Structural Requirements of the Third-Generation University: The Case of Medical Sciences Universities in Iran

INTRODUCTION: Given the social, economic, environmental and internal developments of universities, the necessity for medical universities to move to being third-generation universities has been demonstrated. These universities, along with the requirements of entrepreneurship and commercialization of research, are in need of structural requirements. This study was conducted with the aim to identify and introduce the structural requirements of medical sciences universities in Iran in the transition to the third-generation universities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a qualitative approach using a conventional content analysis method. The contributors comprised 16 faculty members working in medical universities in Iran who were purposefully recruited and interviewed face to face in semi-structured interviews between October 2018 and March 2019. RESULTS: Two wide classifications containing macro-structural requirements (institutional requirements) and micro-structural requirements (organizational requirements) were developed. Institutional requirements included four subcategories including redefining the university as a holding of knowledge business units, redefining academic units as a strategic business unit (SBU) which refer to the mission of the universities and eliminate bureaucracy, independence, and ‘Competition in recruitment and contracts’ which refer to the administrative requirements of the universities. The organizational requirements included units and offices, centers, and parks that are grouped because of similarities in internal processes. CONCLUSION: Medical universities need structural requirements to move to third-generation universities and improve infrastructure. These requirements, which develop in a spiral over time, must be appropriate and tailored to the capacity of each university.