Change Management in Higher Education: Between Organizational Theories, Leadership, and Digital Transformation

Abstract

Higher education is undergoing an era of systemic turbulence, where traditional models of governance and operationalization are being challenged by divergent technological, economic, and societal forces. Change management within these institutions cannot be reduced to a simple transposition of private-sector methods. It demands a profound understanding of the university as a hybrid entity—simultaneously a professional bureaucracy, a community of experts, and a political organization. The success of transformations, whether digital, structural, or pedagogical, relies on a delicate orchestration between strategic leadership and academic autonomy. This analysis explores classic theoretical frameworks, the structural specificities of academia, and the critical success factors identified by contemporary research to navigate this growing complexity.