Gk impizi, Thomais; Pe is e as, Vassilios; Magnisalis, Ioannis
A icle
De ining he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion
in highe educa ion ins i u ions
Adminis a i e Sciences
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
MDPI – Mul idisciplina y Digi al Publishing Ins i u e, Basel
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Gk impizi, Thomais; Pe is e as, Vassilios; Magnisalis, Ioannis (2024) : De ining
he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions, Adminis a i e
Sciences, ISSN 2076-3387, MDPI, Basel, Vol. 14, Iss. 3, pp. 1-18,
h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/admsci14030048
This Ve sion is a ailable a :
h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/320871
S anda d-Nu zungsbedingungen:
Die Dokumen e au EconS o dü en zu eigenen wissenscha lichen
Zwecken und zum P i a geb auch gespeiche und kopie we den.
Sie dü en die Dokumen e nich ü ö en liche ode komme zielle
Zwecke e iel äl igen, ö en lich auss ellen, ö en lich zugänglich
machen, e eiben ode ande wei ig nu zen.
So e n die Ve asse die Dokumen e un e Open-Con en -Lizenzen
(insbesonde e CC-Lizenzen) zu Ve ügung ges ell haben soll en,
gel en abweichend on diesen Nu zungsbedingungen die in de do
genann en Lizenz gewäh en Nu zungs ech e.
Te ms o use:
Documen s in EconS o may be sa ed and copied o you pe sonal
and schola ly pu poses.
You a e no o copy documen s o public o comme cial pu poses, o
exhibi he documen s publicly, o make hem publicly a ailable on he
in e ne , o o dis ibu e o o he wise use he documen s in public.
I he documen s ha e been made a ailable unde an Open Con en
Licence (especially C ea i e Commons Licences), you may exe cise
u he usage igh s as speci ied in he indica ed licence.
h ps://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/
Ci a ion: Gk impizi, Thomais,
Vassilios Pe is e as, and Ioannis
Magnisalis. 2024. De ining he
Meaning and Scope o Digi al
T ans o ma ion in Highe Educa ion
Ins i u ions. Adminis a i e Sciences 14:
48. h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/
admsci14030048
Recei ed: 4 Feb ua y 2024
Re ised: 26 Feb ua y 2024
Accep ed: 28 Feb ua y 2024
Published: 4 Ma ch 2024
Copy igh : © 2024 by he au ho s.
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Swi ze land.
This a icle is an open access a icle
dis ibu ed unde he e ms and
condi ions o he C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion (CC BY) license (h ps://
c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/
4.0/).
adminis a i e
sciences
A icle
De ining he Meaning and Scope o Digi al T ans o ma ion in
Highe Educa ion Ins i u ions
Thomais Gk impizi 1,* , Vassilios Pe is e as 1,2 and Ioannis Magnisalis 1,3
1School o Science and Technology, In e na ional Hellenic Uni e si y, 57001 Thessaloniki, G eece
2Council o he Eu opean Union, 1040 B ussels, Belgium
3Eu opean Commission, 1000 B ussels, Belgium
*Co espondence: [email p o ec ed]
Abs ac : Digi al ans o ma ion has eme ged as a pe asi e o ce in oday’s apidly e ol ing wo ld,
ouching almos e e y sec o and indus y. In he highe educa ion sec o , in which educa ion,
esea ch, and knowledge dissemina ion hold pa amoun signi icance o socie y, he no ion o digi al
ans o ma ion pe se becomes pa icula ly impo an . This pape ocuses speci ically on highe
educa ion, acknowledging ha i exis s in a b oade en i onmen . In his wo k, quali a i e me hods
we e applied o explo e he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u-
ions. The sys ema ic li e a u e e iew o med he basis o in-dep h in e iews wi h expe s in he
discipline o explo e he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions.
Then, o he pu pose o p epa ing he case s udy, he concep s ha eme ged om he sys ema ic li -
e a u e e iew and in e iews wi h expe s we e g ouped oge he h ough a keywo d-based pa e n.
