Introduction: The international student market is a field where countries can enhance their global political and cultural influence, beyond economic income. Today, in addition to the developed countries, some emerging regional powers and small countries are trying to enhance their portion of the international student market. Iran’s success in the competitive international student market requires providing the prerequisites and requirements necessary to achieve the expected economic, political, and cultural goals in this field. In this regard, current research, with a problem-solving approach, tries to answer this question what are strategies and tactics for increasing Iran’s portion in the international student market?
Discussions and results: In response to the research question, by considering the challenges and obstacles, some strategies and tactics at both micro and macro levels are offered to enhance the share of Iranian universities in the international student market. Current research claims that assuming the necessary material and spiritual infrastructure and offering some strategies tailored to Iran's domestic and global situation makes it possible to achieve a satisfying portion of international students relative to total domestic students. Incorporating the mentioned strategies in higher education policymaking improves the situation and procedure of attracting international students in Iran, in terms of quantity and quality.
Strategizing is a prescriptive subject that is based on the priori description and explanation. Accordingly, this research includes two sections in which some strategies at both macro (national) and micro (university) levels are offered to attract international students. In addition, the challenges related to marketing and attracting international students are discussed in the mentioned sections. The offered strategies and tactics are a necessary prerequisite for the science diplomacy of Iran which includes formal and public science diplomacy at regional and global levels. In other words, science diplomacy, without the offered prerequisites, requirements, and strategies may lead to adverse results for the national interest and soft power of the country.
Methodology: This research is written by the explanatory and prescriptive method, in such a way that the situation of Iran in attracting international students is explained, and based on that some strategies are prescribed in line with the international standards and the indigenous situation of Iran to attract the international students. The applied data are collected by unstructured interviews and written resources, as well as through the author's practical experience.
Conclusion: Assuming the prerequisites and requirements of attracting international students are in place, strategizing in this field is realistic. Based on this, in this research strategizing at the macro and micro levels is carried out to enhance attracting international students. These strategies, beyond the usual purpose of money-making and scientific interchange, are in line with achieving national interest and extending the cultural and geopolitical influence of Iran on regional and global ranges. In this order, these comprehensive and barrier strategies in the current article are applicable in policy-making and legalization to attract international students.