Higher Education International Collaboration in Iran and How to Improve It

Universities in the developing countries have become increasingly active in international cooperation programs. It seems extraordinary that so little attention is being devoted to generating new approaches to internationalization of higher education in Iran. Ameliorating the quality of higher education require universities to expand their levels of international academic cooperation. This article first looks at the present status of Iran’s international academic collaboration, particularly in sending students abroad, sabbatical leaves and interuniversity cooperation. Then, by using content analysis, policies and practices of international collaboration in some developing countries were analyzed. This procedure resulted in identification of eight main policies and practices. In addition, because of cultural, political and social differences, in-depth interviews were conducted with experts in international relations about the policies and practices in developing countries and their applications in Iran. At last, the article offers its findings and some suggestions for improvement of international cooperation in higher education.