Investigating the Role of the Board of Trustees in Providing Financing Resources for Universities

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Fatemeh Akhavanhezaveh 1
Mostafa Edjtehadi 2
Amir Hosein Mohammaddavoodi 3
Kamran Mohammadkhani 4
1 Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Sociology, Faculty of Letters and Humanity, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Faculty of Humanity, Saveh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran.
4 Faculty of management and economics, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
10.52547/jpap.2021.222958.1087
Abstract
Purpose: Investigating the role of the board of trustees in providing financial resources for universities
Design/Methodology/Approach: The present study was applied in terms of purpose, qualitative in terms of data type and content analysis in terms of research method. In this research, two qualitative strategies including "content analysis" and “qualitative comparative studies” have been used. The data collection tool is a semi-structured interview. Participants in this study included 15 experts in the field of higher education who were selected by purposive sampling. The data collection tool is a semi-structured interview. The validation of the data was done by the participants using the verification method. The study also examined the rules and regulations of higher education in the field of the Board of Trustees and its relationship with financial issues. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA2018 software.
 Research Findings: According to the data obtained from the interviews, the summarized data includes four categories: monitoring the university's financial resources, guiding the university, strengthening the university's relationship with society and industry, streamlining the rules and regulations, and 10 components. According to the data obtained from the review of the rules, the summarized data includes 3 selective categories: approval and monitoring of budget implementation, revenue generation and expenditures, payments, and 7 core categories.
 Limitations & Consequences: One of the limitations of this research is lack of access to experts.
 Practical Consequences: The most important practical consequence of this research is to provide a way to diversify the financial resources of universities.
 Innovation or value of the Article: Not much research has been done on the role of the board of trustees. The main initiative in this research is to give suggestions based on existing laws.
Paper Type: Research Article
Keywords
Board of Trustees
Financing
Fourth Generation University
  1. Akhavan, F., Edjtehadi, M., Mohammaddavoodi, A.H., and Mohammadkhani, K., (2021). Identifying and explaining the dimensions and components of creating a role for the Board of Trustees in funding the university and its improvement, Journal of Management and Planning in Educational Systems, 14(1), 129-156.
  2. Azargoshab E., (2007). Investigating the function of boards of trustees and its role in the independence of public universities affiliated to the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, PhD Thesis in Higher Education Management, Faculty of Psycology and Educational Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, (in Persian).
  3. Barringer, S. N. and Riffe K. A. (2018). Not just figureheads: Trustees as microfoundations of higher education institutions. Innovative Higher Education, 43(3), 155-170.
  4. Boesso G., Cerbioni F., Menini A. and Parbonetti A. (2017). The role of the board in shaping foundations’ strategy: an empirical study, Journal of Management & Governance, 21(2), 375-397.
  5. Budget Law of the country (2016). Single article and macro tables of budget resources and expenditures, Program and Budget Organization of the Country, Program and Budget Organization Publication, (in Persian).
  6. Budget Law of the country (2017). Single article and macro tables of budget resources and expenditures, Program and Budget Organization of the Country, Program and Budget Organization Publication, (in Persian).
  7. Budget Law of the country (2018). Single article and macro tables of budget resources and expenditures, Program and Budget Organization of the Country, Program and Budget Organization Publication, (in Persian).
  8. Budget Law of the country (2019). Single article and macro tables of budget resources and expenditures, Program and Budget Organization of the Country, Program and Budget Organization Publication, (in Persian).
  9. Damari, B., Rahbari-Bonab, M., Vosoogh Moghaddam, A., and Aminloo, H., (2014). Challenges and Performance Improvement Approaches of Boards of Trustees of Universities of Medical Sciences and Health Services in Iran, Hakim Health Sys Res, 17(2): 88- 95, (in Persian).
  10. Daghani R., Moradi E., (2019). Investigating the structure of financing in higher education in Iran and other countries, Higher Education Organization Conference: Upcoming Scenarios, Iranian Higher Education Association, December 2019, Tehran.
