Professional Competency model of agricultural students based on a qualitative method of grounded theory

Today's universities must meet the growing needs of society in various areas, including education, research, entrepreneurship and manpower management, including students and faculty members at the national and international levels. In fact, the university is responsible for training specialized and skilled manpower, as the most important asset of society. The essential role expected of the university is to prepare a scientist, capable and prosperous human being in society. Therefore, according to the growing needs of society and identifying the competencies needed by students to face society in this study, we seek to determine the model of competencies of agricultural students based on a qualitative method. The statistical population of this study included professors of agricultural universities, agricultural specialists in the public and private sectors. The research tool was semi-structured interviews with 28 people. Also, data analysis was performed in three stages of open, axial and selective coding. The results showed that the causal conditions needed for the creating of the core theme (competencies of agricultural students) include communication skills, experimental and practical skills, entrepreneurial skills, managerial skills and team and group skills. Interventional (effective) conditions also include the presence of outstanding professors, the use of teaching aids and recognition of the economic potential of the region. In addition, the background conditions and the necessary context for the emergence of the core theme, namely the competencies of agricultural students, were: the university education methods, creating interest and motivation in students, and communication with leading agricultural activists and frontier farmers. Action and reaction strategies also included lack of attention to the needs of the labor market, using emotional intelligence and the problems faced to the agricultural sector and the awareness with them