TITLE:
Determinants of Operational Risk Management in Moroccan Public Universities
AUTHORS:
Sarra Gazoulit, Khadija Oubal
KEYWORDS:
Operational Risk, Risk Management System, Determinants, Public University
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.17 No.8,
August
31,
2026
ABSTRACT: Operational risk management has become a key lever for supporting the strategic transformations undertaken by universities. By contributing to the management of critical operational risks inherent in university activities, it helps ensure institutional continuity and supports the achievement of both operational and strategic objectives. In this context, the present study aims to identify and validate the determinants associated with the adoption of an Operational Risk Management System (ORMS) within Moroccan Public Universities (MPUs). The research is based on a flexible methodological approach structured around three complementary stages: A literature review, an exploratory qualitative study, and a quantitative survey conducted among 120 administrative managers from the twelve Moroccan public universities, with a response rate of 46%. Based on the literature, a set of potential determinants of ORMS adoption was identified and subsequently refined and contextualized through the findings of the exploratory qualitative study. These determinants were then subjected to a confirmatory analysis to assess the quality of the measurement model. The findings confirm the reliability and validity of the retained measurement constructs and highlight five major determinants associated with the adoption of ORMS within Moroccan public universities: The operational risk management process (PGRO), the university council (CUN), indebtedness (ENDT), profitability (RENT), and good governance (BGOV).