ВЛИЯНИЕ ЦИФРОВОЙ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ НА СТРАТЕГИЮ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ В ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯХ ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ

Abstract:
In the context of the global digitalization of the economy, higher education organizations face the need for a fundamental restructuring of management strategies, driven by changing stakeholder demands, the emergence of EdTech competitors, and government digital modernization initiatives. However, a gap persists between the formal implementation of digital tools and the actual adaptation of management strategies at the institutional level. The aim of this study is to identify key directions for transforming university management strategies under the influence of digitalization and to develop conceptual recommendations for their adaptation. The methodological framework includes systematic and comparative analysis, strategic document analysis, the digital maturity assessment method based on the CMMI model, and SWOT analysis. The scientific novelty lies in integrating a theoretical analysis of the evolution of management models with an empirical assessment of the level of digital transformation in Russian universities and formulating differentiated strategic behavioral lines. The results show a transition from traditional hierarchical management models to a network platform-based model of university 4.0, grounded in data-driven management, ecosystemic principles, and agile approaches. An empirical analysis of the Russian higher education system revealed its transitional and differentiated nature: leading universities reach the 4th–5th level of digital maturity, while a significant portion of regional universities remain at the 2nd–3rd level. Three key vectors of management strategy transformation are identified: the shift to data-driven decision-making, the formation of digital educational ecosystems, and the transformation of the organizational culture of the managerial staff. Based on the SWOT analysis, four differentiated strategic behavioral lines for universities are formulated: growth, adaptation, defense, and survival strategies, corresponding to different levels of digital maturity. The practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of using its results by university rectors when updating development programs and forming digital transformation roadmaps. Prospects for further research are related to the econometric modeling of the impact of the digital maturity level on the financial and academic performance of a university.