BARRIERS AND ENABLING CONDITIONS FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION: EVIDENCE AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS FOR UZBEKISTAN

Annotatsiya

This paper examines the barriers and enabling conditions that shape digital transformation in the administration of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Uzbekistan. Unlike studies that treat digitalization primarily as the introduction of new platforms, the analysis focuses on the organizational conditions required for digital systems to change administrative practice. A targeted review of international research is combined with Uzbek policy documents, official information on the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS), and country-specific academic and development evidence. Four diagnostic domains are identified: staff capability and technology adoption; system integration and data governance; strategy and process redesign; and institutional capacity, resources, and decision rights. The analysis shows that Uzbekistan has created substantial digital infrastructure, including a national HEMIS platform, but the value of this infrastructure depends on whether institutions can integrate systems, develop users’ capabilities, redesign administrative processes, and convert digital information into managerial action. The paper proposes a matched barrier-response framework that can guide future empirical research and institutional digital-transformation plans.