Abstract:

The article examines the formation of legal culture as an essential component of personnel management in higher education institutions. Legal culture is considered as a system of legal knowledge, values, professional attitudes, competencies, and patterns of lawful behavior that determine employees’ professional activities and ensure compliance with legal, ethical, and organizational standards. The study substantiates that the development of legal culture is one of the key conditions for effective personnel management, since it promotes respect for labor legislation, protects employees’ rights, prevents legal conflicts, strengthens academic integrity, and supports responsible decision-making within educational institutions. Special attention is paid to the influence of organizational culture, leadership practices, human resource policies, continuous professional development, legal education, and internal regulatory mechanisms on the formation of employees’ legal awareness and legal competence. The role of managers and HR departments in creating a favorable institutional environment based on the principles of the rule of law, transparency, accountability, equality, and corporate ethics is emphasized. The paper argues that the integration of legal values into personnel management contributes to improving the quality of governance, increasing staff motivation, strengthening organizational discipline, reducing legal and reputational risks, and enhancing institutional resilience. It is concluded that the systematic formation of legal culture should become an integral element of personnel management strategies in higher education institutions. Such an approach promotes sustainable institutional development, increases organizational effectiveness and competitiveness, improves the quality of educational services, and facilitates successful adaptation to contemporary educational reforms, digital transformation, and the modernization of public administration.

Keywords: legal culture; personnel management; higher education institution; human resources policy. 

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