HIGHER EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL INSTITUTION: THE SYNERGY OF AGENTS AND STRUCTURES IN THE CONTEXT OF ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive sociological analysis of higher education as a social institution through the lens of the interaction between social agents and structures in the context of contemporary organizational transformations. It is argued that in the context of full-scale war, digitalization, demographic shifts, and European integration processes, Ukraine’s higher education system is undergoing profound transformations that highlight the issue of alignment between administrative structures, the academic community, and stakeholder expectations. The theoretical and methodological foundation of the study is based on the provisions of E. Giddens’s theory of structuration and P. Bourdieu’s concept of the social field, which allows for an exploration of the dualistic nature of the interaction between agents and structures in the functioning of higher education institutions. It has been determined that the effectiveness of higher education largely depends on the level of alignment between regulatory and administrative mechanisms, resource provision, and the everyday practices of participants in the educational process. Key contradictions between the administrative, academic, and social components of the system have been identified, manifesting as tensions between standardization and academic autonomy, between the university’s strategic mission and the pragmatic demands of the labor market, as well as between centralized administrative decisions and the local needs of educational communities. It has been demonstrated that institutional disharmony reduces the innovative potential of higher education institutions, hinders digital transformation, and undermines trust among stakeholders in the educational process. It is argued that achieving institutional synergy requires the development of collaborative governance, horizontal communication, resource balance, organizational flexibility, and a shared value-normative foundation. It is emphasized that synergy between agents and structures contributes to improving university management efficiency, strengthening innovative potential, regenerating human capital, reducing social inequality, and enhancing social resilience. Thus, higher education emerges as a key factor in social stabilization and development amid contemporary transformations.