The purpose of this research was to examine internal and external challenges of scientific communities in Mazandaran University. A research survey method and a questionnaire were used to collect data. By means of proportionate stratified method, two hundred eighty faculty members and master students were randomly sampled from a population of 1095 people across Mazandaran University. The findings were as follows: 1) There is no significant difference between faculty members and students' attitude toward external challenges of academic system. 2) There is significant difference between faculty members and students' attitude toward internal challenges of academic system. 3) There is significant relationship between internal and external challenges of scientific communities in Mazandran University. In addition, results suggested that there are bonds and relationship between scientific communities' problems and problems of society's social system.