Identifying and Explaining the Dimensions and Components of Creating a Role for the Board of Trustees in Funding the University and its Improvement

Funding of universities is one of the most complex problems and issues of universities in the world and on the other hand, governments tend to reduce the dependency of universities on government resources and offer universities to the market and supply system. Given that the university serves the community, individuals from the community, act as a board of trustees, as an intermediary between the university and the community. Through this connection, the Board of Trustees can play an important role in creating and attracting new financial resources for the university. This study aimed to identify and explain the dimensions and functional components that can effectively create and promote the role of the Board of Trustees in financing universities.

The present study was applied in terms of purpose, qualitative in terms of data type, and content analysis in terms of research method. Participants in this study included 15 experts in the field of higher education who were selected by purposive sampling. The data collection tool is a semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA2018 software. Data validation was done by the participants using the verification method.

According to the data obtained from research interviews, the data are summarized into four dimensions, including methods of financing universities, the role of the Board of Trustees in financing universities, barriers to diversification in financing universities, and Mechanisms for promoting the role of the Board of Trustees in financing and 18 components for the main category, namely promoting the role of the Board of Trustees in financing universities and 55 sub-components. In terms of funding methods, universities should interact with the economy, market and industry and play a more active role in these areas. Such a reflection should be reflected in the activities of the Board of Trustees. Therefore, by applying the proposed mechanisms and removing existing barriers to diversification in the provision of financial resources, by benefiting from people from different economic, social, production and service sectors under the name of the Board of Trustees, it is possible to promote the role of the Board of Trustees in providing resources. In this case, the members of the Board of Trustees can, by creating new connections, repair the existing gaps between the university and the community and create an institutional, purposeful and effective relationship, in order to provide new financial resources and diversify resources.