Explaining and Prioritizing Indicators and Dimensions of Network Governance for University-Industry Interaction in Iran

seyyed jafar irani kolur ¹ ( PhD student, Department of Management, Ur.C., Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran )
mahrokh lotfollahi hagh ² ( Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Ur.C., Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran )
mojtaba heidary ³ ( Associate Professor, Department of Management, Ur.C., Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran )
reza rostamzadeh ⁴ ( Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Ur.C., Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran )

Submited date : 2025-09-29 Accepted date : 2026-09-12

Keywords: Government Support Policies, Innovation and Technology Transfer, Network Governance, Prioritization of Dimensions, University-Industry Interaction,

Abstract :

Effective university-industry interaction, a key driver of national development, has historically faced obstacles in Iran, including a lack of mutual trust and curriculum-market misalignment. This study explains and prioritizes the key components, dimensions, and indicators of network governance to strengthen this vital link.

A mixed-methods approach was employed. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with 15 experts and content analysis of 15 selected texts. Analyzing data via MAXQDA yielded 6 main components, 20 dimensions, and 66 key indicators. In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was distributed to 523 participants for exploratory factor analysis and 473 for confirmatory factor analysis (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91).

Friedman test rankings revealed that government support policies hold the highest priority (mean rank: 5.57), followed by the interaction communication network (5.43), development of cooperation patterns (2.65), communication improvement processes (2.60), skill creation (2.49), and infrastructure provision (2.26). At the sub-dimension level, research collaborations, barrier removal, and the market orientation of academic disciplines are particularly crucial.

While aligning with international studies on trust and institutional support, these findings emphasize the indigenous Iranian context, offering practical suggestions for policymakers to bridge the historical gap and foster a knowledge-based economy.

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