ECONOMIC MECHANISMS FOR MONITORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MARKETING STRATEGIES IN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES IN UKRAINE AND POLAND

Abstract

The article addresses the urgent need for Ukrainian higher education institutions (HEIs) to adopt data-driven marketing strategies to enhance their competitiveness in the national and global educational markets. The relevance of this study is underscored by the documented gap in Ukrainian universities' practices, where marketing strategies often remain declarative and lack systematic, economically grounded monitoring frameworks. This contrasts sharply with the more market-oriented approaches observed in neighboring EU countries, such as Poland, making a comparative analysis particularly valuable for identifying best practices and potential pathways for improvement. The study aims to bridge the existing "strategy-execution gap" by proposing a functional model that translates high-level national objectives into measurable, institutional-level marketing performance indicators. Methodology. The research employs a comparative analysis of marketing monitoring practices in the higher education sectors of Ukraine and Poland. The methodological framework includes a systematic review of contemporary scientific literature on higher education marketing, an analysis of strategic documents from ministries of education, and statistical reports from national agencies and international organizations (OECD). The core of the methodology is the critical analysis and systematization of key economic performance indicators (KPIs), including Return on Investment (ROI), Cost Per Lead (CPL), and Cost Per Enrollment (CPE), to form a basis for a comprehensive monitoring model. This approach allows for the identification of divergent trends and the synthesis of an evidence-based framework adapted to the Ukrainian context. Results. The study reveals a significant divergence in the maturity of marketing analytics between the two countries. Polish HEIs, driven by intense market competition and demographic pressures, demonstrate a more advanced, practitioner-led adoption of digital monitoring tools and performance metrics. In contrast, Ukraine's higher education sector is characterized by top-down strategic mandates for internationalization and quality improvement, which are not consistently supported by granular economic monitoring at the institutional level. This creates a "strategy-execution gap." The article systematizes a set of crucial economic KPIs and, based on the comparative analysis, proposes an adapted, multi-level monitoring model designed to be implemented within the Ukrainian context. This model structures KPIs across strategic, tactical, and operational levels to ensure alignment between management decisions and marketing activities. Practical value. The findings provide a practical, evidence-based framework for university managers and marketing departments in Ukraine to design and implement effective marketing monitoring systems. The proposed model, which includes a dashboard of recommended KPIs, can help optimize budget allocation, improve the effectiveness of student recruitment campaigns, and enhance institutional accountability. This contributes to more informed strategic decision-making and strengthens the overall competitiveness of Ukrainian universities in a challenging environment.