Abstract:
In the modern higher education sphere, universities’ ability to adapt has become more vital to their
success and longevity. This study investigates the influence of leadership, technological innovation,
sociopolitical engagement, skill and curriculum development, institutional collaboration, and
governmental regulatory frameworks on university adaptability. Quantitative research was
conducted by surveying 980 participants from various institutions in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Spain,
using a standardized questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze variable
connections. The findings suggest that leadership (β = 0.32, p < 0.001), technological innovation (β
= 0.28, p < 0.001), sociopolitical engagement (β = 0.19, p < 0.001), and curriculum and skills
development (β = 0.25, p < 0.001) have a substantial positive impact on the adaptability of
universities. Furthermore, the mediation analysis demonstrated that institutional collaboration
partially mediated the relationship between university adaptability and both leadership (indirect
effect = 0.14, p < 0.01) and technological innovation (indirect effect = 0.12, p < 0.01). Additionally,
moderation analysis verified that the government regulation framework substantially moderated the
effects of leadership (β = 0.15, p = 0.02) and technological innovation (β = 0.10, p = 0.03) on
university adaptability. These findings emphasize the importance of new technologies, effective
leadership, and institutional collaboration for improving university adaptability.
