The Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, was established in 2007 as the first academic institution in Iran dealing with the study of countries and regions around the world. Although in its embryonic stages, the Faculty has established itself as one of the premier institutions in Iran which focuses on an inter-disciplinary approach to the study of political, cultural, economic, and socio
logical aspects of a given country or region. The Faculty aims to promote the study of various countries and regions as an academic discipline in Iran at theoretical, strategic, and applied levels. Thus, bringing about expertise, understanding, and cooperation at institutional and individual levels becomes a primary mission and focus of the Faculty. The need for creating an institution of this type had long been felt but the necessary conditions had not been met. The vision of an academic institution with an inter-disciplinary approach to the study of the world was finally realized in 2004. On the recommendations of the Educational Planning Council of the University of Tehran, the Institute for North American and European Studies was established with Dr Saeid Ameli as its founding member and first director. In January 2007, the University of Tehran established the Faculty of World Studies as the first faculty of its kind which seeks to promote effective and practical understanding of major countries. However, the Institute for North American and European Studies has been maintained as a research-oriented center. It is important to train young men and women who aim to look at the past and present of these countries and predict the possible future economic, social, political, and cultural trends. A better understanding of interaction with the world at large, and these countries in particular, becomes an essential component of the program and the Faculty of World Studies. This understanding is necessary for the promotion of international peace, security and peaceful coexistence, which are the prerequisite to overall development of our mother Earth. Presently, there are 11 full-time faculty members in the Faculty, including 3 associate professors and 8 assistant professors. The teaching staff of each department are well-versed in the language of the department they teach. The medium of instruction for every program is the language of the country being studied. Faculty members contribute to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge in area studies, not only through their teaching and research supervision but also by publishing books and journal articles of highest international repute. The non-teaching staff of the Faculty who are the graduates of the most credible universities are quite acquainted with the demands and psyche of the students and hence render invaluable services to the students and teaching staff through their selfless efforts.
