the Role of Educational Planning in Developing Students' Human Capital with an Emphasis on Job Skills and Entrepreneurship

Articles in Press

Document Type : research article

Author

Associate Professor of Department of Education, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22080/eps.2026.31474.2407

Abstract

Aim: Educational planning plays a key role in the quality of graduates' human capital. This research aims to analyze the role of educational planning in developing human capital of higher education graduates with an emphasis on job skills and entrepreneurship using a meta-synthesis method.
Methodology: This applied, qualitative study employed a synthesis research (meta-synthesis) approach. From 287 initial sources published between 2000 and 2025, after removing duplicates and title/abstract screening, 82 sources were assessed for quality using the CASP checklist. Finally, 45 valid sources (22 English articles, 18 Persian articles, 3 books, 2 dissertations) were selected for analysis. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis in three stages: open coding (85 codes), axial coding (7 organizing themes), and selective coding (3 global themes). Credibility was ensured through peer debriefing and source triangulation, and trustworthiness through inter-coder agreement (85%).
Results: Three global themes were identified: 1) The effective role of educational planning in human capital development including five components (impact on general competencies, job skills, soft skills, entrepreneurship, and employability); 2) Obstacles and challenges including structural-methodological barriers (traditional approach, mismatch with labor market, theoretical assessment) and participatory-infrastructural barriers (weak stakeholder participation, lack of facilities); 3) Improvement strategies including goal-content strategies, method-assessment strategies, and structural strategies (revising objectives, reforming assessment, linking with industry, empowering faculty).
Conclusions and suggestions: Educational planning succeeds in developing human capital when it has skill-oriented goals, practical content, active methods, and multidimensional assessment. Specific suggestions include: requiring at least two real practical projects per academic level; allocating 30% of course grades to group activities; gradually replacing 50% of written exams with portfolio assessment; making a 3-credit internship mandatory with employer evaluation; forming a joint university-industry working group in each faculty; and empowering faculty through annual 30-hour courses in active teaching methods.
Innovation and originality: Innovation at three levels: methodological (synthesis research with systematic review and CASP), theoretical (three‑theme framework of simultaneous impact on five components of human capital), and practical (specific quantitative suggestions such as replacing 50% of exams with portfolios).

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References

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Journal of Educational Planning Studies

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 September 2026

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  • Receive Date: 23 March 2026
  • Revise Date: 06 May 2026
  • Accept Date: 10 May 2026

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