Digitalization as a direction of innovative development of Ukrainian universities in the conditions of technological transformations

Abstract

The article is devoted to determining the prospects of digitalization as a direction of innovative development of Ukrainian universities in the conditions of technological transformations to solve the problems caused by them in the market of scientific and educational services, as well as to develop on this basis, an approach to the justification of relevant, innovative projects. The motivational reasons for the digitalization of the university as a way of its response to technological transformations are outlined and systematized according to the areas of activity. The prerequisites and specifics of the accelerated digitization of Ukrainian universities in the conditions of quarantine restrictions of COVID-19 and war and post-war recovery are determined. An analysis of the practice of using digital technologies in the educational process of some departments of universities in the North-East of Ukraine, operating in the front-line zone, was carried out. The authors clarified the digital structure of the university and the scheme of interaction of its subsystems in the digital economy in the conditions of technological transformations. In particular, in terms of determining the characteristics of external and internal channels of information and knowledge, the interaction initiates innovative changes in the university's activities through digitalization. An approach to the analysis and substantiation of the expediency of the implementation of innovative development projects of the university has been developed depending on the level of its readiness for digitalization. The authors formed a system of indicators for its evaluation, by analogy with the Network Readiness Index, which characterizes various aspects of the university's digital readiness to implement innovative development projects. In particular: technological, human, and managerial aspects of digital readiness, as well as its expected effectiveness (usefulness). The obtained results develop the principles of innovation management in the field of higher education, in terms of the development and justification of the approach to the management of digitalization of the university, as a prerequisite for its innovative development in the conditions of technological transformations and the formation of the digital economy.