Objective :The aim of this study is to assess the critical thinking of administrators at the Command and Staff University of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to identify the obstacles that hinder their progress.
Research Methodology: This study utilizes an applied approach and employs a mixed-methods strategy. The quantitative section uses the Watson-Glaser standardized test to evaluate critical thinking skills and confirmatory factor analysis to validate the research structure. The sample consists of 61 university administrators who were selected through a census approach. The qualitative section aims to identify barriers to the development of critical thinking and involves conducting semi-structured interviews with 19 senior administrators employed in Dafous. The results of the interviews are analyzed using thematic analysis with the assistance of MAXQDA software.
Findings: In the quantitative section, the average score of 59 classifies the Watson-Glaser test as "average" and confirms the validity of the research structure across all five dimensions of the model. In the qualitative section, four main dimensions of barriers to the development of critical thinking are identified: fallacies, personal barriers, organizational barriers, and external or cultural barriers. Among these, fallacies are recognized as the most significant hindrance to the development of critical thinking.
Conclusion: To foster the development of critical thinking among administrators, it is important to address obstacles such as fallacies, personal and organizational limitations, and cultural influences. Implementing targeted programs and strategies to tackle these barriers can significantly improve the quality of decision-making and performance of university administrators.