AGILE LEADERSHIP PRACTICES IN THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF HEIS.

Purpose: One of the strategic challenges of many higher education institutions is digital transformation. The success of this process depends not only on the technologies and IT systems being introduced but also on the actions of leaders in the field of digitalisation. This article aims to examine the relationship between agile leadership practices found in HEIs and the level of the progress of digital transformation. Design/methodology/approach: The article presents the results of quantitative research conducted in 2023 among 515 teaching and administrative staff members in 20 Polish HEIs. Findings: The results of the study confirm the relationship between the level of progress of an HEI’s digital transformation and the selected leadership practices, in particular flexibility, encouraging staff to frequently test, experiment, and seek innovative solutions. At the same time, these practices were less frequent in the surveyed HEIs than the practices with less impact on the progress of digital transformation. Research limitations/implications: The results of the study may be applicable to the broader HEI population, but caution should be exercised in their generalisation due to certain limitations of the sample. In the course of further investigations, it would be worthwhile to supplement the research approach with mixed methods that provide opportunities for deeper analysis of the described phenomenon. Practical implications: The results of the study can provide valuable information for higher education institutions regarding the implementation of new digital leadership strategies. They can inform the design of academic leadership development programmes focused on developing an agile approach to management in educational institutions. Social implications: Implementing effective leadership strategies can lead to increasing innovation within HEIs, optimising educational processes, and improving the quality of education. Originality/value: Literature review shows research gap in digital academic leadership's role in HEI's digital maturity. The results of the study provide important insights and contribute to developing knowledge on the relationship between agile leadership practices and an HEI's digital transformation process. They provide a basis for further research and development of digitalisation strategies tailored to the specificities of higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]