Challenges and obstacles of academic culture in institutionalizing quality culture in higher education: A grounded theory study

Background & Objective: To recognize the challenges and obstacles of academic culture in institutionalizing the quality culture in higher education, the Grounded Theory research method helped us to provide a conceptual model in higher education. This model would provide a correct understanding of the challenges and obstacles of academic culture for the beneficiaries. Materials & Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted using Strauss and Corbin's Grounded Theory approach and carried out on 20 clinical and basic science faculty members of Iran's medical sciences universities, in 2022. The process of selecting participants was based on the objective method. Results:  The results showed that academic culture was recognized as a central category; infrastructures, educational and research challenges, academic independence, and scientific freedom as causal conditions; individual, cultural, and social factors, communication, and global knowledge as intervening conditions; management challenges, monitoring, evaluation, strategy, and leadership as the context of the formation of the most important challenges and obstacles of academic culture in institutionalizing the quality culture in higher education. The strategies to solve the challenges were divided into three levels, namely micro, mid, and macro, each of which with different subclasses. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed a deeper understanding of the direct and indirect challenges and obstacles of academic culture in institutionalizing the quality culture in higher education, which should be taken into consideration by the beneficiaries.