Background and Objectives: As the mission of universities shifts toward the "third-generation" model, evaluating the performance of medical sciences universities requires indicators that go beyond conventional educational and research criteria. Integrating attributes such as innovation, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility—combined with a health-promotion approach—can provide a more comprehensive picture of these universities' performance. Therefore, the overall aim of this study is to identify ranking indicators based on third-generation university characteristics and a health-promotion approach within the medical sciences universities of Macro-Region 1, with the ultimate goal of developing a model.

Methods: This study was applied in nature and employed a descriptive-survey methodology. The statistical population consisted of 1,851 faculty members from the medical sciences universities of Macro-Region 1; a sample of 320 individuals was selected using stratified random sampling based on Cochran's formula. Data collection was conducted using two researcher-made questionnaires: one regarding university ranking (112 items) and another concerning the "third-generation university" model with a health-promotion approach (55 items). The validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed, and structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.

Results: The ranking indicators—with a standardized coefficient of 0.746—have a positive and significant impact on the characteristics of "third-generation universities" (adopting a health-promotion approach) within the medical universities of Macro-Region 1, and the proposed model demonstrates a good fit.

Conclusion: Ranking indicators significantly contribute to defining the characteristics of a "third-generation university" with a health-promotion approach; therefore, the proposed model can serve as a suitable basis for evaluating and ranking the medical sciences universities of Macro-Region 1.