Pathology of Higher Education Spatial Planning in Iran; the First Step of Regional Governance

Iran's higher education has grown significantly in recent years.But on the other hand, the downturn in the job market of university graduates and the lack of regional capacity has led to a growing focus on regional planning and governance in higher education. Studies of Iranian higher education Spatial Planning have been conducted in several stages over the past decades, but have failed to provide a basis for planning higher education development in Iran. The purpose of this study was to determine the pathology of higher education spatial planning in Iran by using a descriptive-analytical approach and document-library study method.For this purpose, using systematic review method, firstly, reports, results of research and experiences were studied.Then, using the interpretive analysis method, we tried to identify and categorize the damages in the spatial planning of higher education. The results show that the most important disadvantages are: changes in study approach, cultural issues, partisanship, quantification, centralization, political influence, positivist view of policymakers and executives, and a lack of a practical framework for design and implementation. Higher education spatial planning can play an important role in improving regional governance, while providing opportunities for sustainable scientific development through optimal use of the country's regional comparative capacities and advantages.