In order to stay competitive in the existing markets and to enter new markets, the educational institutions must foster the quality of their teaching, its research and the role in the development of economy and society. The results are more complex and demanding missions, visions and strategic goals, so the need for strategic planning and rational decision-making has been considerably expanded.
Educational institutions have become a part of a global shift to a new way of teaching and learning by using digital technologies. Digital technologies are among the main change accelerators that can drastically change educational systems, transforming teaching, learning and assessment practices for teachers and students. These changes demand action and decisions in educational institutions. For being successful in digital transformation, strategic planning of transforming teaching and learning plays a crucial role.
Nowadays, educational institutions must be innovative and strategically managed to be able to fulfil their mission, vision and strategic goals in the ever-changing landscape of digital transformation. Management of educational institutions must play a diverse range of roles such as: chief communicator to school communities, provider of technology, launcher of an online learning platform, logistics manager, tracer of the virus and emotional support for anxious faculty, students and staff.
The framework for managers of educational institutions for crisis leadership identifies five processesfor responding to a crisis: 1.) gathering information about the crisis, 2.) creating and implementing a well defined plan, 3.) decisive decision making, 4.) showing concern for the wellbeing of others and 5.) demonstrating open and honest communication. There is a strong need for implementing decisive decision making to make quick, clear and well thought-out decisions under constraints. To support decisive decision making, the methodology for strategic planning and decision making focusing on the AHP/ANP was developed. In the scope of the lecture the challenges of strategic decision-making within educational education will be presented as well as methodology for strategic planning and decision making in educational institutions by using the AHP/ANP.
