INTAN management journal ISSN No: 0128-3324 2016 (6): 25-30 A Qualitative Approach on Conceptualizing an Entrepreneurial University (The Case of Jönköping University, Sweden) Negin Fallah Haghighi *1 and Masoud Bijani 2 1. Assistant Professor, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), Tehran, Iran. Email: nfallah@irost.ir ( * Corresponding Author) 2. Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Tehran, Iran. Email: mbijani@modares.ac.ir Abstract: The main purpose of the present study was to conceptualize a framework for an entrepreneurial university at Jönköping University, Sweden. In order to build upon such a framework; a qualitative approach was exploited using a series of structured in-depth interviews. The qualitative data were coded in order to identify dimensions and elements of an entrepreneurial university. The statistical sample was drawn from international students in the domain of science and technology whom were chosen using non-probability sampling method. The interviews were planned on the basis of four major factors: “mission and vision of university”, “business relations”, “university structure”, and “curriculum”. The results showed the most affecting factors on molding an entrepreneurial university respectively. Keywords: Entrepreneurial University, Conceptualizing, Jönköping University, Sweden. Introduction The current economic era, characterized by the rapid and global dissemination of information and capital, has been called the 'knowledge age,' the 'entrepreneurial society,' and the 'intangibles economy,' among other labels. Technological and productivity improvements continue to shift the emphasis from the mastery of physical assets (e.g., natural resources, factories) and physical tools (e.g., machines) to that of intangible assets (e.g., education, R & D projects, brands, patents) and socio- cultural tools (e.g., communities of knowledge practice) as the key to a community economic prosperity (Alderson et al., 2009). In today's world the values of entrepreneurship have significant impact on the higher levels of organizational hierarchies in many sectors. In the commercial world, even the largest organizations have for long sought to develop entrepreneurial characteristics to stay ahead of their competitors. Hospitals, government departments, unions and charities have likewise tried to introduce innovative entrepreneurial practices into their systems. Therefore in the world of constant change, organizations need capabilities to adapt themselves to different situations, learn new methods and make calculated investments to recognize and exploit opportunities. This argument seems to be valid also for universities. Surely, the creation an entrepreneurial university involves a cultural transformation of academia to play a more active role in society at several levels. Fundamentally, it involves the faculty view their research and teaching activities in a new light, seeing how they can contribute to economic and social development as well as to education of students and advancement of knowledge. Moreover the university itself becomes an active leader and innovator in its region by taking the lead in organizing cooperative innovation projects with other local actors. Such a university infused with entrepreneurial attitudes and capable of taking initiatives at all levels, among faculty, students and administrators, may be considered as an entrepreneurial university. In fact, Academic entrepreneurship is an extension of teaching and research activities on one hand and acquiring the abilities of internalization of technology, transferring capabilities and taking a role traditionally played by industries, on the other hand. It is the capitalization of these competencies that makes knowledge the heart of a new mission for universities, linking universities to users of knowledge more tightly and establishing the university as an economic actor in its own right (Etzkowitz, 2004). In searching of a comprehensive definition of ‟entrepreneurial university‟ we came to acknowledge that there is no singular definition. There are a number of definitions of the Entrepreneurial University in the literature which reveal no consensus (OECD, 2012). In Literature review we showed some definitions from different scholars to define the concepts ‟Entrepreneurial University‟ that shows lack of consensus despite some common elements . Literature Review Burton Clark made the term "Entrepreneurial Universities" widely known. He defined an entrepreneurial university as "a type of modern university that stands on its own feet in order to adapt, on its own terms to a highly complex and highly uncertain world" (Clark, 1998). Clark Seek to innovate in how it goes to business, to work out a substantial shift in