Future Studies of Education in Iran: Analysis of Necessary Policies to Adapt to Global Developments

ABSTRACT




 
The Iranian education system is facing serious challenges in terms of adaptation and preparedness in the face of the increasing acceleration of global developments in the fields of technology, socio-economic, etc. The aim of the present study is to analyze the status of futures studies in the Iranian education system, identify the gap between the current situation and future requirements, and provide policy solutions for the establishment of educational futures studies. The research was conducted with a qualitative approach and a document-content analysis method, and policy documents, international reports, and related research findings were systematically reviewed.
The results show that the Iranian education system faces fundamental deficiencies in the field of futures studies, including the lack of a coherent national strategy, the dominance of short-term planning, limited stakeholder participation, and insufficient use of advanced analysis and forecasting tools. These shortcomings lead to inflexibility of the educational structure, reduced ability to adapt to changes, and loss of transformative opportunities.
Based on the findings, this study suggests six key policies for the transition to future studies of the Iranian education system: creating political will and long-term commitment to improving the education system, forming specialized coordinating institutions in the education system, developing human and technical capacities in education, expanding stakeholder participation in education, developing and implementing long-term scenarios in the education system, and strengthening effective communication with international communities to improve the education system. The study’s conclusion emphasizes that educational futures studies are not a choice, but a strategic necessity for the survival and development of Iran’s educational system in the 21st century, and implementing the proposed policies can pave the way for synchronizing education with global developments and training a capable human resource for the future.