Beyond Regional Culture: A Comparative Study of Undergraduate General Education Curricula in Iran and Selected Middle Eastern Universities

Articles in Press
Authors
Seyed Ali Kaleghinezhad 1
Mahdeih Sadat Mirrahimi 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd. Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Educational Sciences, Hazrat Narjes Faculty, Vali-e-asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Abstract
Although the undergraduate general education curriculum is often hailed as the conscience of higher education, its philosophical foundations remain underexplored in Iran. This comparative study aimed to compare the general curriculum of the undergraduate course of the Iranian higher education system with the American University of Cairo, the American University of Sharjah, Qatar University, King Abdulaziz University, and KOC University. This study employed a qualitative approach using comparative analysis. Universities were purposively chosen for their shared sociocultural contexts but divergent educational outcomes. The findings reveal that, with the exception of King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia and Iran’s own general education curriculum, all examined universities have embraced an interdisciplinary model integrating the humanities, social sciences, economics, natural sciences, and communication studies. These universities offer a wider, more diverse selection of courses, align their learning outcomes with local, national, and global priorities, and operate under flexible curricular frameworks. Consequently, Iranian higher education, to enhance quality, should adopt an interdisciplinary framework and balance knowledge, skills, and attitudes within its general education curriculum.

Keywords

Subjects

Quarterly Journal of Research and Planning in Higher Education

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 24 September 2025

  • Receive Date 30 June 2025
  • Revise Date 21 August 2025
  • Accept Date 24 September 2025
  • Publish Date 24 September 2025