Identifying and Ranking the Dimensions of Mission-Oriented Universities in Universities of Mazandaran Province
Keywords:
Mission-oriented university, research and development, internationalizationAbstract
The present study aimed to identify and rank the dimensions of mission-oriented universities in the universities of Mazandaran Province in order to clarify the key components required for mission-driven transformation in higher education. This applied study adopted an exploratory mixed-method (qualitative–quantitative) design. Grounded theory was employed in the qualitative phase and a descriptive-survey approach was used in the quantitative phase. The qualitative population consisted of 20 university professors, experts, and senior administrators, from which 12 participants were selected through purposive sampling based on theoretical saturation. The quantitative population included 5,878 faculty members, and 361 participants were selected through stratified random sampling using Cochran’s formula. Data collection tools included semi-structured interviews and a researcher-made 45-item questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale. Face, content, and construct validity were confirmed, and reliability coefficients exceeded 0.70. Data analysis was conducted using theoretical coding, confirmatory factor analysis, and the Friedman ranking test. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a seven-dimension structure of mission-oriented universities consisting of research and development, industry collaboration, teaching and learning, innovation and entrepreneurship, internationalization, knowledge management, and social services. All factor loadings were significant (t>1.96) and standardized coefficients exceeded 0.70, indicating satisfactory model fit. Friedman test results revealed significant differences among dimension rankings (p<0.05), with internationalization ranked first and industry collaboration ranked last. The findings indicate that mission-oriented universities require an integrated focus on scientific development, innovation capacity, social engagement, and global interaction, while strengthening internationalization can serve as a strategic driver for improving higher education quality, expanding academic collaboration, and enhancing universities’ contributions to sustainable regional development.
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References
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