Designing the model of an entrepreneurial university with an integrated approach of DEMATEL technique and interpretive structural modeling

In the last two decades, the concept of entrepreneurial university has seriously attracted the attention of experts and theorists in the field of higher education. The entrepreneurial university uses the potentials available in the university to develop and strengthen entrepreneurship, which is a solution to overcoming employment and economic problems. The purpose of this study was to design an entrepreneurial university model by utilizing Gibb's model and decision-making techniques at a technical and vocational university.

This applied study was a descriptive-survey type that was implemented in 1401 by utilizing the opinions of five managers of Kermanshah technical and vocational university. In order to develop the entrepreneurial university model, the model presented by Gabe was chosen in 2012 due to its validity and comprehensiveness. The data collection tool was pairwise comparison questionnaires, which were used to validate face validity and structural validity, and DEMATEL decision-making techniques and interpretive structural modeling were used for data analysis.

The results showed that six dimensions “organizational structure and plan”, “multi-disciplinary and supra-disciplinary”, “the power of penetration and use of diverse resources”, “graduates”, “internationalization” and “entrepreneurial education and investment education” had a causal role among the examined dimensions. Also, the remaining five dimensions, i.e. dimensions “vision, strategy and mission of the university”, “governance and administration of the university”, “management of stakeholders and community values”, “knowledge transfer” and “center for risk financing and growth in university-derived”, had a handicap role. In addition, it was found that the power of penetration and use of diverse resources is an independent variable that has a high penetration rate and affects all dimensions, and center for risk financing and growth in university-derived was identified as the dependent variable and the most effective dimension. In the end, it was suggested that in order to become an entrepreneurial university, a technical and vocational university should seek to earn income from various non-budgetary and non-tuition sources in addition to government revenues. In addition, the Ministry of Science should choose people who are entrepreneurs or who are bound to the entrepreneurial policies, visions and missions of the government and universities for the purpose of governance and administration of the university.