Higher Education of Women in Iran: Progress or Problem? (original) (raw)
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WOMEN'S HIGHER EDUCATION: THE TRANSFORMATION OF IRANIAN SOCIETY
The purpose of the study is to identify the key factors that have led females to higher education on a large scale in Iran. My research will analyse the social, political, economic and cultural context which has provided an opportunity for women to get more than 65% of the places in Iranian universities in an intensely unequal society. The rationale for a focus on women's share in higher education on such a scale is that education is considered a key social development indicator for measuring women's status and condition in any country. The number of females in higher education in Iran began to rise from 1998 onwards. Tertiary education is seen by many commentators as a provider of greater opportunities for women's economic and social development. Education is one of the most significant means of empowering women with the knowledge and skills they need in order to play a greater role in the process of economic and social development in society. Some scholars suggest that educated women who have worked hard to overtake their men will bring about positive social and political change in developing countries such as Iran.
The Feminisation of Iranian Higher Education
International Review of Education, 2005
The number of women attending institutions of higher education in Iran has been steadily increasing since 1989. Growing enrollment rates for women in colleges and universities have sparked wide social and political debates in that country. The basic question of why young Iranian women might even choose to pursue tertiary education, however, has not been adequately addressed in the critical literature. This study gives voice to young women who explain for themselves why they are interested in higher education. It reveals that college or university studies represent for female students many things: a sphere of hope, a refuge, and a place to experience limited freedom beyond restrictive family environments; an asset that can increase a woman’s value in the marriage market; a right that may make possible financial independence; and a vehicle that can earn respect for women. On the whole, the desire for higher education illuminates the challenges facing women in Muslim nations and the ways in which Muslim women are using this institution to change their social status. DIE FEMINISIERUNG DER HOCHSCHULEN IM IRAN – Die Anzahl von Frauen, die Institutionen der höheren Bildung im Iran besuchen, hat sich seit 1989 ständig vergrößert. Die steigenden Einschreibungsquoten für Frauen an höheren Lehranstalten und Universitäten hat weitreichende gesellschaftliche und politische Debatten in diesem Land ausgelöst. Die grundsätzliche Frage, warum junge iranische Frauen überhaupt die Wahl treffen, tertiäre Bildung anzustreben, ist jedoch in der kritischen Literatur nicht in angemessener Weise angesprochen worden. Diese Studie lässt junge Frauen zu Wort kommen, die für sich selbst erklären, warum sie an Hochschulbildung interessiert sind. Sie zeigt, dass ein Studium an Hochschulen für Studentinnen viele Dinge bedeutet: eine Sphäre der Hoffnung, eine Zufluchtsstätte und einen Ort, an dem sie die begrenzte Freiheit jenseits der restriktiven familiären Umgebung erfahren; einen Bonus, welcher den Wert einer Frau auf dem Hochzeitsmarkt anheben kann; ein Recht, welches finanzielle Unabhängigkeit ermöglichen kann; und ein Mittel, welches Respekt für Frauen einbringen kann.␣Insgesamt macht der Wunsch nach Hochschulbildung die Herausforderungen sichtbar, denen Frauen in muslimischen Ländern begegnen, und die Art und Weise, wie muslimische Frauen diese Institution benutzen, um ihren gesellschaftlichen Status zu verändern. LA FÉMINISATION DE L’ÉDUCATION SUPÉRIEURE IRANIENNE – Le nombre de femmes suivant les cours d’institutions de l’éducation supérieure en Iran s’est continuellement accru depuis 1989. Les taux d’immatriculation en augmentation pour les femmes dans les collèges et les universités ont enflammé un large débat social et politique dans ce pays. La question principale de savoir pourquoi de jeunes femmes iraniennes peuvent même choisir de poursuivre une éducation tertiaire n’a cependant pas été abordée suffisamment dans la littérature critique. Cette étude donne la parole à de jeunes femmes qui expliquent en ce qui les concerne pourquoi elles sont intéressées par une éducation plus élevée. Elle révèle que des études au collège ou en université représentent plusieurs choses pour les étudiantes de sexe féminin : une sphère d’espoir, un refuge, et un lieu pour faire l’expérience d’une liberté limitée au delà des environnements familiaux restrictifs ; un acquis qui peut augmenter la valeur d’une femme sur le marché du mariage ; un droit qui peut rendre possible une indépendance financière et un moyen pour les femmes de gagner le respect. En somme, le désir d’une éducation supérieure illumine ces femmes qui font face à des défis dans les nations musulmanes et les façons dont les femmes musulmanes utilisent cette institution pour changer leur statut social. LA FEMINIZACIÓN DE LA ENSEÑANZA SUPERIOR IRANÍ – El número de mujeres que asisten a los institutos de enseñanza superior en Irán ha crecido constantemente desde el año 1989. El aumento de estudiantes matriculadas en los colleges y universidades ha suscitado amplios debates sociales y políticos en este país. Sin embargo, las publicaciones que se ocupan del tema aún no han prestado atención a una cuestión fundamental: los motivos por los cuales las jóvenes iraníes deciden cursar un estudio terciario. En este trabajo, las mismas jóvenes explican las razones que las impulsan a recibir una educación superior. El estudio revela que los␣estudios de college o universitarios tienen un significado muy amplio para las estudiantes: son un ámbito de esperanza, un refugio y un lugar en el que pueden experimentar una cierta libertad, más allá de sus restrictivos entornos familiares; son una ventaja que puede aumentar el valor de una mujer como futura esposa, un derecho que puede proporcionarles independencia económica y un vehículo para ganarse el respeto como mujer. En términos generales, el deseo de cursar estudios superiores y los modos en que las mujeres musulmanas están usando estas instituciones para cambiar su status social ilustran los desafíos que están encarando las mujeres en las naciones musulmanas.