Las ly, a case s udy was conduc ed a a G eek uni e si y wi h he aim o be e unde s anding he
way in which uni e si y membe s o a pa icula highe educa ion ins i u ion pe cei e he meaning
and scope o digi al ans o ma ion. Ou analysis p o ides aluable insigh s in o highe educa ion
ins i u ions o decision-make s and hose in ol ed in digi al ans o ma ion ini ia i es, o e ing
a comp ehensi e de ini ion o digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions. Finally, his
pape can also se e as a basis o esea che s who a e in e es ed in de ining he meaning and scope
o digi al ans o ma ion in hei own esea ch ields.
Keywo ds: digi al ans o ma ion; uni e si y; highe educa ion
1. In oduc ion
Digi al ans o ma ion has become an in eg al pa o mode n socie y, p o oundly
impac ing o ganisa ions in a ious sec o s. The impo ance o his issue a ises om
he ex ao dina y speed a which digi al echnologies ha e di used all aspec s o ou
li es. A su ey conduc ed by he Wo ld Economic Fo um (Wo ld Economic Fo um 2023)
highligh ed ha 87% o companies belie e ha digi al ans o ma ion will dis up hei
indus ies, bu only hal say hey a e p epa ed.
A a ime o massi e social, economic, echnological, and demog aphic changes in
socie y (B own e al. 2020), highe educa ion ins i u ions, like o he o ganisa ions, a e a
a c oss oads (Alenezi 2021;B anch e al. 2020), ope a ing in an en i onmen subjec o
unp edic able changes ha hey need o cope wi h, as socie y expec s HEIs o ul il mul iple
social and poli ical goals. Fu he mo e, he COVID-19 pandemic has accele a ed he shi
owa ds digi al educa ion, wi h many educa ional ins i u ions being o ced o swi ch o
emo e and hyb id eaching models.
The impo ance o digi al ans o ma ion o highe educa ion ins i u ions (HEIs) is
being s ongly deba ed. As a esul o digi al ans o ma ion and he use o new echnolo-
gies, bo h academics and hei ins i u ions a e changing he ways in which hey ope a e
a a as e pace han expec ed (Ke oum e al. 2020). While some a gue o he pa amoun
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48. h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/admsci14030048 h ps://www.mdpi.com/jou nal/admsci
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 2 o 18
impo ance o digi al ans o ma ion, o he s aise ques ions abou i . On he one hand,
o da e, in highe educa ion, echnology has been mainly seen as a medium o g adual
change in o de o imp o e cu en lea ning app oaches and has been la gely igno ed as a
means o dis up i e and e olu iona y changes (Alenezi 2021;B anch e al. 2020). On he
o he hand, he incessan use o digi al echnologies in educa ion is conside ed no only
unsus ainable bu also po en ially damaging, and he e is a need o a mo e sus ainable
and e hical app oach o educa ional echnology (Selwyn 2022).
An impo an no e is ha while highe educa ion does no ope a e in a acuum, i
is only highe educa ion ha is conside ed in his s udy. HEIs a e by na u e complex
o ganisa ions, wi h a unique na u e and pu pose (Jensen 2019), wi h many speci ic ea u es
ha di e en ia e hem om o he o ganisa ions, such as eaching, pedagogy, cu iculum,
and esea ch (Alenezi 2021;Bena ides e al. 2020). The no ion o digi al ans o ma ion
pe se is o signi ican impo ance o HEIs seeking o adap , inno a e, and h i e in his
e ol ing echnology-led landscape, and mo eo e , o make HEIs esilien and adap able in
he ace o a ange o inc easingly di icul challenges (B own e al. 2020).
