Creative Management of Higher Education Institutions: A Strategy for Forming a Positive Image

The article explores the current aspects of creative management of HEI as an important factor in their sustainable development and increasing competitiveness in the context of globalization of the educational space. The essence of the concept of "creative management", its key principles and functions in the context of HEI activities are revealed. It is emphasized that modern challenges require management teams not only efficiency, but also the ability to innovative thinking, flexible response to changes and continuous improvement of management processes. It is noted that in the current conditions of modernization of management of higher education institutions, the implementation of structured, logically interconnected management models that are able to ensure the integrity, efficiency and flexibility of management decisions is of particular importance. Such models should not only meet modern challenges, but also provide for dynamic interaction between different levels of management. Special attention is paid to strategies for forming a positive image of a higher education institution as one of the main results and at the same time tools of creative management. It is proven that a positive image contributes to an increase in the level of trust from target audiences, attracting gifted students, highly qualified personnel, developing international cooperation and increasing the rating positions of the institution. The publication analyzes the main factors that influence the image of a higher education institution, in particular the quality of educational services, scientific activity, digital communication, social responsibility and innovative activity. A model of creative management is proposed, which is based on strategic planning, openness to new ideas, a team approach, digitalization of management processes and orientation to the needs of stakeholders. The importance of forming an innovative culture within a higher education institution is emphasized, which provides a long-term positive effect both for internal development and for the external perception of the institution. It is concluded that creative management is not only a modern approach to the administration of a higher education institution, but also a necessary condition for the formation of a positive image as a strategic resource. It is the combination of innovation, flexibility and value orientation that allows higher education institutions to effectively respond to the challenges of the time and strengthen their own competitive positions in the market of educational services.