Objective: Universities drive innovation by nurturing talent and generating beneficial knowledge. In today's technological landscape, open innovation enhances competitive advantage through internal and external knowledge flows. This study addresses Iran's higher education challenges by designing a paradigmatic model of essential skills for advancing open innovation.
Method: A qualitative grounded theory approach was employed. Data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 experts in open innovation and higher education, selected through purposive and snowball sampling until theoretical saturation. Validity was ensured through content validity assessment and member checking. Transcripts were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's (1990) systematic coding with MAXQDA 2022.
Results: Findings identified two skill categories: hard skills (specialized knowledge, knowledge/project management, R&D, financial literacy, market awareness, technology) and soft skills (self-awareness, communication, negotiation, creativity, flexibility, risk-taking, critical thinking, networking, ambiguity tolerance). The paradigmatic model comprises 86 basic concepts and 30 axial components organized into three categories: conditions (contextual, causal, intervening), interactions (individual actions, interpersonal collaborations), and consequences (scientific-technological innovation, social value creation, organizational growth).
Conclusions: Advancing open innovation requires a multidimensional approach integrating both skill sets. Universities should implement targeted faculty training, foster innovation culture with risk-taking emphasis, expand industry-research collaborations, allocate dedicated resources, and revise promotion criteria to value innovation competencies alongside publications. This context-specific model provides a practical framework for transitioning Iranian universities toward entrepreneurial, ecosystem-oriented generations aligned with global higher education evolution.