University Life Cycle - Fuzzy Approach

High competition among universities and their efforts toward providing the most qualified services for gaining a higher level of international stance have made the need for a comprehensive approach to assess institution’s performance essential. The design and implementation of an assessment system is a vital requirement for an organization to determine the level of goal achievement and is helpful in identifying its life cycle. The identification of a university’s life cycle could aid management planning in a manner that the organization is always maintained in the stage of development and maturity; otherwise aging period and following that death could be expected. The use of novel measures and approaches for identifying the university’s life cycle and stance could be much beneficial in management and direction of higher education centers. Therefore, in this study a fuzzy approach was utilized to identify the life cycle of universities. This research was carried out through four aspects of education, research, international and culture facet, and facilities within the years of 1370 to 1387 at Tarbiat Modaress University. Results showed that this university has been at the stage of introduction in 1370 and 1371, and in the meantime of 1372 to 1380 it has been at the stage of growth, and afterwards it has been at the stage of maturity.