University Archives Management in the World's Top Universities

Identifying the processes of managing university archives in the world's top universities and providing solutions for proper management of university archives of Iran.

The study is applied research in terms of the purpose and was conducted using descriptive research method. The statistical population was the archives of the top 150 universities in the world. Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The collected data was recorded in SPSS software and analyzed based on descriptive statistics.

Most of the university archives operate under the supervision of the university library and consist of administrative, historical, and research archives. Official university / administrative and financial records comprise the bulk of the collection in university archives. Professors, students and researchers outside the university were the main users of university archives. Collection level was the most common level of records arrangement and description, and records arrangement and description are based on national and international standards, the most common of which is the ISAD standard. Records and resources could only be used in the study room in most university archives. Training programs in records arrangement and description for employees were a priority. Holding exhibitions ranked first among the types of educational programs for users. In general, all the different activities and aspects of managing the identified university archives were very important in the university archives perspectives, but their importance varied in each university archive according to the university policies.