The ongoing exodus of faculty members from Iran’s universities, particularly medical institutions, has become a source of great concern. Mohammad Jalili, Head of the Faculty Recruitment Center at Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education, has warned that this alarming trend is now impacting the country’s major universities. Professors who leave the academic system often either seek employment in their respective fields of expertise or, in many cases, emigrate to other countries.
In an interview with the Shafqna website on March 23, Jalili described the situation as “very worrying.” He emphasized that university professors are considered the intellectual elite of society. “These individuals represent a significant investment made by the country, and we cannot afford to lose them easily,” Jalili stated.
Strategies to Retain Faculty Members
Jalili proposed several measures to combat the growing migration of university faculty. These include improving the social status and respect for professors, enhancing their livelihood and welfare, and simplifying the process of attracting and retaining top talent. He argued that these steps are essential to prevent further departures from the academic community.
Jalili also noted that the issue of faculty migration is widespread across all universities in Iran. “We even have cases where individuals either do not have the opportunity to join the academic ranks, or if they do, they leave the system entirely,” he explained. “After leaving, they either continue their careers in their fields or emigrate abroad.”
This growing trend is not new. Reports of emigration by senior professors and prominent figures from various sectors, including healthcare, have surfaced repeatedly in recent years. The mass departure of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare workers, has raised serious concerns about the future of Iran’s healthcare system.
The Lack of Reliable Data
One of the key issues, according to Jalili, is the absence of accurate and official statistics regarding the emigration of faculty members. This lack of data only deepens the concern among university administrators and policymakers. Jalili pointed out that the migration phenomenon is now a major issue for universities of all sizes, from large institutions to smaller ones.
In his interview, Jalili also addressed the financial limitations imposed on university faculty. Specifically, he referred to the cap on faculty members’ salaries at medical universities. Currently, the minimum salary for faculty members is over 20 million tomans, while the maximum is set at approximately 60 million tomans. Jalili described this payment cap as “irrational” and called for its removal, citing the need for more competitive compensation to retain faculty members.
A National Crisis
The emigration of faculty members is part of a broader national trend. According to Mostafa Moein, former Minister of Science and President of the Iranian Society for Ethics in Science and Technology, data from January 2025 reveals a troubling reality. Moein reported that 53% of professors, 45% of doctors and nurses, and 40% of students and graduates have considered emigrating from Iran. Only 16% of Iranians, he added, have no thoughts of leaving the country.
This trend is compounded by the ongoing issue of university professor dismissals. In recent years, many professors have faced disciplinary actions for their political views and activism. In September 2024, former MP Mahmoud Sadeghi revealed that more than 1,500 professors had been subjected to “administrative punishment” for their support of the 2024 uprising. Furthermore, an August 2023 report from Etemad newspaper listed 52 professors who had been dismissed, forced to retire, or suspended from their teaching roles between September 2021 and September 2023.
Conclusion
The continued departure of university professors, especially those in the medical field, poses a significant challenge to the academic and healthcare sectors in Iran. With no reliable data on the scale of the migration, the situation remains opaque, but the effects are clear. As Jalili and others have noted, retaining these intellectual and professional elites is crucial to the future of the country. Without urgent action to improve their working conditions, compensation, and societal respect, the exodus is likely to continue, further undermining Iran’s educational and healthcare systems.
