Mohammad Shahriari, a doctoral student in political science, addressed the role of universities and student institutions in confronting war and its effects in a meeting titled "The Mission of Student Institutions in War" and called for a more effective connection between the university and society.
The Passive Role of Universities
Shahriari emphasized in this meeting that Iranian universities, especially in the fields of humanities and social sciences, have become passive in the face of major societal issues. According to him, while war, politics, and economics are among the most significant issues affecting people's lives, universities have not been able to effectively address these issues and convey the results of their research and analyses to society.
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The Reality of War and the Necessity of Analysis
He added: "The reality of war is neither the surrender of Iran in a few days nor an absolute victory; rather, Iran has both capacities and capabilities as well as weaknesses and vulnerabilities that must be discussed and examined." Shahriari noted that if the university cannot analyze the political and economic consequences of war, then which institution should take on this responsibility?
In his opinion, universities should focus on producing understanding rather than merely issuing statements and utilize the capacity of students to transfer knowledge to society. He mentioned five strategies to improve this situation, including forming interdisciplinary groups to address the main issues of the country and present the results to society.
Shahriari also emphasized that the university must have an active memory and follow up on its suggestions and analyses, so that after identifying weaknesses, it can revisit them and draw conclusions.
In conclusion, he stressed the independence of student institutions and said: "The university should not settle for repeating political narratives; rather, it should be a place for examining and analyzing realities."
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