Assessing the Impact of Islamic Azad University of Sari on Sustainable Developments of the Surrounding Areas

Urban migration and urban growth are recognized as main challenges in developing countries. Education as one of fundamental strategies has key role in national development. Although, they have influenced several consequences on city and regional levels apart from academic mission, their main functions are resourceful human sources and contribution of knowledge as well as technical skill. Governments were allocating different funds from national capital for education budget to improve human resources which the parts of developed countries are 7% of GDP, and developing countries are 6% of GDP approximately. Since last decades, the universities have expanded through growth population and society’s cultural aspect of academic education, but the universities’ roles are ambiguous to achieve cities’ sustainable development in developing countries. Sustainable development as a process is multi-dimensional which tries to modify fundamental situation in social structures, public attitudes, and national institutions through economic growth, and social equality as well as reduce poverty. Generally, communities reach sustainable development when there are four main elements including: natural potential, appropriate current infrastructures, sufficient human resources, and adequate financial resources.          Under the special position for land, agricultural economy in North of Iran, the need of research is the consequences of universities establishment on their region’s sustainable development. The aim is to assess consequences for establishment of Islamic Azad University Sari branch toward sustainable development. There are several researches which focused on the Iranian’ universities impacts on social aspects such as employment, woman conditions, and public cultures, but a few studies have concentrated on Iranian universities consequences to achieve sustainable development. Different studies described that there are two main approaches to achieve sustainable development, including: people- oriented, and procedures based on participation. Theoretical framework for current study developed based on the sustainable development concept which included three fundamental components Environment, economic, and social.      Research method is conducted quantitatively and survey-based and then, primary data is collected by questionnaires which has been designed based on the several studies and consist of two main sections including personal information, and impacts of the university establishment based on the sustainable development components. A Lickert scale was employed to apply arranged choice variables in terms of the three main components of sustainable development including: Economic, social, and physical. The sample size has been determined by Cochran Formula and so, 380 persons had contributed among 400 people. The research has employed One-sample t-test and Friedman test to analyze collected data. The results reveal that significant and positive relation between Islamic Azad University of Sari and three major components of sustainable development, but the factors are different impacts. Thus, Azad University Sari branch has the greatest effect on economic aspect, and physical and social aspects are in next ranking respectively. Finally, the findings appear that the university impact on physical aspect of Sari city has been neglected and then, Sari’ surrounding areas have developed in lack of abilities and capacities of Islamic Azad University-Sari branch. Therefore, the university roles and potentials must be considered by authorities for urban planning process in different levels.