Analyzing the Plausible Future of the Scientific Structure of the Islamic Azad University

The analysis of the credible future of the Islamic Azad University's scientific structure based on its productions in the Web of Science database based on the views of top researchers and scientific policy-making managers of that organization is the aim of this research.

The current research is an applied research with a qualitative approach, and in order to analyze the credible future of the scientific structure of Islamic Azad University productions, it has used the method of content analysis of the views of researchers and scientific policy-making managers of Islamic Azad University. The semi-structured in-depth interview method was used to collect information, the questions of which were restructured from the research results in the scientific structure of the Islamic Azad University and focused on the believable future and from 10 top researchers in seven main subject areas (basic sciences, medicine, humanities, technical and engineering, art and architecture, veterinary medicine and agriculture) and scientific policy-making managers of Islamic Azad University were interviewed by targeted sampling method. Data analysis was done using the qualitative content analysis method using MAXQDA software in three stages of open, central and selective coding phases.

The qualitative analysis of the research results led to the identification of 73 concepts and 18 sub-categories in the subset of 3 main categories (past weight/present pressure/future tension) for the believable future of the scientific structure of Islamic Azad University. The weight of the past in the triangle of the believable future of the scientific production structure of Islamic Azad University consists of 7 categories and 32 concepts, the pressure of the present consists of 4 categories and 21 concepts, and the tension of the future also consists of 7 categories and 21 concepts. Also, the findings showed that the scientific structure of Islamic Azad University has overcome various obstacles such as weight and propellants such as current pressure. As well, prospects have been formed as a future trend.

The results showed that the scientific structure of the Islamic Azad University is more inclined towards the weight of the past and the pressure of the present, and it is necessary for the university officials to take measures to reduce the weight of the past (research, organizational, motivational, economic, cultural, communication and technological obstacles) and keep up with the pressure. Research, technological, motivational and economic drivers should be considered in order to change the direction towards the future traction (research, economic, technological perspectives, organizational structure, motivational, cultural and communication) so that the university has a smooth and faster way to reach the scientific structure. To achieve the desired scientific structure, Islamic Azad University can achieve the credible future of the structure of its scientific productions from the role and effects of negative and inhibiting factors that exist in the form of the weight of the past, with a correct and defined understanding of these obstacles, the first and most important step of the necessary efforts in order to achieve the goals of the vision document and comprehensive scientific map of the country. Also, one way of synchronizing with the current pressure is to withdraw from raw sales and not to use scientific productions and direction of research topics; which is the main driver of Islamic Azad University. Also, in line with the direction of the future, Islamic Azad University with the ecosystem of scientific productions can take a big step in drawing a credible future of its scientific structure.