Analyzing the Relationship between Defense System and Higher Education from the Expert's Point of view

With the aim of understanding the present and favorable situations of interactions between the defense system and higher education, the article has been done by using qualitative method of referring to the experts and by the means of semi-structured interviews and FGDs.The used sample consisted of 32 expert familiar with the subject which are selected by targeted and strategic sampling method.The main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of interactions between defense and higher education were identified based on the opinions of these experts. Based on the results, at least six major challenges including macro, structural-institutional, cultural, educational, approach- attitude, and process-managing policy-making exists in the interaction between these two mentioned areas, and nine strategies is recommended for solving them.Promoting the influence of defense department in macro-level planning, proposing defense as a national and pervasive issue, and strengthening the role of intermediary policy-making and executing institutions are among these solutions.