  11. Jalahi, H., Khorasani, A., Yamani Douzi Sorkhabi, M., and Mosazadeh, M. (2018). Function of Board of Trustees in Iranian State Medical Sciences Universities during Five Periods (1991 to 2016), J. Mazandaran Univ. Med. Sci, 28 (164), 102-117 (in Persian).
  12. Jarernsiripornkul S. and Pandey I. M. (2018). Governance of autonomous universities: case of Thailand. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 15(3), 288-305.
  13. Kaushik M. and Dhanarajan G. (2018). Governance of Open Universities: A Few observations on trends in Asia. Journal of Learning for Development, 5(3), 245-262.
  14. Li, X. (2015). The role of the board of trustees. Ph.D Thesis. Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto.
  15. Lindberg M., Lindgren M., and Packendorff J. (2014). Quadruple helix as a way to bridge the gender gap in entrepreneurship: the case of an innovation system project in the Baltic Sea Region, J Knowl Econ, Springer Science, Business Media, LLC, 5:94–113
  16. Magalhães, A., Veiga, A., & Amaral, A. (2018). The changing role of external stakeholders: from imaginary friends to effective actors or non-interfering friends. Studies in Higher Education, 43(4), 737-753.
  17. Mahdi R. and Azargoshab A. (2017). Board of Trustees in Iran's higher education system, Quarterly Journal of Research and Planning in Higher Education, 85, 139-164, (in Persian).
  18. Mirkamali, S.M., Narenji Sani, F., and Hamidizadeh, M.R., (2016). Designing a knowledge-building process model in the university based on a mixed approach,Public Administration Perspective, summer 2016, (26), 57-76, (in Persian).
  19. Oketch, M. (2016). Financing higher education in sub-Saharan Africa: some reflections and implications for sustainable development. Higher Education, 72(4), 525-539.
  20. Prusak, B. G. (2018). Independent BoTs at Catholic Colleges and Universities, Fifty Years Later: Findings and Reflections from Six Holy Cross Schools, Journal of Catholic Higher Education, 37(1), 3-27.
  21. Rafiei M., Naeinei M., Gholamian S., Bagheri K., (2016). Acomparative study of university funding in Iran and other countries, The first Internatioanal Conference on Modern Research in the Field of Eductional Sciences and Psycology and Social Studies in Iran, Qom (in Persian).
  22. Rajabzadeh N., (2017). Income generation factors in higher eduction. Case study of affiliated universities, Ministry of Science, Research ans Technology in Iran, Journal of Financial Analysis, Volume 1, No. 2, pages 1-15. (in Persian)
  23. Roushan, A.R., (2013). Approaches to funding public universities, Proceeding of 6th International Conference on Development of Financing System in Iran, Sharif University of Technology, (in Persian).
  24. Scott H.I.R. (2018). Ascending: An Exploration of Women’s Leadership Advancement in the Role of Board of Trustee Chair, Sci., 8(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci8010007
  25. Slaughter S., and Rhoades G., (2004). The theory of academic capitalism, The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore London
  26. Sikipa, G., Rice, J. A., Osifo-Dawodu, E., & Kokwaro, G. (2019). Better Board Work for Better Leadership and Management: Developing Governing Boards as Essential Enablers for Leadership Effectiveness in the Health Sectors of Low and Middle Income Countries. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 67.
  27. Sohrabi, B., Reisi Vanani, I., and Rasouli, H., (2010). Assessment of knowledge-based competence in higher education, Public Administration Perspective, summer 2010, (2), 57-78, (in Persian).
  28. Zakersalehi, Gh. (2017). Comparative study of university governance and leadership structure: A case study of board of trustees. Journal of Higher Education, 31, 110-79. (in Persian).
  29. Zuti B., and Lukovics M., Fourth Generation Universities and Regional Development, (2015), Nonpartisan Education Review, vol. 14(1), pages 1-1.