Abstract
This study examines how organizational transformation is enacted within regional universities operating under a post-socialist, centralized governance. Drawing on a dual analytical lens – rationalist and emergent – we analyze 15 strategic plans and qualitative data from 63 faculty and administrators across five universities. At the macro level, findings reveal an isomorphic convergence of strategic goals across universities, dominated by performance metrics, global ranking, and managerial reform, despite claims of autonomy and regional responsiveness. At meso and micro levels, however, transformation is more fragmented and adaptive, shaped by leadership transitions, localized initiatives, bureaucratic overload, and constrained agency. Strategic plans overstate coherence, and actual change is negotiated through learning autonomy, emotional labor, improvisation, and resilient professionalism. This study contributes to higher education governance literature by revealing how universities in nondominant systems navigate reform through hybrid strategies of compliance, adaptation, and professional commitment.