Digi al ans o ma ion ep esen s a undamen al shi in he way HEIs ope a e, deli e
educa ion, and engage wi h s uden s, s a , and s akeholde s. I encompasses a wide
ange o echnological de elopmen s, s a egic ini ia i es, and cul u al changes aimed
a ha nessing he powe o digi al echnologies o imp o e he o e all e ec i eness o
ins i u ions and enhance he lea ning expe ience. I is wo h no ing ha (Fla in 2017)
highligh s he deep- oo ed esis ance o educa ional ins i u ions o inno a ion, sugges ing
a mo e nuanced unde s anding o hese challenges. Digi al ans o ma ion is no jus abou
cu iculum, lea ning deli e y, s uden suppo , and esea ch. I is also abou he back o ice,
he ope a ing model, and, undamen ally, a se o key o ganisa ional capabili ies: lexibili y,
agili y, pu pose ulness, and e idence-led decision making (Pa ke 2020).
1.1. S uc u e o he Pape
The pape is o ganised as ollows. In his Sec ion, a e he in oduc ion, we p esen
he esea ch gap and se ou ou con ibu ion and he esea ch ques ion. In Sec ion 2, he
esea ch me hodology is desc ibed. In Sec ion 3, we p esen ou esul s om he sys ema ic
li e a u e e iew, expe s’ in e iews, and case s udy. A syn hesis and discussion o he
esul s appea in Sec ion 4. Finally, in Sec ion 5, we p esen he conclusion, limi a ions, and
u u e wo k.
1.2. Resea ch Gap
Al hough digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion is an eme ging esea ch a ea, he
exac scope and meaning o digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions a e s ill
no adequa ely de ined. “Digi al ans o ma ion” in uni e si ies has become he subjec o
much hype and exci emen , and he e m is o en o e - and mis-used. Wi h ou wo k, we
y o p o ide igou and cla i y o he on-going discussion.
1.3. Con ibu ion and Resea ch Ques ion
We ied o ill his gap ini ially by unde s anding he meaning and scope o digi al
ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions, and, subsequen ly, o be e illus a e his,
by p o iding a comp ehensi e de ini ion o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs h ough he use
o quali a i e esea ch me hods. The e o e, we o mula ed he ollowing esea ch ques ion:
Wha a e he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions?
2. Ma e ials and Me hods
To achie e he goal o his s udy and answe ou esea ch ques ion, we i s s udied
he ele an li e a u e, hen we o ganised and conduc ed in-dep h, semi-s uc u ed, and
explo a o y in e iews wi h ield expe s, and, inally, we e i ied he esul s om he
p e ious phases h ough a case s udy.
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 3 o 18
The pu pose o he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew was o iden i y he meaning and scope
o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. Subsequen ly, we ca ied ou in e iews wi h expe s
o en ich, ex end, and imp o e ou unde s anding o his subjec (Lopez-Fe nandez and
Molina-Azo in 2011). Finally, by conduc ing a case s udy a a G eek public uni e si y, we
gained be e p ac ical knowledge and e i ied ou indings om he li e a u e and he
in e iews.
The complemen a i y and c edibili y o he in e iew-based quali a i e esea ch was
enhanced h ough he applica ion o si e iangula ion, as sugges ed by (Shen on 2004).
In ou s udy, si e iangula ion was accomplished by in ol ing in o man s om mul iple
o ganisa ions om di e en con inen s. This app oach helped mi iga e he impac o
speci ic local ac o s unique o a single ins i u ion. When consis en indings eme ge ac oss
di e en si es, ou quali a i e indings gain g ea e c edibili y. To ensu e di e si y, we
sampled a a ie y o expe s om a ious o ganisa ions, as s a ed in Sec ion 2.2. This
p ac ice aligns wi h De in’s concep o “ci cling eali y”, which emphasises he need
o mul iple pe spec i es o o m a mo e comp ehensi e and s able unde s anding o
“ eali y” based on a wide ange o obse a ions ac oss di e en poin s in ime and space
(De in 1983). By applying si e iangula ion, we gained a iche and mo e de ailed
unde s anding o he domain, allowing us o p o ide a mo e inclusi e, s uc u ed, and
elabo a ed de ini ion o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. In Figu e 1, he p ocess o he
ollowing esea ch me hods is illus a ed.
