Razi University

Department of Sustainable Agricultural Education and Extension

1.    History

The Department of Sustainable Agricultural Education and Extension was established in 1994 within the College of Agriculture. It commenced its academic activities that same year by admitting 32 students in the field of Agricultural Education. In 1995, the department enrolled an additional 34 students. In 1997, the Department moved to its current location on the fourth floor of the main building of the college. In the same year, a Master’s program in Rural Development was established, marking the first postgraduate program of its kind in Iran, with an initial intake of four students. In 2007, the Department admitted its first cohort of nine students to the Master’s program in Agricultural Education and Extension. In 2009, the Ph.D. program in Agricultural Education and Extension was officially approved, and in 2010, the first four doctoral students in Agricultural Development were enrolled. At present, the Department includes seven faculty members and one educational assistant engaged in academic and administrative activities. 

2.    Academic Members and Research Interests

The Department currently has seven faculty members: two Professors, four Associate Professors, and one Assistant Professor, along with one Educational Assistant. Their collective research interests cover sustainable rural and agricultural development, agricultural education, agricultural communication, rural entrepreneurship, and participatory learning systems.

3.    Educational purposes

Serving as the university’s primary interface with the agricultural community, the Department educates students specializing in rural development, agricultural education, and the dissemination of modern farming practices in rural areas. The Bachelor of Science program focuses on preparing facilitators in rural and agricultural development. Students acquire skills in producing educational materials and instructional content for agricultural education. The Department emphasizes the development of innovative teaching methods that highlight practical learning, entrepreneurship, group-based activities, service learning, and participatory approaches. In addition to educational goals, the Department also provides academic and research services in agricultural education and development. A distinctive feature of the Department’s educational approach is the active engagement of students in entrepreneurial agricultural activities, preparing them to effectively serve rural communities.

4.    Research targets

Training researchers capable of addressing challenges in sustainable rural and agricultural societies is one of the Department’s primary missions. Collaborative research projects are conducted with other academic departments, research institutes, and relevant organizations to foster interdisciplinary research and leadership in agricultural and rural development. Departmental research priorities focus on solving key issues in agricultural and rural management, education, and sustainability. Faculty members actively collaborate with governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in agriculture, rural development, and cooperative sectors. Many of these partnerships result in applied research projects that address real-world challenges.

Research at the Department is also pursued through students’ theses and dissertations, encompassing topics such as sustainable rural and agricultural development, agricultural education, and related fields. Both participatory and demand-driven research strategies are central to the department’s approach. Main research areas include:

• Sustainable Agricultural Development: Education, planning, agricultural entrepreneurship, drought management, social issues in agricultural development, climate change, and entrepreneurship education.
• Sustainable Rural Development: Participation, environmental sustainability, renewable energies, social capital, rural service centers, indigenous knowledge, and rural anthropology.
• Agricultural Education: Adult education, behavior studies, and innovative instructional methodologies.
• Agricultural Extension: Innovation systems, adaptation strategies, and service learning.
• Agricultural Entrepreneurship: Research on agribusiness creation, innovation, and rural enterprise development.

 
5.    Educational and research facilities
The Department is equipped with an Educational Technology Laboratory that supports teaching innovation, research activities, and student training in advanced educational methods.

Programs Offered:
BSc.: Sustainable Agricultural Extension and Education   
MSc.: Rural Development; Sustainable Agricultural Extension and Natural Resources 
Ph.D: Agricultural Extension; Sustainable Agricultural Education and Environment