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One of the fundamental issues facing universites, research centers and institutes of higher education in our country is the
absence of an integrated system for performance evaluation. In reality, the absence of strategic approaches for assessing the
performance of higher institutes of learning has given rise to some insoluble ambiguities. The inevitable outcome of this situation has
also led to ambiguity in quality, lack of professional competition
and scientific ratings based on accepted norms among unversities
and institutes of higher education.
To remove any ambiguities, a researcher strives to analyze the
functional indicators as comprehensive tools for assessing the performance of universitues and institutes of higher education
which will ultimately create a conceptual framework of evaluation. The functional indexes for specialized areas of the higher
education were adopted and conducted in the form of a 248-item questionnaire by using global theories and professional findings
inside the country. Groups comprising professionals, directors of departments, deans of colleges and presidents of universities, picket by random choice, also contributed to this





































accomplishment.
Thus a sample group of 500 persons based on a ramdon
sampling from the sector of the state higher education system was picked and accomplishcd along with a 248-item questionnaire on
the functional indexes. By using a statistical method to analyze the factors related to the main components, 222 indexes were
extracted. As to the theories related to quality indexes in the organized literature of the higher educational system eignt
theories emerged:
1) Improvement-oriented quality
2) Price-oriented
3) Consumption-oriented
4) Standard-oriented 5) Production-oriented
6) Meritocracy 7) Socialization
8) Individualism
The researcher then formulated four main theories out of the
eight ones: Individualism, meritocracy, socialization and eclecticism.
These four theories will introduce a comprehensive framework which may serve as a guidline for quality promotion of higher
education in various dimensions. In other words, the framework of the afore-mentioned theories will enable the state higher educational system to gauge its scientific fervor so as to play its


pivotal role in drastic planning revisions and modifications as well as providing the essential tools for scientific competition and ratings.