Iran Academia; A Virtual University of Forbidden Sciences in Iran

"Vitrin" is a platform for familiarizing with ideas and activities happening within the Iranian community worldwide and in the virtual world, which you might be unaware of. Starting this week and periodically, a website or a virtual activity will be featured in "Vitrin," introduced to you, and a short interview will be conducted with its organizers and thinkers. You can also email us at [email protected] to have your website featured in "Vitrin." Website Name: Iran Academia Address: www.iran-academia.com Field of Work: Online education in humanities and social sciences Update Format: Gradually Some of the Managers and Professors: Saeed Peyvandi, Kaveh Ehsani, Jalil Roshandel, Mehdi Mozaffari, Assef Bayat, Daryush Ashouri, Nira Tavakoli, Mohammad Reza Nikfar, Ali Akbar Mahdi, Ata Houdshian, Shahin Nasiri, Pejman Salim, Alireza Kazemi, Raha Bahreini, Somayeh Dehban, and more. According to its managers, "Iran Academia" is an independent institution that aims to provide online education in humanities and social sciences for students at a master's equivalent level. After restrictions were imposed in Iran regarding the learning and teaching of humanities and social sciences, some activists in this field and university professors thought about creating a space for students and enthusiasts of these sciences. The educational courses at "Iran Academia" are one year long, and students can choose their course materials and engage in learning. The courses are taught in Persian, but according to some of the managers and professors of this institution, knowledge of foreign languages is also necessary for some subjects. By visiting the website of this institution, you can learn more about "Iran Academia," its course materials, and its professors. Interview with three members of Iran Academia; fighting against the channeling of sciences. To learn more about the goals and programs of Iran Academia, we have interviewed three professors and founders of this institution; in this regard, Jalil Roshandel (Professor of Political Science at East Carolina University), Saeed Peyvandi (Sociology Professor at the University of Lorraine, France), and Alireza Kazemi (one of the founders of Iran Academia) have answered our questions. - When was Iran Academia established, and what was the purpose of its establishment? Alireza Kazemi: We were a group of students and graduates in the field of social sciences who had met during our university activities and were very interested in doing something specifically for the younger generation in Iran. Following these activities, we contacted many students and professors in Iran and became aware of their needs and opinions, trying to align our efforts with their needs. After the events of the 2009 elections, many alarming reports about serious restrictions on humanities were heard. The extent of these restrictions was such that officially, 555 course materials in 38 humanities fields underwent extensive revisions to align with the "framework of Islamic values," with the most changes occurring in social sciences. Alongside this, many professors were dismissed or faced involuntary retirement, and many students were deprived of education or marked as "starred". All of this occurred while the conditions for studying in Iranian society already faced significant structural and cultural barriers, especially for female students, and now with this new wave of review, academic freedoms were increasingly violated, making conditions for the younger generation much more chaotic. These events seriously prompted us to think about what could be done in response to this set of conditions. The result was that by creating connections between activists, professors, and technological tools, we have now reached the point of holding the first educational course of Iran Academia after three years of round-the-clock voluntary efforts and with the participation of many volunteers and professors. - Why did you choose to teach humanities and social sciences? Jalil Roshandel: Humanities and social sciences have been marginalized in Iran, or at best, due to the questioning nature of social sciences, the government sees them as a threat to its existence and wants to limit or ultimately channel these sciences using all possible tools. The rulers recognize humanities and social sciences as fields that can create "questions and thoughts" among the youth and students to the extent that they want to delve into the roots of issues, and this questioning and skeptical mindset can challenge even the essence of religion from the perspective of religious-oriented statesmen. Since studying religions is part of humanities and social sciences, it naturally contradicts the monopolistic and domineering policies based on the superiority of Shia Islam. The official religion is based on a master-disciple relationship and the principle of imitation, while humanities and social sciences are based on research, root analysis, and Socratic questioning, relying on observation, statistics, and in-depth examination of why and how, based on quantitative and qualitative studies of phenomena. Such a perspective does not align with a religiously oriented political system that only needs obedient and imitative humans. The result is that groups of students in humanities and social sciences face discrimination, expulsion, being starred, or being sidelined during selection due to their social beliefs, membership, or even sensitivity to unauthorized thoughts or religions. Iran Academia aims to create an institution based on respect for academic freedoms and the independence of the university for all, as well as a refuge for students who have been deprived or limited in their education for any reason. Saeed Peyvandi: The field of humanities and social sciences in Iranian universities has been a victim of political and ideological pressures in various dimensions over the past decades, and these fields have been less able to enjoy the conventional academic space and complete freedom as a prerequisite for a true university for theoretical engagement, dissemination of ideas, research, critique, and evaluation. These limitations and pressures have even caused some students and professors to cease their activities in the university. Iran Academia aims to shape an open academic environment and full respect for academic freedoms for professors and students at the center of its academic project. The creation of such an academic environment represents a new experience for today's Iran and the university in Iran, responding to the needs of modern society. In this framework, Iran Academia should primarily be regarded as a higher education institution with internationally recognized standards. This budding college is a competitor to scientific institutions in Iran and is not intended to act against any institution or government. We all know that the facilities of Iran