Adm. Sci. 2024, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 o 19
2. Ma e ials and Me hods
To achie e he goal o his s udy and answe ou esea ch ques ion, we i s s udied
he ele an li e a u e, hen we o ganised and conduc ed in-dep h, semi-s uc u ed, and
explo a o y in e iews wi h ield expe s, and, inally, we e i ied he esul s om he
p e ious phases h ough a case s udy.
The pu pose o he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew was o iden i y he meaning and
scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. Subsequen ly, we ca ied ou in e iews wi h ex-
pe s o en ich, ex end, and imp o e ou unde s anding o his subjec (Lopez-Fe nandez
and Molina-Azo in 2011). Finally, by conduc ing a case s udy a a G eek public uni e si y,
we gained be e p ac ical knowledge and e i ied ou indings om he li e a u e and he
in e iews.
The complemen a i y and c edibili y o he in e iew-based quali a i e esea ch was
enhanced h ough he applica ion o si e iangula ion, as sugges ed by (Shen on 2004). In
ou s udy, si e iangula ion was accomplished by in ol ing in o man s om mul iple
o ganisa ions om diffe en con inen s. This app oach helped mi iga e he impac o spe-
ci ic local ac o s unique o a single ins i u ion. When consis en indings eme ge ac oss
diffe en si es, ou quali a i e indings gain g ea e c edibili y. To ensu e di e si y, we
sampled a a ie y o expe s om a ious o ganisa ions, as s a ed in Sec ion 2.2. This p ac-
ice aligns wi h De in’s concep o “ci cling eali y”, which emphasises he need o mul-
iple pe spec i es o o m a mo e comp ehensi e and s able unde s anding o “ eali y”
based on a wide ange o obse a ions ac oss diffe en poin s in ime and space (De in
1983). By applying si e iangula ion, we gained a iche and mo e de ailed unde s anding
o he domain, allowing us o p o ide a mo e inclusi e, s uc u ed, and elabo a ed de i-
ni ion o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. In Figu e 1, he p ocess o he ollowing esea ch
me hods is illus a ed.
Figu e 1. Resea ch me hod p ocess.
2.1. Sys ema ic Li e a u e Re iew
The me hod applied was a sys ema ic li e a u e e iew (Webs e and Wa son 2002;
Ki chenham 2007). A sys ema ic li e a u e e iew (SLR) is a esea ch app oach o inding,
e alua ing, explaining, and syn hesising he ex an li e a u e c ea ed by schola s, e-
sea che s, and p ac i ione s (Fink 2019). An SLR is a e iew o a clea ly o mula ed ques-
ion ha uses sys ema ic and explici me hods o iden i y, selec , and c i ically e alua e
he ele an esea ch and collec and analyse da a om he s udies ha a e included in
he e iew (Mohe e al. 2009). Ou wo k used an SLR as a majo componen and s ep, as
depic ed in Figu e 1 and elabo a ed in Figu e 2. As men ioned in (Lacey e al. 2011), he
key ac i i ies ha diffe en ia e an SLR om a na a i e li e a u e e iew a e as ollows:
de ining a esea ch ques ion, designing he plan, sea ching o li e a u e, applying exclu-
sion and inclusion c i e ia, applying quali y assessmen , and syn hesising he indings el-
e an o he esea ch ques ion. We used he p o ocol desc ibed in (Ki chenham 2007),
which consis s o i e phases: (1) o mula ing he esea ch ques ions, (2) he esea ch p o-
cess, (3) syn hesis, (4) analysis, and (5) e alua ion.
Ini ially, he esea ch ques ion was es ablished: Wha is he meaning and scope o digi al
ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions?
Once he esea ch ques ion was se , we s a ed by applying he PRISMA low dia-
g am (Mohe e al. 2009) o he s udy selec ion phase. In Figu e 2, we p esen he numbe
o s udies iden i ied pe phase.
Figu e 1. Resea ch me hod p ocess.
