According to the Public Relations Department of Iran’s Organization of Student Affairs, Dr. Shams-Bakhsh, the Deputy Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, speaking at the 72nd meeting of the National Working Group for International Student Recruitment, criticized certain flawed past practices in international higher education. He stated: “Our goal is to train graduates who, upon returning to their home countries, will act as advocates for Iran’s scientific capacities. Unfortunately, at certain points, instead of genuine student recruitment, we witnessed anomalies such as credentialism, a practice that must be corrected through the adoption of strict policies.”
Higher Education Industry Requires Standards and Quality
Stating that higher education in today’s world is a competitive industry, he added: “A student should not be viewed as a ‘one-time consumer.’ We must operate in such a way that every international graduate serves as our scientific promoter in their home country, thereby facilitating the recruitment of new students. Competition in this arena is only possible by adhering to global standards and enhancing educational quality.”
Dr. Shams-Bakhsh emphasized that the Ministry of Science’s policy is not merely the pursuit of numerical figures; training 20,000 high-quality students is far more valuable to us than recruiting a much larger number of students without regard for academic standards.
Strategic Missions of Universities and Crackdown on Unauthorized Activities
Emphasizing that not all universities are authorized to enter the domain of international student recruitment, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Science, Research, and Technology said: “Student recruitment must be integrated into the strategic plans of universities. In the absence of qualification or proper infrastructure, universities must be prohibited from entering this field. Furthermore, in certain academic fields, permits for foreign student recruitment should not be issued, and in the event of violations, a negative score will be recorded for that university.”
Highlighting the need for rigor in granting permits, he noted: “Current domestic standards for program accreditation are inadequate for the international arena, and much more rigorous regulations must be established and pursued for the recruitment of foreign students.”
The Importance of Scientific Diplomacy and the Value Chain
Pointing to the significance of the “value chain” in student recruitment, the official representative of Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology noted that the presence of foreign students in Iran brings positive economic, cultural, and even security outcomes alongside academic achievements. By gaining an accurate understanding of Iran and engaging with the country’s academic community, international students can evolve into strategic assets in bilateral interactions with their home countries.
The Necessity of Reforming Promotional and Administrative Infrastructures
In another part of his remarks, Dr. Shams-Bakhsh stressed the reform of administrative structures and university websites, stating: “To host foreign students, we need specialized, courteous personnel fluent in Arabic and English to promptly resolve students' administrative issues. Moreover, weaknesses in universities' English websites and the use of inaccurate machine translations project an unprofessional image of our institutions, which must be promptly revised.”
Emphasis on Financial Independence and Flexible Tuition Policies
Emphasizing the need to delegate pricing authority to university boards of trustees, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Science, Research, and Technology added: “The Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology should not intervene uniformly or prescriptively in tuition matters. Each university must set its prices based on the quality of services provided and its competitiveness, allowing the higher education market to take shape in a realistic and competitive manner.”
He concluded by noting: “With the cooperation of the Presidency’s Technology Commission and the Central Bank, positive steps have been taken to resolve foreign exchange issues and tuition transfers, and we hope this trend will eliminate the barriers facing international students wishing to enter Iran.”