Digital Research Governance as a Strategic Approach to Enhancing Sustainable Development: An Applied Study in Light of National Strategies
https://doi.org/10.56989/benkj.v6i5.1912
Keywords:
Governance , Scientific Research , Scientific Research Governance , Digital Transformation , Sustainable Development , National Strategies , Structural Equation ModelingAbstract
The study aimed to analyze the role of digital research governance in enhancing sustainable development within higher education institutions, by examining the relationship between governance, digital transformation, and sustainable development, as well as analyzing the mediating role of digital transformation and the moderating role of national strategies in the Libyan academic environment. The study adopted the descriptive-analytical approach, using an electronic questionnaire administered to a sample consisting of (582) faculty members, researchers, and academic leaders. The study employed a set of statistical methods, including Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regression, and tests for mediating and moderating effects, in addition to Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze the relationships between the study variables and test the quality of the structural model. The results showed no statistically significant relationship between research governance and digital transformation, reflecting the limited integration between regulatory frameworks and digital applications within academic institutions. In contrast, the results revealed a positive statistically significant relationship between digital transformation and sustainable development (r = 0.396, p < 0.05). The results also indicated a statistically significant direct effect of research governance on sustainable development within the structural model (β = 0.482, p < 0.01), along with a limited mediating role of digital transformation. Furthermore, national strategies demonstrated a statistically significant moderating effect in strengthening the relationship between governance and sustainable development (β = 0.340, p < 0.01). The study indicated that the effectiveness of research governance in supporting sustainable development is linked to the degree of integration between institutional policies, digital transformation, and national strategies, rather than merely adopting digital tools in isolation. The scientific value of the study lies in presenting an integrative analytical model that links digital governance, digital transformation, and sustainable development in a developing Arab context, while employing structural equation modeling to analyze direct and indirect relationships between variables.
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