Abramova N. M.

Introduction. Digital transformation has become one of the key directions in the development of higher education, setting new requirements for the organization of research, teaching and innovation activities in universities. Experience with national projects and development programmes shows that the expansion of digital infrastructure by itself does not automatically lead to the renewal of universities’ institutional mechanisms. This highlights the need for conceptual models that make it possible to analyze digital change at the level of the university as an integrated institution rather than as a set of isolated technological initiatives.The purpose of the study is to conceptualize the digital transformation of the university as a process which, in the logic of a scientific-educational corporation, links together research, educational and innovation-entrepreneurial domains and thereby reshapes the configuration of the university as a socio-economic institution.Theoretical background and methods. The study draws on institutional and systems approaches to the university, which frame it as a set of interconnected subsystems of research, education and innovation-entrepreneurial activity. The key analytical lens is the model of the university as a scientific-educational corporation, in which the processes of knowledge generation, competence formation and market-oriented innovation are treated as a single, interrelated development contour. Methodologically, the article represents a theoretical study and includes an analysis of policy documents and analytical reports on the digital development of universities, as well as conceptual modelling of digital changes in the three subsystems of the university and of the mechanisms of their institutional integration.Results. The study shows that the development of digital research infrastructures and data-intensive practices may lead to a reconfiguration of research regimes and to stronger network embeddedness of university research teams. It clarifies how a digitally enabled learning environment, when integrated into university governance, can serve as an instrument for constructing individual learning trajectories and for involving students in research and project formats. In the domain of market-oriented innovation, digital platforms for project management and interaction with external partners are considered as a means of embedding entrepreneurial activity into the overall university framework. Taken together, these elements are interpreted as characteristics of a mechanism for the institutional integration of the three subsystems and for the formation of a coherent model of the university as a scientific educational corporation.Conclusions. The article argues that the digital transformation of the university should be understood as a long-term process of institutional design rather than as a set of technical solutions. The proposed conceptual model can serve as a basis for assessing the extent to which universities’ digital initiatives contribute to the alignment of research, educational and innovation-entrepreneurial activities and to strengthening their position within the digital economy.

Introduction. Digital transformation and global challenges are casting doubt on the effectiveness of the traditional university model. Within academic discourse, transformation of the classic university into the scientific-educational corporation (SEC) is proposed as a promising response to these challenges; however, the conceptual foundations and systemic properties of this format remain insufficiently explored. Purpose. To justify the concept of the scientific-educational corporation as a fundamentally new institutional form of higher education institution that best corresponds to the characteristics of the current stage of socio-economic development of the Russian Federation, to define its key systemic properties, and to identify promising directions for further institutional transformation. The theoretical and methodological foundation of this research is rooted in an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the theory of institutional change and a historical-comparative analysis of the evolution of university formats. It is argued that the scientific-educational corporation represents not an evolutionary progression, but rather a radically new form of integration of science, education, and entrepreneurship, driven by a profound technological shift. Results. The article presents the author’s original concept of the scientific-educational corporation as an integrated socio-economic institution built around a triadic core-science, education, and entrepreneurship. Four principal systemic properties of the SEC are identified and systematized: (1) acting as a systemic integrator of economy and society; (2) having a network-based architecture for both internal organization and external relations; (3) exerting broad influence determined by deep integration with the real sector; and (4) demonstrating a proactive, forward-oriented approach to development. Conclusions. Effective implementation of the scientific-educational corporation paradigm requires the deliberate cultivation of a favorable institutional environment, incorporating tailored legislative frameworks, hybrid financial instruments, and innovative governance systems. The success of this transformation can only be ensured through the collaborative engagement of government, universities, and the business community.