Physical Factors Influencing Place Identity in Higher Education Environments (Case study: Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch)

Developing student s academic identity is essential for achieving academic success in universities. In this regard, environmental psychologists believe that physical context directly affects the level of ones place identity. In other words, more positive assessment of the environment results in higher place identity. It implies that the designer can strengthen the bond between person and place by detecting and improving the effective environmental factors. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to identify the physical attributes that improve students place identity in higher education spaces. For this purpose, after evaluating the students place identity and their satisfaction with the physical context, the link between the quality of each physical element and students place identity was investigated. The population of the study included all the students of Islamic Azad University South Tehran Branch in 2013-2014 academic years. According to Cochran formulas, sample consisting of 379 students from Faculties of Art and Architecture, Engineering, and Sciences was proportionally selected. Data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire which the calculated Alpha coefficient and fitness indices provedits validity and reliability. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between mentioned variables. The results indicate that the quality of the acoustic conditions, access to public transport & intrusive reflections are irrelevant to students level of place identity. Above all, satisfaction with the amount of green space, quality of lighting, accessibility and indoor thermal conditions, are the most important physical factors influencing students place identity in higher education environments.