| An interpretive case study was conducted to investigate the perception of a selected group of university professors concerning internationalization of higher education in Iran. This academic endeavor not only explored the benefits, the risks and the challenges of internationalization of higher education in Iran but also examined the role of distance education in this process. Representing an array of different educational backgrounds and professional experiences, nine professors with an average age of 45.5 from varied academic disciplines participated in the study. The data of the study were collected via online semi-structured interviews and review of documents. With Farsi (Persian) being the major means of communication throughout the study, interviews were all performed and analyzed in Farsi. Analysis of the data indicates that internationalization of higher education in the context of the study allows for academic development, economic reconstruction and industrial renovation and enhances intercultural understanding between Iran on one hand and its international partners on the other. The risks of internationalization of higher education, as the study suggests, include but not limited to: educational dumping, cultural erosion and brain drain. With regard to the challenges of internationalization of higher education in Iran, this study identifies nine major contributing factors. They include: absence of genuine political will, highly centralized educational system, bureaucracy and inflexible academic infrastructure, heavy reliance on traditional teaching methodologies, insufficient financial resources and lack of significant private investment, outdated facilities and infrastructures, incompetency in an internationally recognized language (English), weak management and politicization of academic spheres. As for the role of distance education in the process of internationalization of higher education, the study implies that despite its excellent potentials for internationalization of higher education, distance education is still in the earliest stages of its development in Iran. |
