A Model for Effective Accountability at Public Universities: Mixed Method

The purpose of this study was to investigate experts' perceptions and attitudes towards various aspects of public universities accountability in Tehran city. This study used an exploratory mixed methods approach involving 309 faculty members, experts and phd students in 2015. The main purpose of the qualitative phase was to develop a background for a questionnaire and provisional model to be used in the quantitative phase. Participants of the present research included 20 professors and principals of public universities in Tehran who were selected based on repetition logic and were selected in line with the theory which is known as theoretical sampling and it lasted till the collected data reached the point of saturation. Structural equation modeling analysis during the quantitative phase provided a model that shows the relationships of different factors regarding effective accountability. The result of study provided exploratory model to describe the relationship between casual conditions of balanced accountability to the needs of the stakeholders, accountability strategies, context and environmental aspect of Public universities, and outcomes of it.