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The Education Department has the responsibility to direct educational
activities and programs for all education levels of the Institute.
(The education levels as approved by the High Council of the Cultural
Revolution of the Islamic Republic of Iran are: Bachelor’s, Master’s,
and Doctorates.) The twelve fields of study that have been authorized by the Deployment Council of Higher Education and approved by the High Council of Planning are categorized as follows:
The main goal of studying and researching at the Institute is explaining Islamic views in the different fields of Human Science. Both the Islamic sciences and the Human sciences are needed to reach this goal. One kind of science has to do with seminary studies, of which the students should have finished at least the preliminary and first year courses prior to admission into the Institute. They should also already be familiar with Islamic fundamental principles. The other kind is linked to scientific findings in different fields of Human Science. To make Islamic views appear clearly in Human Science, familiarity with the principles and rules of these fields is necessary. As a result, the lesson plans of the Institute are a combination of the foundations of Islamic thinking and the different fields of Human Science. The programs of the Institute have been approved more or less because of this specialty. Correspondence Education The Institute has developed programs due to many requests from students around Iran for Correspondence Education. These students wanted access to the Institute’s educational programs, but were unable to enroll in the Institute itself. It is currently providing services to students residing in other cities. This program is in its early stages with approximately 200 male and female students and has been running since the year 2000. The main area of study is Theology and Islamic Science. Nowadays, due to the development of the level of general information and understanding, a greater need for studying Human Science has come in to existence especially from the Islamic point-of-view from around Iran and the world. The Islamic seminaries from their early days have had an enormous part in protecting and propagating Islam. Therefore, it is necessary for them to become equipped with the latest tools and strategies to better answer the needs of today’s society. With the rise in the welcoming of studying Human Science by Islamic Theology Students and the limitations of the Institute’s facilities, it was necessary to make a new decision on enabling the Institute’s use to its maximum capacity. On this note, specialists in this field were consulted. Eventually, after corresponding with the Ministry of Science Research and Technology, the assistant to the Educational Director made contact. He expressed his opinion in his authorized letter, no. 56-400-528, dated October 11,2000, which was in agreement with Correspondence Education. He also stated that a final reply must be obtained from Payame Noor University. They would approve of the plan and its order of execution. According to this, with the university’s cooperation, a comprehensive plan for Correspondence Education was established. We are hopeful that with the starting of this program, we will be able to optimize our services. The first stage of the program’s official entrance examination took place in February of 2001 with around 2000 participants. In this examination, the four following subjects were included:
Those who received at least the minimum passing score were accepted. Their scores were also counted as their final grades for the first semester. All who were accepted started their studies with the second semester. (The examination counted for the first.) The Institute among the Islamic Seminaries This Institute was established to support the Islamic Seminaries ( Hawzah). It is also a part of the Islamic Seminaries and is basically in connection with students and scholars of the Islamic Seminaries. Furthermore, the supervision of the Institute is in the hands of the Islamic Seminaries. As a result of this, certain conditions were put forth to ensure the proper function and management of the Institute. They are as follows: 1. The High Council of the Hawzah First and foremost, all programs of the Institute are reviewed and agreed upon by the High Council of the Hawzah. They are then reviewed by the High Council of the Ministry of Science Research and Technology. 2. Requirements for Enrollment Only Islamic Theology Students are accepted into the Institute. Along with being an Islamic Theology Student, there are two other requirements for enrollment. One is that the students should have completed at least the first year of their seminary studies. The other is that they must be official registered students of the Islamic Seminaries. 3. Curriculum The curriculum of the Institute is based on regular University studies and seminary studies. Therefore, the seminary studies are a main part of the curriculum here at the Institute. They are given as much priority as all other courses. Students are required to excel in their seminary studies just as well as their other ones. 4. Rules and Regulations Students are compelled to abide by all administrative laws of the Islamic Seminaries. All rules and regulation of the seminaries are also applicable to students of the Institute. Furthermore, students are eligible to receive benefits (provided by the Islamic Seminaries). Some of those benefits include: monthly allowances, exemption from military service, health insurance, etc…. 5. Religious Service During the school term, certain religious duties/activities are carried out. Students are selected depending upon their current level and amount of studies to fulfill their duties as clergymen and to propagate Islam. The students are most likely sent to other cities in order for this to be properly carried out. After the Institute itself became accredited, the directors went on to get all documents and files done as well. With great effort and the much needed cooperation from the Directors of the Ministry of Science Research and Technology, 255 Bachelor’s Degrees and 95 Master’s Degrees have been issued (by the Ministry for the Institute). A number of degrees remain to be issued. Dispatching of the students Around 15 post-graduate students have been sent abroad to continue their education. Countries such as England, Canada, the United states and Austria were selected. Those students who had a higher chance of success in the continuation of their education at a PhD level were chosen. A number of these outstanding students have graduated with their Doctorates and returned, while others are still in the process. Present statistics and documents narrate the success and effectiveness of these students while abroad. For example, some of these dispatched students, during their studies, have been invited by Islamic centers and schools to collaborate with them and to propagate Islam. At the moment, the responsibility of directing several Islamic centers has been given to particular students. It is also necessary to state that some of these students are foreign exchange students. Course Offerings (within the country) The preliminary activities of this program have already taken place. These have prepared the Institute for the program’s advanced activities. Hitherto, an economics course at the Doctorate level has been offered within the country. The students of this course are now taking their comprehensive examination and preparing for their theses. The entrance examinations for three different courses at the Doctorate level took place in November of the year 2000. The three courses were: Quranic Science, History and Economics. Agreements have been made amongst various Higher Education Institutes for holding joint courses at the Doctorate level. The directors of these Institutes are in the process of following up on these agreements and carrying out the courses. This plan plays an important role in exchanging culture and establishing unity between the Hawzah and Universities, two effective groups in society. The Vilayat Plan A plan was constructed by Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi in agreement with our Great leader, Ayatullah Khamenei, to start a course on the basics of Islamic thinking for Basij teachers and students all over the country. (This course is in cooperation with the Basij [Volunteer Military and Community Services] Organization). Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi, himself, has taken full responsibility to ensure the smooth running of the course. As of 1994, the course has been offered during five summer terms. Contents of the course are listed below:
All contents of the lesson plan are researched, compiled, and then taught by specialists of the Institute. Each year the course offered is listed below with the amount of students for that particular term:
These were offered in the holy city of Mashhad, and in the cities of
Tehran and Abali. The students attending classes are from the Basij
Organization and the instructor of the courses are from among
graduates of the Institute and scholars of the Islamic Seminaries. |
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