Assessing the Causes of the Failure to Fully Achieve the Goals of Higher Education Internationalization in the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Perspective of Stakeholders

Objective:
In the contemporary era, increasingly reliant on knowledge and the knowledge-based economy, the higher education system is recognized as one of the most vital pillars of sustainable development in modern societies. Universities and higher education institutions are no longer mere centers for knowledge transmission but have transformed into hubs of scientific production, innovation, and global-scale cultural and economic interactions. In such a context, adopting knowledge-based policies, responding to societal demands, and aligning with global trends are of strategic importance. “Internationalization of Higher Education” has become an inevitable policy, evolving from a choice to a necessity for the survival and excellence of national academic systems. This process facilitates the enhancement of educational and research quality, boosts the global credibility of universities, attracts international talent and financial resources, and strengthens science diplomacy. Despite the acknowledgment of its importance and efforts made in recent years, it appears that the overarching goals of higher education internationalization in the Islamic Republic of Iran have not been fully realized. Accordingly, the present study was designed to conduct a precise and in-depth identification of the structural, cultural, political, and economic causes and barriers confronting this process, from the perspective of key stakeholders and principal actors. This research seeks to answer the primary question: why, despite its undeniable imperatives, have the objectives of higher education internationalization in Iran not been fully achieved, and what solutions can be proposed to improve and enhance the current situation?
Materials and Methods:
This research was conducted using a qualitative approach and employed thematic analysis to gain a deep and comprehensive understanding of the stakeholders’ perspectives and lived experiences. The study’s population consisted of academic elites (prominent professors and researchers), senior policymakers, and executive managers with either specialized theoretical knowledge or direct practical experience in the internationalization of higher education. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, a tool that allows for in-depth exploration of participants’ views and flexibility in asking follow-up questions. The sampling process began purposively and continued using the snowball sampling method to ensure that knowledgeable and key individuals in the field were identified and interviewed. In total, 11 experts were interviewed, and the process continued until theoretical saturation was reached, i.e., the point at which new data no longer introduced novel concepts or categories to the research. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and then subjected to analysis using open, axial, and selective coding techniques to identify and categorize the main and sub-themes related to the barriers to the internationalization of higher education in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Results and Discussion:
The rigorous analysis of the data derived from the interviews led to the identification of a broad and intertwined set of barriers that pose serious challenges to the realization of higher education internationalization goals in the country. These obstacles can be classified at various policy, structural, cultural, and economic levels. Key research findings indicated that at the macro-policy level, factors such as the vacuum of a strategic vision across policy-making and implementation levels, the absence of a national macro-strategy for the internationalization of higher education, policymakers’ flawed understanding of the dimensions of higher education internationalization, the dominance of the security paradigm over scientific diplomacy, and the cognitive and perceptual biases of higher education policymakers limit the necessary space for free and constructive academic interactions. At the structural level, phenomena such as administrative centralism and inefficient bureaucracy within the structure of higher education, the absence of a specialization-oriented approach in human resource policy for higher education, the decline in the quality of educational-research standards in the higher education system, and insufficient attention to international languages in language planning for higher education have diminished the agility of the internationalization process. From a cultural perspective, the confrontation between the ruling political discourse and the requirements of higher education internationalization, along with cultural and social resistance to accepting the internationalization process, renders the acceptance of international higher education a mere nominal and non-institutional matter. Finally, at the resources and infrastructure level, the lack of fundamental infrastructure for realizing the internationalization of higher education and the economic system’s inability to financially support the internationalization policy have reduced the attractiveness of Iranian universities to international audiences. Citing the identified barriers, this research presents a set of actionable policy suggestions aimed at resolving challenges and paving the way for the internationalization of higher education in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which can serve as a practical guide for policymakers and managers in this field.