B. Gender quotas
Each year in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a Guidebook for Enrolled Candidates is published, which
provides the university quota, quota for men and women, and information for admission.9
However, since 2019, gender quotas appeared to be no longer in place in the Islamic Republic of
Iran.15 16
C. Higher Education Segregation17
With regards to the segregation of higher education classrooms and universities, Iran’s higher
education system is divided into two separate types of universities. Regular universities, which are
called governmental universities, have multi-gender classrooms, except for a few universities that
are reserved only for women. In Azad Universities which were formerly non-governmental but are
currently under control of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, classrooms are
segregated by gender, in almost all its branch around the country.
Although gender quotas reportedly appear not to be in place anymore in the Islamic Republic of
Iran18 higher education in Iran remains segregated by gender. Women are barred from certain
academic specializations in universities, notably in engineering. This suggest that the Islamic
Republic of Iran has not taken steps to lift all restrictions on access to university education for
women.
Recommendation Status:
This recommendation has NOT been implemented.
15
National Organization of Educational Testing, Guide on the capacity of universities and selection of major - mathematics and
technical majors entrance exam - year 1397, in Farsi, http://www6.sanjesh.org/download/sar97/selection97/1-Riyazi-1397-2Final-970502_1130_AM.pdf
16
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MRG_CFR_Iran_EN_Sept191.pdf
18
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MRG_CFR_Iran_EN_Sept191.pdf
3