Study of The Status on Iran's Higher Education Knowledge Market (Case study of universities under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Mazandaran province)

Participation in the knowledge-based global market has become an important policy in developing countries. This research was conducted to identify the current status of the knowledge market in Iran.
Methods and Materials: The present study is descriptive-survey. The statistical population consists of 50 experts of governmental and non-governmental universities (subsection of Ministry of Science and Health) of Mazandaran province. To collect data, two researcher-made questionnaires (existing and desirable knowledge market) were used including 39 pairs of corresponding questions based on the five-point Likert scale with seven dimensions. Its validity was confirmed by experts and for the reliability, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.94. Data analysis was done by Wilcoxon test using 24 SPSS software.
From the academic expert's point of view, there was a gap in all aspects of the knowledge market. Dimensions of the largest to the smallest gap includes Knowledge commercialization(-2.3),internationalization(-2.2),commodification(-2.1), standardization (-2.1), participation (-2.1), inclusiveness (-1.8), and compete (-1.7).
The current status of the market for higher education knowledge is not favorable to academic experts and does not meet expectations. Accordingly, policy review in higher education based on the requirements of the knowledge market, matching curricula to the needs of the community and industry and more attention to university social responsibility and provide educational and motivational programs for professors, students, and staff and university administrators in relation to globalization requirements and The components of the knowledge market and their empowerment are more essential.