Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

Abstract Entrepreneurship is among the most important outcomes of university development and requires novel management approaches such as "organizational ambidexterity," which refers to the simultaneous pursuit of exploiting existing capacities and exploring knowledge for the future. This paper aims to design and validate a balanced ambidextrous university model for entrepreneurship development. The research method is mixed-methods with a sequential exploratory design. The target population in the qualitative phase consisted of higher education management experts, with whom 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted purposefully. The statistical population in the quantitative phase included managers and relevant faculty members of Iranian public universities, of whom 256 were selected through stratified random sampling and responded to a researcher-developed questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, while structural equation modeling was employed in the quantitative phase to validate the model. Instrument validity was confirmed using convergent (AVE>0.5) and discriminant validity indices, and reliability was confirmed through Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability. The findings in the exploitation dimension include components such as university policies and structures, university-industry interaction, education-research development, budget, and university culture. In the exploration dimension, components include needs assessment and training, forward-looking structure, financial resources, innovative policy and culture, future-oriented management, and strategic innovation. Furthermore, ambidexterity balancing strategies were identified in the form of policy and evaluation - resources and structure components. Factor analyses confirmed the validity of the components, and fit indices confirmed the overall validity of the model. The proposed ambidexterity model, by preventing unproductive stagnation and fruitless innovation, paves the way for university-centered entrepreneurship development and, through establishing an effective linkage between university and industry, lays the groundwork for the formation of entrepreneurial ecosystems within universities.