Examining the relationship between the government and universities in terms of academic and financial independence in educational governance in the Islamic Republic of Iran

This study aims to examine the relationship between the government and universities in terms of academic and financial independence. The main focus of the study is on the impact of government policies and actions on the independence of universities and possible solutions to strengthen this independence. Academic and financial independence of universities is considered one of the main drivers of change in higher education in most countries in the world. The need to pay attention to academic and financial independence of universities stems from the importance of higher education as a vital issue, a driving force for progress, prosperity, and true independence of society. This study is a descriptive-analytical study in terms of approach. The study population of this study includes government officials related to higher education, professors, and administrators, and public and private universities in Tehran as the main stakeholders. The sampling method of this study was purposive sampling. The interviewees of this study included 10 professors from reputable universities in Tehran. The content analysis method was used to analyze the interviews and documents to extract the main concepts and themes. The research findings include financial dependence, government intervention, independent sources of income, academic autonomy, and government-university cooperation. Each of these themes has subthemes that provide more details about each topic. The research results showed that government intervention in curricula, research, and even the selection of university presidents reduces the academic autonomy of universities. On the other hand, independent sources of income (such as attracting international students, providing consulting services, and creating knowledge-based companies) and cooperation between the government and universities in the form of joint research projects can help strengthen the autonomy of universities.