E-HRM Practices in Open Universities: A Digital Framework for Skill-Based Education

Electronic Human Resource Management (E-HRM) plays a crucial role in enhancing operational efficiency, decision-making and coordination within higher education institutions. Open universities, especially those offering skill-based programs, face challenges due to decentralized operations, geographically dispersed staff and varied administrative processes. This study presents a conceptual digital E-HRM framework for such institutions using secondary data, integrating student assessment (theory, practical, viva), course content delivery and evaluation processes. The framework draws on E-HRM typologies, technology acceptance concepts and insights from higher education practices and Indian skill development policies. Findings indicate that combining operational, relational and transformational E-HRM approaches with a structured skill-based course roadmap improves administrative efficiency, faculty management and program delivery quality. The framework also addresses digital readiness, process fragmentation and user adoption challenges, offering a strategic guide for implementing digital HR systems in open universities. The study provides a systematic approach to enhancing HR effectiveness in skill-based education and informs future empirical research.

E-HRM, open universities, digital HR, skill-based education, technology acceptance, Indian higher education

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