Purpose: Evaluating innovative organizational culture in higher education is crucial because it creates a competitive advantage. Therefore, this research aimed to provide a model for innovative organizational culture in the Islamic Azad University of Mazandaran region based on transformative leadership style, professional ethics, and quality of work life. Methodology: In terms of purpose, this research was practical; it was cross-partial in terms of time, and its methodology was mixed (qualitative and quantitative). The research population was the professors and managers of the Islamic Azad University of Mazandaran region in 2021, and according to the principle of theoretical saturation, 20 of them were selected as a sample using targeted and snowball sampling methods. The quantitative population was the employees of the Islamic Azad University of Mazandaran region in 2021, and according to the table of Karajesi and Morgan, 291 of them were selected as a sample by cluster sampling method. The current research tools were semi-structured interviews in the qualitative part and questionnaires created by the researcher in the quantitative part of innovative organizational culture, transformational leadership style, professional ethics, and quality of work life, whose psychometric indicators were confirmed. The qualitative data were analyzed with the thematic analysis method in MAXQDA software, and the quantitative part with exploratory factor analysis and path analysis methods in SPSS and Smart PLS software. Findings: The findings of the qualitative part showed that 25 components were identified for innovative organizational culture in 4 dimensions of innovation effects (6 components) and for the quality of working life, 13 components in 3 dimensions of the nature of the job, organizational learning (7 components), individual development of employees (7 components) and the desire and tendency to innovate (5 components), for the transformational leadership style, 10 components in 2 dimensions of individual considerations ( 4 components) and mental motivation (6 components), for professional ethics 17 components in 3 dimensions of organizational ethics (5 components), occupational ethics (5 components) and personal ethics (7 components). Finally, the model of innovative organizational culture, transformational leadership style, professional ethics, and quality of work life was designed in the Islamic Azad University of Mazandaran region. Also, the findings of the quantitative part showed that the factor load, average variance extracted, and Cronbach's alpha of all components were higher than 0.70. The model of innovative organizational culture based on transformational leadership style, professional ethics, and quality of work life had a good fit. Professional ethics and quality of work life directly and significantly affected innovative organizational culture (P<0.001). Still, the transformational leadership style did not directly and significantly affect innovative organizational culture (P<0.05). Conclusion: Considering the importance of innovative organizational culture in Islamic Azad University and the present research findings, it is possible to provide the basis for promoting innovative organizational culture by improving the dimensions and components identified for transformational leadership style, professional ethics, and quality of work life.
