Abstract
The format of project activities is firmly rooted in the higher education system. This approach is used intensively in the implementation of strategic changes at the level of higher education institutions. This paper examines the transformation process in Russian universities from the perspective of project team members who are responsible for the result. The empirical basis for the analysis is a questionnaire survey (N = 79) of participants of transformation project teams from four Russian universities of different types (classical / technical). The types of transformation projects being implemented in Russian universities were identified. The results show that the main initiator of such projects is primarily the university itself or its individual units. The hierarchy of success factors of university transformation projects implementation in the understanding of their direct executors was determined, among which the most important are the competence of team members (71%), financial and resource support of the project (63%). The principles of project team formation are analyzed, which is mainly (37%) created based on the functional activity of the university employee outside the project. The most pronounced signs of success of a particular transformation project depending on its type are outlined. In the conclusion, we formulate the areas for further research on this topic.