Identifying the effective factors in the plan for internationalization of education in Shiraz university of medical sciences: A qualitative study

 

Seyed Mojtaba Mirebrahimi¹, Abbas Yazdanpanah^2*, Iravan Masoudi Asl³

 

 

Abstract              Background: In its move towards future, higher education has no choice but to move towards internationalization. In its vision document (2025), Iran is considered as a country with the first scientific position in the South-West Asia, for realizing which in medical sciences it is necessary that the universities of medical sciences of Iran move towards internationalization of their education. The study was conducted to identify the factors effective in the plan for internationalization of education in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Method: The present study was qualitative conducted using content analysis approach in 2017. Semi-structured interview was used for data collection. The participants, nine authorities of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, were selected using purposive sampling method and then through snowball method. Finally, the data were analyzed using Lundman and Graneheim's content analysis method. Results: None themes were obtained along twenty-two sub-themes. The themes obtained from the research results were the organizational factors that encompassed ninesub-themes: General policies and strategies, facilities, legal issues, international communication, administrative and educational structures, resource management, organizational culture, organizational communication, and cultural differences. Conclusion: The implementation of the guidelines of universities internationalization faces various obstacles and various factors play roles in the successful and sustainable implementation of such policies. At present, there are weaknesses of organizational factors in adopting and implementing this guideline. Moreover, the most suitable solutions seem to be policymaking and provision of a strong strategy plan, followed by strong operational planning and strengthening educational and administrative structures.

Key Words: Internationalization, education, medical sciences, challenge.