In a letter to the president of the University of Tehran, a number of graduates and students of Iranian studies requested the establishment of a department entitled Iranology at the Faculty of Literature of the University of Tehran.
According to ISNA, the text of the letter of Iranology graduates and students of the University of Tehran addressed to Dr. Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi French (President) of the University of Tehran states:
This major was established in the faculty of literature and humanities during the presidency of dr Gholam Hossein Karimi and upon the suggestion and efforts of Dr Mahmud Jafari Dehghi, a senior member of the faculty in the Department of Ancient cultures and Languages of Iran. In the following years, the administration of this major’s educational affairs was entrusted to the Iranian Studies Committee composed of professors of related fields, in the faculty of Literature and Humanities, and under supervision of the Vice Chancellor for Education.
We were informed that the University and the Faculty are choosing between turning this major into a department under the dean’s supervision and placing it under supervision of one of the departments. It is clear that the inclusion of Iranology as an additional discipline in other educational groups is not the holy name of Iran and a discipline that should have an important and decisive role in the future of Iran.
This situation is not becoming of Tehran University the center of higher education in Iran, which has the highest rank in teaching and research among all Iranian universities, Because every field of study at the University of Tehran should be able to play a leading role among all Iranian universities, especially in this field where Shahid Beheshti University, in cooperation with the Iranian Studies Foundation, has a wide range of programs including doctoral courses and all master’s degrees.
Based on the above, we, the graduates and students of Iranian studies, who are well experienced and familiar with all the educational issues, requested the officials to respect the rights and dignity of our beloved country, Iran, and this major that has the holy name of Iran, and let it have an independent department in the Faculty of Literature and Humanities.
