Elements and Dimensions of Sustainability in Iran's Higher Education System, and Comparison of Public and Non-Governmental Academic Approaches

Purpose: The main objective was to research the elements and dimensions of university sustainability and to provide a comprehensive conceptual model for the realization of a sustainable university in the Iranian higher education system and to compare the approach of public and non-governmental universities. Methodology: The research approach was applied in terms of purpose and in terms of data collection method was descriptive-correlational. It was mixed in terms of qualitative and quantitative. In the qualitative section, the components of sustainable university were identified through semi-structured interviews with 17 higher education experts and policymakers selected through purposive sampling. Content analysis method was used for data analysis by inductive method. The research method was quantitative descriptive-survey. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 8 subscales and its content extracted from qualitative data. The population consisted of 322 faculty members of public and non-governmental universities selected by Cochran formula. The construct validity of the instrument was confirmed by experts and its reliability was calculated by Cronbach's alpha. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. Findings: The results of the data analysis in the coding process finally included 8 main categories of pedagogy elements and dimensions in the processes of learning, sustainable research, functional requirements, social sustainability, economic sustainability, academic and academic identity and academic diplomacy in the age of globalization. . The results of the quantitative section also showed the difference of sustainability indices in public and non-public universities. Conclusion: Finally, the results showed that universities need to move towards sustainability in order to maintain their stability in the current situation.