Application a Mixed Model of Factor Analysis and SWOT Analysis in Determining Strategic Priorities for Higher Education(Case Study: Isfahan State Higher Education Subsystem)

Higher education provides the basis for the economic, social, cultural and scientific development of each country And one of the most important factors in the dynamics of the national economy. Therefore, planning to empowerment of higher education and How to transform higher education to meet and respond to the internal and external challenges of the university is one of the most important issues. strategic planning is one of the common methods of planning in higher education. It is used as a tool for managing decisions and activities that affect the long - term performance of a firm. Considering the importance of strategic planning in higher education, The purpose of this study was to improve the strategic planning process in determining the priorities of the governmental subsystem of higher education in Isfahan province, using the combined SWOT model and exploratory factor analysis.

The research method was descriptive-survey and the statistical population was 130 faculty members of Isfahan University of Technology, University of Isfahan, Kashan University and Malek Ashtar Industrial Technology University, who participated in the process of compiling the Secretariat of Isfahan Higher Education Planning document (2015). The samples were selected, using the purposive sampling. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire, whose costruct, face and content validity was confirmed in the second phase of the Secretariat of Isfahan Higher Education Planning document. The reliability of the questionnaire was estimated 0.70 through Cronbach's alpha coefficient. 45 faculty members completed the questionnaires and returned them. The data analysis was performed using the Bartlett test (KMO), exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient, Pearson correlation coefficient through SPSS-17 software.

By using this mixed model, (by reducing the dimensions of SWOT matrix to about one tenth points and through making a statistical relationship between internal and external factors ), seven valid strategies were discovered and defined without inquiring all the grids of SWOT matrix which had less complexity compared to the AHP and ANP methods. These strategies met the objectives of this sub-system and, by defining a new indicator, made the prioritization task through the use of linear allocation technique.

Although the analysis technique of the SWOT matrix regulates the extraction of strategies, but according to Bryson & Roering (1987), this matrix does not provide a specific offer for how to extract strategies when comparing internal and external factors. Therefore, the development of WT, ST, WO and SO strategies are highly qualitative and is highly dependent on the expertise and creativity of strategists.