Identifying Indicators of the New Generation University with the Thematic Analysis Approach and Shannon Entropy

In recent decades, rapid changes in the scientific, technological, and social environments have pushed universities to take on a new role. The concept of the new generation university, as an evolved model of traditional and research universities, emphasizes dynamic interaction with society, innovation, entrepreneurship, and responsiveness to the needs of society. Awareness of the characteristics of new generation universities is an effective step towards its implementation in universities. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to identify the indicators of new generation universities.

The present research was conducted using a mixed exploratory method of sequential qualitative-quantitative type. The qualitative part is based on thematic analysis and, the review list of existing documents in the field of new generation universities as the information gathering tool was used. The statistical population of this research includes 228 documents about new generation universities, by considering the entry criteria, 76 documents were included in the analysis. Quantitative part is based on Shannon Entropy and using questionnaire tool. The participants were 14 faculty members of universities in Tehran, who were selected by purposeful judgmental sampling.

The findings of the research showed that new generation universities have two categories of indicators including internal and external indicators. Among the internal features, having an entrepreneurial culture and thinking, intelligence and democracy in knowledge, exploiting market opportunities and providing new solutions, knowledge management, and among the external features, cooperation with the industry, obtaining alternative financial resources to finance research, developing relationships With the international arena, society-centeredness and sensitivity to its issues and attention to people and their issues have the highest coefficient of importance.

New generation universities, as leading institutions in scientific, technological, and economic development, require specific and measurable indicators to fulfill their missions. The collection and application of these indicators can lead to the improvement of the quality of education, the improvement of the university's position in the national and international system, and the increase of its role in sustainable development.