The Iranian Cultural Revolution occurred from 1980 to 1983, in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution, when the Iranian government purged the higher education system of Western, leftist, or non-Islamic influences. Universities were closed for three years, and resistance to Ayatollah Khomeini's control at many universities was unsuccessful, with an unknown number of students and faculty being executed for being opposed to Khomeini. Many teachers and technocrats fled the country due to Iran's censorship of foreign influences, and the loss of job skills and capital weakened Iran's economy. A 41-member Cultural Council was created to ensure that Iran remained "100% Islamic", and it forced veteran professors across the country to step down in 2006 as younger and more convinced Islamist professors took their places.