Development, Education, and the Case of Iranian Students in the United States
Development, Education, and the Case of Iranian Students in the United States
By: Ahmad Kamron Jabbari
October 16, 1979
Tehran, IRAN
Development has become one of the most frequently invoked concepts in contemporary discourse. Since the end of the First World War, it has emerged as an international catchword, though it carries different meanings in different contexts. In many countries, development is equated with industrialization: the construction of factories, steel mills, dams, airports, and communication systems. For others, it implies political and economic independence from foreign domination. Still others interpret it as the expansion of educational opportunities and human resource development.
Social scientists differ in their conceptualizations. Political scientists and sociologists often describe development as the modernization of political and social institutions, whereas economists tend to equate it with increases in aggregate macroeconomic indicators such as gross national product (GNP), savings, investment, and productivity. Yet, to analyze development exclusively through the lens of economics risks neglecting important dimensions emphasized by other disciplines. Conversely, an attempt to subsume all possible variables into one analytical framework risks producing only conceptual confusion.
For these reasons, it is most productive to examine development from a specific vantage point while recognizing its inherently interdisciplinary nature. In this essay, I adopt the perspective of education, focusing on the challenges faced by Iranian students in the United States. My concern is to highlight the educational, social, and cultural difficulties of adaptation, and to consider these issues within the broader context of Iran’s developmental needs. The goal is not to construct a predictive theory, but rather to propose a framework for understanding a complex reality.
Education in the Context of Development
Each year, a growing number of Iranian students arrive in the United States to pursue higher education. Alarmingly, many of them lack clear academic or career objectives. The central argument advanced here is that the education of these students must be analyzed within the framework of Iran’s national development strategy, rather than as an isolated phenomenon.
Industrialization and modernization cannot be pursued without simultaneous attention to the training of qualified manpower. Recognizing the interdependence of industrial and educational planning reveals the risks of misallocation: Iran could find itself with too few physicians and nurses while producing an oversupply of nuclear engineers or interior designers. The tendency to rely on advanced countries for educational assistance heightens the danger of importing educational technologies that are ill-suited to Iran’s specific developmental context.
Education received abroad may be understood as a form of “imported technology.” It therefore requires careful alignment with the needs and aspirations of the homeland.
The Economics of Education in Developing Countries
Individuals pursue education for varied reasons. When education is sought for better employment, income, or social mobility, it reflects derived demand. When pursued as an end in itself, it constitutes final demand. While both motivations are legitimate, developing countries such as Iran face particular constraints.
The opportunity cost of producing an educated individual is far higher in Iran than in the United States, due to the relative scarcity of educational resources. Under these conditions, Iran cannot afford to allocate resources indiscriminately to satisfy final demand. Instead, deliberate planning is essential to ensure that education contributes directly to developmental priorities.
Iran’s limited educational infrastructure has been insufficient to meet the rising demand for trained personnel, leading to a steady outflow of students to foreign universities. Economic disruptions following the revolution have further intensified this trend. Currently, nearly seventy thousand Iranian students are enrolled in the United States.
The Problem of Brain Drain
While U.S. education provides valuable skills, doubts persist as to whether Iranian students acquire the kinds of knowledge that enable them to analyze and address Iran’s rapidly changing conditions. To what extent do they gain the capacity to evaluate alternative strategies of development tailored to Iran’s specific needs?
A significant number of students who lack obligations to return remain in the United States, citing the limited relevance of their education to Iran’s context. This phenomenon, often labeled brain drain, can be understood as a byproduct of importing an inappropriate educational model. Ironically, technologies and curricula more suited to Iran’s needs are available in the United States or could be adapted with relative ease.
Recommendations
To address these challenges, several measures are recommended:
- Expansion of domestic capacity. Iran should develop sufficient facilities to provide high-quality undergraduate education. This requires comprehensive educational planning aligned with the country’s long-term developmental aspirations.
- Selective development of graduate programs. Graduate-level education should be made available in disciplines consistent with national needs. Scholarships and financial support should be awarded based on academic merit, regardless of ideological or religious affiliation.
- Support for students abroad. Iranian students in the United States should be offered summer programs designed to familiarize them with current conditions in Iran and the country’s future manpower requirements.
- Institutional coordination. An office should be established within the Ministry of Higher Education to monitor and coordinate the educational and career trajectories of Iranian students abroad. This office would serve as a bridge between national development planning and the academic experiences of students overseas.
Conclusion
Education is a central component of development. For countries such as Iran, the effective integration of educational policy with broader economic and social planning is not merely desirable but essential. The experiences of Iranian students in the United States illustrate both the opportunities and the pitfalls of relying on foreign educational systems. Unless carefully managed, such reliance risks perpetuating brain drain and importing technologies unsuited to local conditions. With deliberate planning and institutional support, however, education abroad can become a powerful instrument for national development.