Presenting a Qualitative Development Model of Tehran Public Universities based on World University Ranking Approach

The higher education system in all societies, with the growth of human abilities, genius, and intellectual potential, expands the human knowledge frontiers. For this reason, attention and emphasis on increasing the quality of higher education, universities and their products are always mentioned. The aim of this study was to present a model of qualitative development of public universities based on the global university's ranking approach. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used to extract the main components which was conducted with 18 experts in the field of higher education. Participants were selected using the purposeful theoretical sampling method, and also using the Corbin and Strauss database method that 6 categories and 27 concepts were extracted in the open coding stage. In the axial coding stage of paradigm model whereas in the selected coding stage, the theoretical model arising from the research findings were introduced and explained. The findings showed that the categories of flexible management, balanced research, academic freedom, academic independence, material resources, financial resources, competitiveness, capable environment, normal relationships of adaptation and diversity were at the center of the model.  Moreover, based on the findings of the research, three categories of quality assurance of higher education, branding and support of executive managers were selected as causal conditions affecting the qualitative development of universities based on the world university ranking approach. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the criteria of the Ranking World University in Iran should be seriously considered and emphasized the practical use of the extracted categories to achieve the desired conditions of World-University ranking.