Iranian Higher Education
Volume 17, Issue 3 (2025)
ihej 2025, 17(3): 110-134 |
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Aminibagh A, Salimi J, barkhoda S J. Explaining the paradigmatic model of the Ecosystem University (Eco-university) in the socio-cultural context of Iran. ihej 2025; 17 (3) :110-134
URL: http://ihej.ir/article-1-2143-en.html
URL: http://ihej.ir/article-1-2143-en.html
1- PhD Student in Higher Education Development Planning, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
2- Associate Professor of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran. ,j.salimi@uok.ac.ir
3- Associate Professor of Educational Management, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
2- Associate Professor of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran. ,
3- Associate Professor of Educational Management, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
Abstract: (1730 Views)
Objective: In recent years, Iran’s higher education system has faced challenges such as a growing disconnect from societal needs, weak engagement with its surrounding environment, and limited capacity to address complex socio-environmental issues. Under these conditions, rethinking the role and functions of the university has become imperative. The aim of the present study is to articulate a paradigmatic model of the ecosystem university within Iran’s higher education system and to propose a framework suited to the country’s cultural and social context for fostering transformation and improving institutional effectiveness.
Method: The research was conducted using a qualitative approach with the use of systematic grounded theory. The study participants were faculty members of public universities in Iran who had several years of experience in various areas of higher education administration. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling using the snowball technique. The sampling process continued until theoretical saturation was achieved; that is, after the seventeenth interview, no new code emerged, and therefore the sampling process was terminated (n = 15 + 2). Data were collected through in-depth interviews. For data analysis, the study employed the three-stage coding process of grounded theory, including open coding, axial coding, and selective coding.
Results: The findings of the research indicate that the formation of an eco-university within Iran’s higher education system is grounded in a set of causal, contextual, intervening, and strategic factors. The causal factors include the creation of a conscious, place-based learning environment; the cultivation of citizens who are responsible toward society and nature; achieving relative self-sufficiency in energy and food resources; resource management based on high efficiency and minimal consumption; fostering participatory and democratic decision-making within the university; environmentally compatible campus design; active contribution to the development of local and regional communities; and enhancing ecological literacy and systems thinking among university members. Furthermore, contextual factors—such as integrating indigenous wisdom with global innovation to strengthen the local economy, promoting justice-based sustainability education, reimagining the university as a research-oriented campus aimed at ecosystem restoration and ecological literacy development, and reinforcing professional ethics in the knowledge network—provide the necessary foundation for establishing an eco-university. In addition, intervening factors such as empowering interdisciplinary research, reforming the university’s financial and economic policies, localizing assessment systems, and strengthening cultural identity play a significant role in accelerating this transformation. Based on these prerequisites, operational strategies are formulated, including developing transdisciplinary curricula, offering continuous faculty training on sustainable development, promoting circular economy practices on campus, implementing environmental standards in all university operations, applying smart management to natural resource consumption such as water and energy, and empowering human resources to participate effectively in sustainability programs. The outcomes of adopting this model include the emergence of synergistic knowledge—from foundational research to ecosystem revitalization in society—achieving resilient teaching and learning aligned with real-world needs, creating a new sustainability-oriented economic vitality, and transforming the university into a dynamic and living ecosystem.
Conclusion: Overall, establishing an eco-university requires a systemic and integrated approach that encompasses educational, research, managerial, and cultural dimensions. Such a university can play a crucial role in regenerating local ecosystems and improving quality of life. Ultimately, the eco-university model fosters a constructive interaction between knowledge, society, and nature.
Method: The research was conducted using a qualitative approach with the use of systematic grounded theory. The study participants were faculty members of public universities in Iran who had several years of experience in various areas of higher education administration. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling using the snowball technique. The sampling process continued until theoretical saturation was achieved; that is, after the seventeenth interview, no new code emerged, and therefore the sampling process was terminated (n = 15 + 2). Data were collected through in-depth interviews. For data analysis, the study employed the three-stage coding process of grounded theory, including open coding, axial coding, and selective coding.
Results: The findings of the research indicate that the formation of an eco-university within Iran’s higher education system is grounded in a set of causal, contextual, intervening, and strategic factors. The causal factors include the creation of a conscious, place-based learning environment; the cultivation of citizens who are responsible toward society and nature; achieving relative self-sufficiency in energy and food resources; resource management based on high efficiency and minimal consumption; fostering participatory and democratic decision-making within the university; environmentally compatible campus design; active contribution to the development of local and regional communities; and enhancing ecological literacy and systems thinking among university members. Furthermore, contextual factors—such as integrating indigenous wisdom with global innovation to strengthen the local economy, promoting justice-based sustainability education, reimagining the university as a research-oriented campus aimed at ecosystem restoration and ecological literacy development, and reinforcing professional ethics in the knowledge network—provide the necessary foundation for establishing an eco-university. In addition, intervening factors such as empowering interdisciplinary research, reforming the university’s financial and economic policies, localizing assessment systems, and strengthening cultural identity play a significant role in accelerating this transformation. Based on these prerequisites, operational strategies are formulated, including developing transdisciplinary curricula, offering continuous faculty training on sustainable development, promoting circular economy practices on campus, implementing environmental standards in all university operations, applying smart management to natural resource consumption such as water and energy, and empowering human resources to participate effectively in sustainability programs. The outcomes of adopting this model include the emergence of synergistic knowledge—from foundational research to ecosystem revitalization in society—achieving resilient teaching and learning aligned with real-world needs, creating a new sustainability-oriented economic vitality, and transforming the university into a dynamic and living ecosystem.
Conclusion: Overall, establishing an eco-university requires a systemic and integrated approach that encompasses educational, research, managerial, and cultural dimensions. Such a university can play a crucial role in regenerating local ecosystems and improving quality of life. Ultimately, the eco-university model fosters a constructive interaction between knowledge, society, and nature.
Keywords: Ecological University, Socio-Cultural Context of Iran, Higher Education System, Grounded Theory Approach
Type of article: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/09/15 | Accepted: 2025/11/1 | ePublished ahead of print: 2025/12/28
Received: 2025/09/15 | Accepted: 2025/11/1 | ePublished ahead of print: 2025/12/28
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