This qualitative study employs a comparative approach based on George Bereday’s model. To this end, Iran was examined alongside England and Germany, both of which are among the top twenty countries in higher education globally. The research strategy was based on the principle of diverse social systems leading to different educational outcomes. Data were collected through documentary (library-based) methods, including the review of relevant books and research studies. The collected data were described, interpreted, and analyzed in a tabular format. The findings indicate that all three countries focus on increasing the number of graduates, outsourcing educational activities to the private sector, aligning university programs with labor market needs, providing higher education for all, and reducing state intervention. The mission of universities in Iran is to enhance educational and research activities; in England, to promote academic freedom and a research-driven approach; and in Germany, to conduct applied research with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. The dominant model in England's higher education system is Oxbridge; in Germany, it is Humboldtian; while in Iran, no dominant model was identified. In Iran, national-level decision-making is delegated to bodies such as the Parliament, the Cabinet, and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, whereas in Germany and England, it is assigned to government agencies and parliaments. It is recommended that Iranian higher education planners revise the system's mission with an emphasis on realism to improve quality, promote international academic exchanges, strengthen university-industry linkages, ensure institutional autonomy and depoliticization, and update curricula with an international outlook.
