Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences – Faculty of Paramedical Sciences
The Department of English Language Education at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, with a history of approximately four decades, is recognized as one of the most active and academically influential units within the University. Since its establishment, the Department has played a central role in advancing English language education in medical sciences, providing instruction to students across all academic levels, including professional doctorate (MD), PhD, master’s, and undergraduate programs in all affiliated faculties of the University.
From its early formation, the Department has been responsible for the teaching of General English, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and Medical Terminology. With an extensive academic workload of approximately 170 credit units per semester, it has functioned as a key institutional provider of English language education across diverse medical and health-related disciplines. The Department is located within the Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, while also maintaining an affiliated language unit within the Faculty of Medicine, ensuring comprehensive coverage across both clinical and pre-clinical educational environments.
Beyond its teaching responsibilities, the Department has played a significant role in faculty development and institutional capacity building. It has designed and implemented numerous workshops and training programs aimed at improving English language proficiency among faculty members and university staff. One of the most notable initiatives in this regard is the “Faculty English Language Development Program,” which involved more than 230 participants and contributed significantly to improving academic communication skills across the University.
At the national level, the Department has maintained a long-standing role in English language policy and assessment within the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran. Since 1995, it has been actively involved in the English Language Evaluation and Planning Committee. Faculty members of the Department have contributed to national examination design, including PhD entrance examinations, master’s level assessments, basic sciences examinations, and the MHLE (Medical Humanities Language Examination). In addition, they have participated in curriculum development, syllabus design, institutional evaluation of English programs, and national policy-making for language education in medical universities.
The Department has also been actively engaged in academic translation and editorial work. Faculty members have translated numerous scientific articles from Persian into English, edited manuscripts for publication in indexed national and international journals, and contributed to the English translation of university websites and official documents. These activities have played an important role in enhancing the international visibility of the University’s academic output.
In terms of research output, the Department has produced a substantial number of scholarly publications, including articles indexed in ISI and Scopus databases. Faculty members have also authored 19 specialized academic books, primarily focusing on English for Medical Purposes and discipline-specific language instruction. These textbooks are widely used in medical universities across Iran and serve as key instructional resources in ESP courses.
The Department has maintained active participation in more than 60 national and international conferences worldwide. These engagements have contributed to academic exchange, pedagogical development, and the continuous improvement of English language teaching practices in medical education.
In addition to its academic and research activities, the Department has provided ongoing institutional support to the University, including translation services for administrative correspondence, editorial assistance for English-language journals, participation in internal and external evaluation processes, and collaboration with national committees for curriculum translation and educational planning under the Ministry of Health.
Over the years, the Department has benefited from the contributions of many distinguished faculty members whose academic and professional efforts have shaped its development. Retired members include Majid Ahmadi, Saeid Zarein, Fatemeh Fazeli, Ali Salehi Yekta, and Farah Saemian. Their collective contributions in teaching, research, curriculum development, and academic leadership have played a fundamental role in shaping the identity and reputation of the Department.
Among the founding figures, Majid Ahmadi played a particularly important role in establishing and developing the Department. Beginning as the sole faculty member in the early years of the unit, he later became a leading academic figure and contributed to the expansion of the Department into one of the strongest English language units in Iranian medical universities. He also helped establish the national English Language Board within the Ministry of Health and served as its secretary for many years, contributing to national examinations, curriculum reform, and language policy across numerous medical universities.
Saeid Zarein contributed extensively to teaching, faculty development workshops, academic writing training, and research activities following his doctoral studies in Applied Linguistics at the University of Bristol. His work resulted in numerous publications and significant contributions to language education practices.
Fatemeh Fazeli contributed to teaching, textbook writing, translation work, and participation in national committees related to language education and curriculum development.
Ali Salehi Yekta contributed to academic editing, digital communication, assessment development, and research in language testing and applied linguistics.
Farah Saemian contributed to teaching across multiple universities, research activities, and the development of English language education programs.
In summary, the Department of English Language Education at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences represents a long-standing tradition of academic excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and national service. Its development from a small instructional unit into a nationally recognized center for medical English education reflects its sustained commitment to improving language education, supporting scientific communication, and contributing to the advancement of higher education in Iran and the region.