Dr. Ebrahim Mottaghi, a political science researcher and former dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Tehran, attended the Iran Language Institute and analyzed the management of educational processes during crises.
According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of the Iran Language Institute, at the beginning of this meeting, Dr. Mehdi Zolfaghari, the Director of the ILI, presented a report on the activities of this educational organization and stated, “We are currently celebrating the 101st anniversary of the Iran Language Institute with 305 branches across the country and 31 provincial administrations. Ten languages are taught at this institution, and we have also secured the monopoly on administering some international exams in collaboration with our foreign partners.”
The Director of the Iran Language Institute mentioned cooperation, signing memoranda of understanding with various organizations and ministries, and diversifying resources as other issues.
He then referenced the Iran Language Institute's educational programs and activities during the critical period of the 12-day war. He said, “By the grace of God and with the cooperation of all the dear ones of this organization, we were able to plan and properly conduct the end-of-semester spring exams at the Iran Language Institute, and we have also started the summer semester according to the semester schedule, and today we are holding the sixth session of in-person and online classes consistently and regularly.”
Continuing with this meeting, Dr. Mottaghi expressed his pleasure and pride in being at the Iran Language Institute and said, "I was also a language learner in this institution many years ago, and my son was also a language learner at the ILI, and with the proper training provided by this institution, he was able to pass the English language entrance exam 100 percent."
The former dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Tehran said, "It is an honor for me to see my friends working in this organization, and I hope they can make a positive change in the organization's structure that will serve as the foundation for their work."
Regarding the importance of the Iran Language Institute, Dr. Mottaghi said, “I believe that language is the main axis of communication. Learning a language fosters communicative action and places society and the political system within a practical and communicative framework. The actions you take in this complex can be impactful in the broader cultural space of society. So, develop yourself as much as you can, maintain your standards, and be different and distinctive. Naturally, you will not only achieve greater profitability for your organization, but you can also leave a significant social impact.”
He then provided a general explanation of the current situation and said, “The region we live in is chaotic, meaning that there is no such thing as structure, or it is very weak. The social and political structure of many countries in the region is also in the same situation, which is why, in the years after World War II, most revolutions, wars, development crises, and social crises were formed and reproduced in the Middle East. Renovation in our country has been accelerated, and this rapid renovation is creating a crisis, meaning that the social structure does not have the necessary capacity and is therefore in a situation where it reacts to many existing projects and spaces.”
This political science researcher stated regarding the impact of the educational sector on current conditions, “In crisis areas, a series of discursive patterns and developments emerge that are generally ignored by the state structure, because what the government and the power structures see are the relationships between the power structures, and the social structure, language, discourse, generational patterns, and generational changes are not taken into account, and suddenly an incident occurs that takes them by surprise.”
“Therefore, you must adapt your educational programs to the changing social and mental environment. Every event that occurs influences not only our lives but also our workplace.”
He noted, “My analysis is that we may once again find ourselves in an atmosphere of regional, military, and security crisis in the future, so adjust your educational planning in such a way that you are not surprised based on this analysis.”
Dr. Mottaghi stressed the importance of updating content and described creating change as a necessity, adding, “Today, change and updating must be done daily, otherwise you will suffer losses. Changes are taking shape at first; they will be quantitative and gradual, and then qualitative. Wars, revolutions, technology, and discourse will be the creators of these changes.”
The former dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Tehran, emphasizing the importance of technological changes, stated, “Never ignore technological changes. Technological changes are the foundation of everything. Think globally in your technology sphere; we have no choice but to adapt. We must act locally but think globally, and our production must be based on global standards.”
It is worth mentioning that during this meeting, held on Tuesday, July 29, Dr. Mehdi Zolfaghari, Director of the Iran Language Institute, Dr. Mohammad Mehdi Ahmadi Moein, Deputy Director, along with a group of deputies, managers, and officials of the ILI, hosted Dr. Ebrahim Mottaghi.