Abstract
This study aims to analyze the role of good digital governance in enhancing strategic sovereignty in Iraqi private universities by revealing the nature of the relationship and impact between the two variables in light of the accelerating digital transformation in the higher education sector. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, and data were collected using an electronic questionnaire distributed to a sample of professors from Iraqi private universities. The number of valid responses for analysis was 154. Good digital governance was measured through five main dimensions: digital accountability, digital transparency, fairness and equity, digital participation, and service efficiency. Strategic sovereignty was measured through a set of indicators related to decision independence and the institutional capacity to plan and control information resources.
The results of the statistical analysis showed a strong, statistically significant positive correlation between good digital governance and strategic sovereignty, with a correlation coefficient (R = 0.72) at a significance level of (p < 0.001), indicating the strength of the relationship between the two variables. The regression analysis revealed that the dimensions of good digital governance collectively explain approximately 52% of the changes in strategic sovereignty (R² = 0.52), with a statistically significant overall standardized effect size (β = 0.68). At the dimension level, the results showed that digital transparency, digital accountability, and service efficiency were the most influential dimensions in enhancing strategic sovereignty, followed by digital participation and fairness and equity. This underscores the pivotal role of these practices in supporting the independence of strategic decision-making and strengthening institutional capacity to respond to challenges.