Investigating the interactive role of university and municipality in creating and developing a learning city

This study aimed at designing a model for developing a learning city with a focus on the university role in metropolis city of Ahvaz. The research is based on the Grounded theory. The statistical population included faculty members of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and Ahvaz municipality managers. Snowball sampling was purposeful and continued until the researcher reached a saturated decision after interviewing 23 samples. After analyzing the the interviews’ data, 834 open codes extracted, 38 categories developed and following the three steps of open, axial and selective coding, the learning city model was presented. The model focuses on the university with six main categories: Causal conditions, pivotal phenomena, contextual conditions, interventional conditions, strategies, and consequences. The designed model could be used as a strategic or operational model in municipality of Ahvaz city. Based on the data The consequences and implications of a collaboration between the city and university are as follows: social development and maturating of the citizens, developing of social urban activities, increasing of cultural and scientific associations, improving urban decisions, upgrading of university and municipality cooperation, increasing public awareness and responsibility of the citizens and officials regarding the education, teaching, innovation in urban landscapes and landscape and the obligation of preparing tutorials for any projects in the learning city and improving the municipality collaboration in national and international levels.