A Model for Promoting Academic Engagement in Medical Sciences Students

Introduction: Attention to scientific and cultural motivation and progress of students is very important. Academic engagement is one of the main factors of academic achievement and success. The purpose of this study was to explain the relationship between the variables “academic engagement” and “individual and academic factors” and therefore, to present a model for promoting academic engagement. Method: This mixed method (qualitative-quantitative) study was carried out in Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch. A total of 364 students were selected using combination sampling method. Data collection tools were interview in the qualitative part and a valid and reliable questionnaire in the quantitative part. The qualitative data were analyzed through open, axial and selective coding. The quantitative data were analyzed in LISREL software by means of descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage frequency, mean, standard deviation and variance, and inferential statistics including one-sample t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, exploratory factor analysis, regression coefficient, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results: The mean score of academic engagement was 3.47±0.47 (total=5) and above the average. There was a positive (0.58) and significant correlation between individual factors and academic engagement at the 0.01 level. There was also a positive (0.40) and significant correlation between academic factors and academic engagement at the 0.01 level. Results of the structural part of the promotion model showed that the individual and academic factors were influential in promoting academic engagement by a 0.79 and 0.23 coefficient respectively. These two factors explained 84% of the variance of academic engagement. Conclusion: Reinforcement of individual and academic factors can promote academic engagement in medical sciences students

Teaching-Research Nexus in the World’s Top Universities: a Review Study with Presenting a Conceptual Model

Introduction: Teaching-Research Nexus (TRN) is one of the most fundamental issues in higher education management. This issue faces greater challenges in Iranian universities of medical sciences due to their more complex structure and obligations in contrast to universities under the supervision of Ministry of Science. Therefore, this study tried to design an appropriate model of teaching-research nexus for Iranian universities of medical sciences by identifying the determining components involved in the interaction and nexus between teaching and research in the world’s top universities. Methods: Using a review study, documents available in the university websites of the world’s top 10 countries (according to Shanghai Ranking of 1 to 5 top universities in each country), as well as Times Higher Education Ranking (medical sciences), and the literature on components affecting research-teaching nexus were reviewed and analyzed. The obtained components were classified through the three-dimensional conceptual model into structural, environmental, and behavioral factors. Results: The results of the review of the world’s top 32 universities and relevant research literature led to the identification of 17 major and 42 minor components which were designed and presented in the three-dimensional conceptual model based on their homogeneity. According to the model, the extracted major and minor components were classified into structural, environmental, and behavioral factors and their interactive relationship was identified. Conclusion: The components presented in the proposed conceptual model can be employed as the main part of formulating “organizational strategies” in order to align teaching and research and to be able to benefit from such interaction in universities and institutes of higher education