Regional Prioritization of Scientific Fields within the Science, Technology and Innovation System: The Case of Isfahan Province

     This study examines the status of scientific fields in Isfahan Province. To this end, a sequential approach has been adopted to address the issue, aiming to lay the conceptual foundations of the province’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) system by defining priority scientific fields. In this context, regional priority scientific fields for Isfahan Province have been identified based on the necessity of prioritization at the provincial level to prevent the waste of budgetary resources. After analyzing major scientific domains globally and nationally, a structural interpretive model was developed in 6 levels with 18 variables. Finally, policies for the identified priority fields were formulated based on available budgetary resources and current societal conditions. In this model, the economy and political geography were identified as independent variables at the sixth level, serving as the cornerstone of the model. Additionally, energy, dynamic systems thinking, and the environment were defined as independent variables with relatively lower influence at the fifth level.