Faculty Members’ Attitudes Towards Implementing the Productive University Concept: A Field Study at the Universities of Idlib and Aleppo

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the attitudes of faculty members toward the implementation of the "productive university" concept at the universities of Idlib and Aleppo. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, the study utilized a 26-item questionnaire divided into four thematic areas. The entire population of 549 faculty members was included in the study; 222 completed questionnaires were retrieved, representing a response rate of approximately 40.4%. The results revealed positive attitudes among the respondents toward implementing the productive university concept, with an overall mean score of 4.03 out of 5. The mean scores for the specific thematic areas were as follows: 3.93 for awareness of the concept’s dimensions and roles; 3.74 for perceptions regarding university autonomy and the requirements for enhancing productivity; 4.14 for expressed willingness to participate in productive projects; and 4.25 for perceptions and proposed mechanisms for transitioning into a productive university. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were found in the total score for attitudes based on gender, university, years of experience, or academic qualification (at a significance level of α = 0.05). The study recommends developing academic and professional incentives, enhancing the capabilities of faculty members in applied research and productive initiatives, and strengthening partnerships with community institutions and productive sectors. These results should be interpreted with caution, taking into account the potential for non-response bias and the limitations regarding their generalizability to the study population.