A Budget optimization modeling for the strategic plan of universities at faculty level

نویسندگان

1 Department of Statistics, Mathematics and Computers, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran.

doi
10.22105/riej.2025.441890.1417
چکیده

Iranian universities have undergone many changes in recent years, including focusing more on innovative development and changing toward interdisciplinary programs. In an era when university administrators face new challenges such as fleeting changes and opportunities, uncertainty, and lack of funding, having a strategic approach can help the administrators focus on planning horizons, identify opportunities and advantages, and integrate their activities. For this reason, most universities are preparing a strategic plan to recognize and solve problems, identify strengths and weaknesses, exploit opportunities, and master the threats that endanger the university's existence. One of the primary sources for realizing the strategic plan is financial resources, which are often faced with a lack of funds. In addition, sudden economic shocks add to the instability and make it necessary to use the university's financial resources effectively. In this paper, a mathematical optimization model of integer programming is presented for the management and optimal allocation of financial resources according to the performance and effectiveness of scientific activities of universities at the faculty level. This model has been implemented to realize nine different activities in the Faculty of Statistics, Mathematics, and Computer Science strategic plan at Allameh Tabataba'i University. These nine activities include: 1) book publication, 2) paper publication (Inside of country), 3) publication of international papers, 4) holding theory chair, 5) holding a meeting to solve problems and promotion chair, 6) implementation of educational plans, 7) national and international conferences, and 8) national and international workshops and meetings and i) other programs (Activities). The model was solved with a generalized reduced gradient. Implementing this model and the sensitivity analysis of its essential parameters have brought acceptable and effective results for the university managers' support and the strategic plan.