In any society, the main production factor is manpower, that is, the human source that has been continuously emphasized quantitatively and qualitatively by economists. Women, a stratum receiving less attention as manpower, need more education appropriate to the requirements of our society. As a country that pays attention to women’s training and education, Iran has provided women with abundant facilities for their education. However, there are still many obstacles for Iranian female graduates, some of which have been addressed in this study. The present study has adopted a sociological approach to the investigative measurement of Khoramabad Islamic Azad University female graduates. The data has been gathered through a questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.85. For data analysis SPSS software was employed. The sample size was estimated on the basis of Cochran test, and through the multi-stage sampling of population, the sample was determined. Based on research questions, w...
2012
Iranian women have since the inception of the Islamic Republic in 1979, significantly improved their access to higher education, nonetheless they are remarkably underrepresented in the formal labour sector. The objective of this thesis is to explore how women themselves perceive their higher educational opportunities, and in what way this education can affect their life choices. A Minor Field Study of qualitative nature has thus been carried out at the University of Teheran during February and March 2012, where interviews were conducted with 15 female students. Moreover, empowerment theories have been employed to deal with the complex situation Iranian women are facing. The adopted analyse model here interprets women's perceptions of their life situation within three themes of recourses, agency and achievements. Findings indicate that patriarchal power structures exist within politics, economics and social affairs of the country, and that these significantly control the definition of a female position in society. In turn this affects Iranian women's own abilities to define as well as act upon their life choices. Iranian women's understanding of this female position and imbedded obligations are subjective, there exists a diverse understanding among female student of what they want and need from life as educated.
2018
Introduction: Since during the few past decades we have been witness to the unprecedented increase in the presence of girls in Iranian universities for continuing their higher education, the current study seeks to study this issue through literature review. Materials and Methods: This study has been conducted in the form of a simple literature review. Research data are collected via searching the published papers in trusted Iranian and Foreign websites based on the following key words "girls, continuing education, university and Iran". Findings: Generally speaking, the factors affecting the increase of the presence of girls in Iranian universities for continuing their education can be sought for in the following elements: economic motives (getting a job, acquiring financial independence, skill and economic vision acquisition), political motives (further participation in political affairs, having the ability to comment upon political affairs, acquiring vital and sensitive p...
Gender and Education: Progress and Challenges in Girls' Education in Iran
Introduction: One of the most important issues in every country is attention to educational levels without sexual discrimination. Education is the fundamental aspect of every society that leads to an increase in knowledge, investment, health indicators, and safety. As such, this study aimed to determine the trend of progress and challenges in females' education in Iran. and the secondary education level, where the Gender Parity Index (GPI) increased from 0.73 to 0.92 during the same period.
Introduction: Since during the few past decades we have been witness to the unprecedented increase in the presence of girls in Iranian universities for continuing their higher education, the current study seeks to study this issue through literature review. Materials and Methods: This study has been conducted in the form of a simple literature review. Research data are collected via searching the published papers in trusted Iranian and Foreign websites based on the following key words " girls, continuing education, university and Iran ". Findings: Generally speaking, the factors affecting the increase of the presence of girls in Iranian universities for continuing their education can be sought for in the following elements: economic motives (getting a job, acquiring financial independence, skill and economic vision acquisition), political motives (further participation in political affairs, having the ability to comment upon political affairs, acquiring vital and sensitive positions), acquiring superior social status (acquiring higher scientific degrees, more popularity, nobler stature, better social position and credit, inclination toward marriage (interest in student marriage, having more freedom to choose their favorite husband, having more options to choose the husband, enhancement of the consciousness for choosing the husband), university campus attractions (lesser family supervision, being away from the hometown, acquiring new experiences in life, promoting one's social communications and relations, enhancement of one's self-trust), knowledge acquisition (uprooting illiteracy, promotion of one's knowledge, profession and scientific skill acquisition, interest). Discussion and Conclusion: The growing number of educated girls could possibly give rise to new economic, social, cultural and political movements and this needs to be taken into earnest consideration in national policy making.
A longitudinal research about women situation in universities in Iran (1991-2021
During the last decades, measurable improvements have occurred in women conditions in Iran. Some of the areas of improvements are: Women"s life expectancy and literacy rate, acceptance at universities, and rise of gender-adjusted index of human development. However, their representation in university management and leadership has been constantly low. A longitudinal study has been conducted in three large universities in Iran: Tehran, ShahidBeheshti, and AllamehTabataba"i Universities. The findings of this crosssectional research, at four sections (1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021), reveal that during the last three decades, this deficiency has been a continuous trend in our universities. This means that women presence in managerial and leading positions has not caught up proportionately with their other improvements and still is very low. The article ends up with some suggestions in order to improve women situation in Iran universities.
Women Higher Education and Participation Rate in Rural Areas in Iran
The human resources as a human capital have a valuable place in each country. This issue has always been the focus of the policy makers, decision makers and researchers in the field of economics. So, economic empowerment is one of the policies that countries implement for economic developments in macro and micro levels. The women economic activity and women's education are main issues in each economy in special in Iran. The main objective of this paper is a review of women status in rural areas by using the data of Household Income and Expenditure Survey and Population and Housing Census in 2016. In order to study women activity in rural areas some socioeconomic variables such as education, age and expenditure is applied. The results have shown that those households which their head are men have more chances of being employed compare to those households which their head are women. Generally according to these results, although female heads of households have less chance of being...