The Role of Universities in Cultural Regeneration of Tehran's Central Historical District

Universities can play an effective role in regeneration  old and urban historical texture through scientific, cultural and entrepreneurial actions. This research studies the role of universities in cultural rehabilitation of the central historical part of Tehran. The area of ​​study of this research is the internal area of ​​the “Naseri Fence” with an area of ​​2,250 hectares, which has been registered by the Cultural Heritage Organization and is located in Tehran municipality of No.11th and 12th districts. The statistical population of this study consisted of  289 faculty members in the fields of  Urban Planning, Architecture, Geography and Urban Planning, Urban Management and Tourism Planning at five important public universities located on  the northern edge of the study area (Kharazmi, Amirkabir, Art, , Tehran and EMAM-Ali University ). The sample size of this study was  estimated 35 urban faculty members and experts of ​​these universities, that is based on a saturated opinion  of repetition of the responses. Data were collected by using of a semi-structured interview and a researcher-made questionnaire. The items of this questionnaire were determined by using of  the theoretical basis of cultural regeneration and the tasks and missions of the third and fourth generation universities, and were matched and rewritten with the study area and community. Face validity method was used to check validity of the variables and the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (mean, T-test) and structural equation method (SEM) were used in order to data analysis. Based on the finding of this research, the studied universities can contribute to the cultural regeneration of the central historical part of Tehran through alteration of  their practices and actions related to their educational tasks and goals , but the results also indicate that these  universities are still in their infancy