasatkhah, M. (2013). A conceptual framework for future thinking-based planning at university. Quarterly Journal of Research and Planning in Higher Education, 69, 1-26.
Garraway, J. (2016). Future-orientated approaches to curriculum development: Fictive scripting. Higher Education Research & Development, 36(1), 102-115.
Glasser, H., Calder, W., & Fadeeva, Z. (2005). Definition: Research in higher education for sustainability. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax Consultation: Canada.
Hitt, M., Ireland, R., & Hoskisson, R. (2011). Strategic management. Mason, South-Western Cengage Learning: US.
Khaghanizadeh, M., & Fathi Vajargah, K. (2008). University curriculum patterns. Scientific Journal of Education Strategies in Medical Sciences, 1(2), 10-18.
Krizek, K., Newport, D., White, J., & Townsend, A. (2012). Higher education’s sustainability imperative: how to practically respond? International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 13(1), 19-33.
Lozano, R., Lukman, R., Lozano, F., Huisingh, D., & Lambrechts, W. (2013). Declarations for sustainability in higher education: Becoming better leaders, through addressing the university system. Journal of Cleaner Production, 48, 10-19.
Management and Planning Organization of Iran. (2015). The sixth plan of development based on the policies issued by the supreme leader (under review). Retrieved from https://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/5248717.
Mehdi, R. (2013). The future of research in the higher education of the Islamic university, a university consistent with the context and environment. Iranian Journal of the Knowledge Studies in the Islamic University, 17(4), 697-710. Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. (1999). The by-law governing the delegation of power on curricula to universities. Retrieved from https://vpap.um.ac.ir/images/84/baeneme_rizi_darsi/aeen_name/barnamerizi-vagozari1.pdf
Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. (2009). Science and technology development document based on the policies issued by the supreme leader. Retrieved from https://strategic.iut.ac.ir/sites/strategic/files/ufiles/t_Sanade%20Tahavol%20%28%2088-6-28%20%29.pdf
Ragazzi, M., & Ghidini, F. (2017). Environmental sustainability of universities: critical analysis of a green ranking. Energy Procedia, 119, 111-120.
Ratcliff, J. L. (1996). What is a curriculum and what should it be? In J. G. Gaff, & J. L. Ratcliff (Ed.), Handbook of the undergraduate curriculum: A Comprehensive guide to purposes, structures, practices, and change (pp. 9-10). Jossey Bass Publisher: US.
Shephard, K. (2010). Higher Education’s role in education for sustainability. Australian Universities’ Review, 52(1), 13-52.
Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. (2011). Iranian comprehensive scientific map based on the policies issued by the supreme leader. Retrieved from http://www.urmia.ac.ir/sites/www.urmia.ac.ir/files
Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. (2013). Islamic University Document. Retrieved from http://gbta.sazmansama.org/my_doc/gbtasazmansamaorg/Document%20Islamic%20University%20.pdf
Thijs, A., & Akker, J. V. D. (2009). Curriculum in development. Retrieved April 21, 2015, from http://www.slo.nl/downloads/2009/curriculum-in-development.pdf
Waas, T., Verbruggen, A., & Wright, T. (2010). University research for sustainable development: definition and characteristics explored. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(7), 629-636.
Wright, T. (2010). University presidents’ conceptualizations of sustainability in higher education. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 11(1), 61-73.
Yob, I. M., Danver, S. L., Kristensen, Sh., Schulz, W., Simmons, K., Brashen, H. M., Krysiak, R. S., Kiltz, L., Gatlin, L., Wesson, S., &
Penland, D. R. (2016). Curriculum alignment with a mission of social change in higher education. Innovation Higher Education, 41, 203–219.
Yoon, J. (2006). How team leaders use salient vision and self-sacrifice to enhance team effectiveness. In Lawler, E. J., & Thye, S. R. (Ed.), Social psychology of the workplace (pp 63- 87). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing.