The Model of Improving Academic Leadership Capacity in Academic Branches(Case Study: Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch)

Academic leaders have a decisive role in achieving the goals of the university, and their capabilities must be constantly improved for optimal performance. Therefore, the aim of the research is to provide a model for improving leadership capacity in university branches with an emphasis on Islamic Azad University.

In terms of its objectives, the present study is of an applied-developmental and mixed-method research type. In the qualitative phase, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 15 experts who were purposefully selected and the data was analyzed by thematic analysis. Also, in the quantitative stage, a questionnaire tool was used to check the validity of the model, and the data was analyzed with the structural equation modeling method and Smart PLS software. The statistical population included 139 managers of Azad University, Science and Research Branch, who were selected by simple random sampling method.

The dimensions of academic leadership in Islamic Azad University include seven categories of individual, interpersonal, cognitive, managerial, guiding, professional/academic, and spiritual characteristics, as well as strategies to improve leadership capacity, including appropriate appointment of academic leaders, development of academic leaders, support for academic leaders, and leadership development. The results of the quantitative stage showed that the validity of the model was confirmed and the coefficient of determination for leadership, strategies, and consequences were calculated as 0.630, 0.715, and 0.663, respectively.