KEY SUCCESS FACTORSFOR THE UNIVERSITY TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

The article aims at studying the practice of implementing transformation projects of Russian universities, identifying the most common factors of project success and developing a multi-level classification of groups of factors. The main determinants that ensure the successful implementation of university transformation projects are considered. The key research conclusions are based on the materials of an empirical study con- ducted using the methods of in-depth semi-formalized interviews of 95 informants in six Russian universi- ties. The study was conducted among the administrative and managerial staff of universities involved in the project teams of university transformation.

The author's set of key success factors of the university transformation projects implementation, with the three levels of classification, is proposed. At the first classification level, factors are divided into external and internal (in relation to the project). At the second classification level, external factors are divided into macro-level factors (changes in the migration situation, labor market transformation, geopolitical situation, etc.); meso-level (support from the regional authorities); micro-level (organizational factors within a par- ticular university). Internal factors that increase the likelihood of successful implementation of university transformation projects are divided at the second classification level into: organizational and managerial factors; resource factors (finance, logistics, etc.); factors related to human resources. The last of these factors have a third level of classification: team factors; factors of personalities and individuals (project managers, curators); factors of project stakeholders.

Based on the analysis of the key factors in the implementation of transformation projects of Russian uni- versities, recommendations are formulated to improve the effectiveness of the implementation of university transformation projects and key conclusions about the need to create favorable conditions for the imple- mentation of these projects.