Strategic Approaches to Curriculum Integration for Pre-doctoral Dental Education in an Iranian Research-intensive University Context

Drawing on the scholarship of educational leadership (SoEL), this paper examines strategic approaches to curriculum integration in a pre-doctoral dental program at Guilan University of Medical Sciences (GUMS), Iran. Appreciative inquiry methodology was employed to assess broad contextual factors, best practices and strategic institutional supports within a diverse disciplinary setting. Data suggest that strategically aligned promotion, tenure and reappointment criteria, as well as customised professional development initiatives are contributors to facilitate faculty engagement in effective learning-centred curriculum practices in the pre-doctoral dental program. Furthermore, a networked improvement community grounded in curriculum inquiry is to enhancing and sustaining curriculum integration in this research-intensive university context. Key institutional supports, challenges and strategic applications of curriculum integration are discussed.