INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN ENSURING THE QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION: APPROACHES, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

The ongoing digital transformation has fundamentally changed higher education by integrating advanced information technologies (IT) into educational and administrative processes. The article explores the integration of information technologies into the educational process to enhance the quality of higher education, identifies the advantages and barriers to their implementation, and develops recommendations for optimizing the use of IT in learning. The study employs a mixed approach, including statistical analysis, surveys, and comparative data review from Ukraine and the European Union. It was found that the satisfaction indicators regarding the quality of the educational process, according to the ACSI methodology, are high (ranging from 75 to 85 points). Students, teachers, and employers shared their views, highlighting the positive effects of IT integration, such as personalized learning pathways, enhanced access to educational resources, and increased flexibility. The results of the positive assessment of IT provision (83–100%) were determined based on a survey of students from selected higher education institutions in Lviv. However, challenges in implementing information technologies in the educational process remain, particularly insufficient funding, low levels of digital literacy among stakeholders, and infrastructure gaps. The research findings emphasize the need to develop comprehensive digitalization strategies for higher education institutions. Key recommendations include modernizing IT infrastructure, developing digital competencies among teachers and students, and ensuring data security. A set of measures has been proposed targeting key stakeholders in the higher education sector: for academic staff (the provision of methodological support and access to advanced content creation tools); for students (the expansion of access to accredited online courses); and for university leadership (the implementation of mechanisms for monitoring the effectiveness of IT solutions and ensuring robust data protection frameworks). Future research could focus on the impact of specific IT solutions and the development of government strategies for sustainable digitalization of higher education.