This article explores and explain the principles of the promotion faculty members of universities and research centers in Iran, while also clarifying these regulations as a tool in policy-making in the higher education system, and has positioned it among various typologies of policy. the present study utilized qualitative research design. The study population consists of the upstream documents of the regulation and the faculty members and promotion audit boards of the universities of the country in 2016. among which all the documents are compiled in full (including 7 documents) and 19 members of the faculty and promotion audit boards have been selected through purposeful sampling. The data gathering tool included electronic note taking and semi-structured interviews. The content analysis of the research data shows11 principles consist of 38 categories. These principles are: recognizing the condition of universities and attention to reality, the principle of the priority of national interests and public interests on individual and collective interests, attention to the nature of scientific institutions, paying attention to the needs and priorities of science and technology of the country balancing and the principle of Diversity, creating a dynamic and continuous improvement, comprehensiveness and Having holistic thinking, non-gravity of activities, justice, meritocracy and excellence, and education along with teaching and research. These principles have their own specific implications for each stage of the codification, enforcement and evaluation of the faculty promotion regulation of universities and research centers in Iran.