Identifying and Prioritizing the Key Drivers of the Political-Social Foundations of Iran's Higher Education; Emphasizing the Expectations of the Government

Higher education is a very important institution in societies, not only because it educates the elite and provides a basis for a society with technology, but also because it is the most important intellectual institution that has a wide influence on culture and political affairs. The research seeks to identify and prioritize the key components of the political-social underpinnings of Iran's higher education system, focusing on governmental expectations Using a qualitative method and a meta-synthesis approach, this research aims to provide valuable insights into the higher education landscape in Iran. Data collection pools were documentary sources and the statistical population of all reliable scientific sources published domestically related to the research topic for the years 2002 to 2022. The sampling method was purposeful and based on the tools of the critical assessment skills program, and the seven-stage model of Sandelowski and Barroso (2007) was used to collect and analyze the data. The research outcome entails the identification and categorization of five primary components of the political-social foundations of higher education, with a focus on governmental expectations: development of citizenship, political socialization, political participation, political development, and sustainable development. The results of Shannon entropy measure prioritized the components within domestic studies, ranking sustainable development as the first priority and citizenship development, political socialization, development, and political participation in subsequent order. In the end, based on the results of the research, appropriate suggestions were presented.