DIGITAL MARKETING AS A TOOL FOR BUILDING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE UNIVERSITY'S INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL ECOSYSTEM

Abstract

Introduction. In the context of the digitalization of the educational sphere, universities are faced with the need to build competitive ecosystems in which digital marketing performs not only a communication, but also a strategic function. The increasing role of digital tools necessitates a systematic approach to the study of marketing practices in higher education. Materials and methods. The work is theoretical and conceptual in nature and is based on a critical analysis of foreign and domestic publications presented in leading scientific databases. The methodological framework includes an institutional approach, a comparative logical method, analysis and synthesis of scientific ideas, systematization and classification of key provisions. The use of these methods allowed us to develop a conceptual and empirical model reflecting the interrelation of the institutional environment, digital marketing competencies and the platform architecture of the university ecosystem. Research results. The study shows that digital marketing contributes to the strengthening of universities' reputations and their interactions with various stakeholders (business industry, research institutions), which directly enhances the competitiveness of higher education institutions. Discussion and conclusion. A comparison of research approaches confirmed the lack of elaboration of the integration of marketing and institutional factors in educational research. The developed model fills this gap and can be used as a theoretical basis for building empirical research in various institutional and cultural contexts. The theoretical significance of the work is to clarify the role of digital marketing in the development of an innovative educational ecosystem, the practical significance is to provide a universal framework for strategic management of digital transformations of universities