Explaining the curriculum planning challenges at Tehran University and providing a practical guide to improving the curriculum

A comprehensive and deep understanding of curriculum development is crucial in the field of higher education. Curriculum development, an important aspect in this field, requires a multifaceted approach. Using qualitative methodology, this study provides practical guidance for improving the curriculum of Tehran University by carefully examining the planning challenges. The research was carried out in several stages, culminating in the design of a practical guide to improve the curriculum. First, a review study was conducted on studies based on university curriculum models. Then, using the phenomenological strategy and unstructured interviews, this study investigated the concept of academic curricula and the challenges facing the higher education curricula planning system from the perspective of faculty members. In the final step, using the insights from the previous steps, a focus group was formed to develop a practical curriculum development guide. This guide covers three main dimensions: basic curriculum planning features, application-oriented features, and implementation requirements. This study used data triangulation to ensure the validity of the research findings, integrating the insights from interviews, document reviews, and academic consensus. The proposed model of the current research can serve as a suitable basis for revising the university curriculum. Diversity in the attitude and culture of the university is evident in the proposed model.