Academia cannot be compared to the extensive and elaborate public and private higher education systems in Iran. However, at the same time, despite the limitations and inequality of resources, it is possible to strive for a critical and open dialogue with the scientific community in Iran. A dialogue that aligns with the spirit and academic culture and the prevailing academic freedoms. Everyone knows that in recent years, some fields of humanities in Iran, such as women's studies or human rights, have faced serious restrictions, and the Islamization of humanities has harmed these areas more than anything else. Such initiatives have existed in the history of higher education worldwide and have played an important role in the advancement of knowledge and research; for instance, at the beginning of the industrial revolution, when traditional European universities like "Sorbonne," "Oxford," and "Cambridge" were unwilling to accept new sciences or applied fields, universities emerged alongside them that, with fewer resources and credibility, were able to contribute to the transformation of higher education. The educational courses are several years long, and when do they start? Is there a fee for registration and participation in classes? Kazemi: The first educational course of Iran Academia is the "Social Studies" course with an interdisciplinary approach, held at a master's equivalent level for one year, starting from the next academic semester, i.e., February 2015. We advocate the right to education and have made every effort to ensure that education at Iran Academia is currently free. Thus, students do not pay tuition fees for their education. Because the actual cost of one year of higher education is very high. We also do not charge the common fee for registration requests at many universities. However, we faced a serious question about how to guarantee the mutual commitment of students. Therefore, we decided that only students who successfully gain admission would pay a small fee as an admission cost. The admission fee is actually just a minimal amount and a mechanism to create seriousness and commitment to all that is provided to the student. What characteristics should volunteers have to participate? Is there a ceiling or limitation on the number of participants in each course? Roshandel: Applicants must have at least completed a related previous university degree (bachelor's). Having a high GPA and a history of studies and publications counts as an advantage. However, in the student selection process, no ideological affiliations, social or gender differences, etc., will lead to discrimination. At the same time, for applicants who have faced discrimination for any reason and wish to mention or discuss the details in their background, we will consider positive points after investigation. Additionally, we plan to offer supplementary undergraduate courses for students who have been unable to complete their degree due to such discriminations and are, for example, one semester or a few courses away from graduation, helping them complete their undergraduate studies at Iran Academia before entering the master's program. Naturally, implementing this section requires planning and establishing the necessary institutions and financial support, and we hope to move forward in this direction. Will students receive a certificate, and is this certificate valid? Roshandel: Graduates who complete their studies and pass their thesis with a supervisor will receive a certificate. Currently, Iran Academia and the "Social Studies" educational program are undergoing evaluation and classification within the European Qualifications Framework at the master's equivalent level, and the final certificate will be issued based on this. - Are courses taught only in Persian, or is it possible to study in other languages as well? Kazemi: In the first gathering of Iran Academia professors, the issue of language was discussed in detail. Apart from the fact that language-related limitations were assessed as one of the barriers that must be addressed for use and growth in humanities, in practice, Persian is the common language among professors from various English, French, and German-speaking countries and students in Iran. Therefore, the final conclusion was that the language of instruction at Iran Academia would be Persian. However, assignments can also be completed in other languages commonly used in Iran. Additionally, if necessary, foreign languages can be used in teaching and completing assignments. Thus, the choice of assignment language depends on the abilities and agreement between the professor and student. What resources will be used for teaching, and is knowledge of English mandatory? Roshandel: Naturally, the latest scientific resources will be used according to the subject. For students, English or one of the languages used by our professors (French, German) can be used as a research language and for utilizing resources for further learning. However, all applicants will undergo a test to assess their reading and comprehension ability of English texts to ensure they can utilize educational resources during their studies. Peyvandi: The feature of Iran Academia is that it brings together instructors from various universities worldwide under one virtual roof. This means that alongside our common language, Persian, important international languages will have a real presence since the scientific outputs of these individuals are in the languages of the countries where they teach. A large portion of them work in English-speaking countries, and thus the role of the English language will be very important. At the same time, the languages used by other instructors are also counted among the languages of Iran Academia. Who are your financial supporters, or which institution supports you financially? Why is there a section for financial assistance on the website? Do you think you will face budget issues in the future? Kazemi: Securing the necessary financial resources has been one of the serious challenges for Iran Academia, has been, and will continue to be. Iran Academia is, in the truest sense, an independent citizen initiative because it has been established from the outcome of three years of entirely voluntary efforts of its stakeholders and professors. Throughout these three years and until now, no financial support has been received from any institution, and apart from the large human resources that have voluntarily provided their time, energy, expertise, and credibility for free in this path, to cover other expenses such as technical and ancillary costs, it has collected limited public donations and has employed various initiatives such as launching online fundraising campaigns to support a student. However, naturally, to expand and ensure scientific and professional quality, reliable financial resources are urgently needed. On what basis have the professors and advisors been selected? Roshandel: