Ways to develop education to support the digital economy

Relevance. The processes of globalization and modernization emphasize the need to use modern technologies in all sectors of the state, including the economic sector. The digital economy is a concept that can increase labour productivity and influence the development of the state, which requires its improvement at all levels and preparation of future specialists to interact with it. Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the directions of changes in the training of future specialists for the development of the digital economy. Methodology. To achieve this goal, the methods of comparison, generalization, and the interview method were used. Results. The study conducted among 120 students and 80 teachers of higher education institutions in Kosovo and North Macedonia revealed several key findings. Approximately 51% of students assessed their preparation for interacting with the digital economy as poor, and 49% were not ready for its development. Both students (96%) and teachers (95%) expressed significant concerns about the security and confidentiality of data within the digital economy. Conclusions. The study highlights the need for enhanced security measures in the digital economy to address concerns about data privacy. It also emphasizes the importance of modernizing educational programs, fostering interactions between educational institutions and enterprises, and creating special courses to better prepare students for the digital economy. These initiatives will support the development of the digital economy and equip future specialists with the necessary skills and knowledge. Keywords: educational process; modern technologies; innovations; Internet platforms; globalization; digitalization