2.1. Sys ema ic Li e a u e Re iew
The me hod applied was a sys ema ic li e a u e e iew (Webs e and Wa son 2002;
Ki chenham 2007). A sys ema ic li e a u e e iew (SLR) is a esea ch app oach o ind-
ing, e alua ing, explaining, and syn hesising he ex an li e a u e c ea ed by schola s,
esea che s, and p ac i ione s (Fink 2019). An SLR is a e iew o a clea ly o mula ed
ques ion ha uses sys ema ic and explici me hods o iden i y, selec , and c i ically e alua e
he ele an esea ch and collec and analyse da a om he s udies ha a e included in
he e iew (Mohe e al. 2009). Ou wo k used an SLR as a majo componen and s ep, as
depic ed in Figu e 1and elabo a ed in Figu e 2. As men ioned in (Lacey e al. 2011), he key
ac i i ies ha di e en ia e an SLR om a na a i e li e a u e e iew a e as ollows: de ining
a esea ch ques ion, designing he plan, sea ching o li e a u e, applying exclusion and
inclusion c i e ia, applying quali y assessmen , and syn hesising he indings ele an o
he esea ch ques ion. We used he p o ocol desc ibed in (Ki chenham 2007), which consis s
o i e phases: (1) o mula ing he esea ch ques ions, (2) he esea ch p ocess, (3) syn hesis,
(4) analysis, and (5) e alua ion.
Ini ially, he esea ch ques ion was es ablished: Wha is he meaning and scope o digi al
ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions?
Once he esea ch ques ion was se , we s a ed by applying he PRISMA low diag am
(Mohe e al. 2009) o he s udy selec ion phase. In Figu e 2, we p esen he numbe o
s udies iden i ied pe phase.
The ele an s udies we e e ie ed om he scien i ic da abases Web o Science and
Scopus. We chose hese da abases because hey co e a wide ange o academic disciplines
and publica ions om many coun ies and languages and p o ide a comp ehensi e and
eliable sou ce o li e a u e o esea ch pu poses. These da abases use s ic selec ion
c i e ia o ensu e ha he publica ions hey include a e o high quali y and ha e unde gone
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 4 o 18
a igo ous pee e iew p ocess. Fu he mo e, bo h da abases allow o he acking o
a icles o au ho ci a ions, which helps o iden i y o he ele an s udies.
Adm. Sci. 2024, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 o 19
Figu e 2. PRISMA p ocess applied o s udy selec ion, adap ed by (Mohe e al. 2009).
The ele an s udies we e e ie ed om he scien i ic da abases Web o Science and
Scopus. We chose hese da abases because hey co e a wide ange o academic disciplines
and publica ions om many coun ies and languages and p o ide a comp ehensi e and
eliable sou ce o li e a u e o esea ch pu poses. These da abases use s ic selec ion c i-
e ia o ensu e ha he publica ions hey include a e o high quali y and ha e unde gone
a igo ous pee e iew p ocess. Fu he mo e, bo h da abases allow o he acking o a -
icles o au ho ci a ions, which helps o iden i y o he ele an s udies.
Fo he sea ch, we used s ing cons uc ion, Boolean ope a o s, as well as AND and
OR o in eg a e he selec ed a iables (Ki chenham 2007). Fo bo h da abases, he que y
ollowed was (“digi al ans o ma ion”) AND (“uni e si y” OR “highe educa ion”).
Sea ches we e pe o med in Feb ua y 2023, main aining he abo e-men ioned s uc u e.
The sea ch was conduc ed among English sou ces and co e ed he pe iod up o he end
o 2022. In bo h da abases, we sea ched he i les. The sea ch yielded 241 s udies: 190 a i-
cles in he Scopus da abase and 51 in he Web o Science da abase. We included a icles,
con e ence p oceedings, and books.
We hen p oceeded o check he s udies e ie ed om he p e ious s ep a e we
emo ed 46 duplica es, using MS Excel 365 and Mendeley Desk op ( e sion 1.19.8). All
i les, abs ac s, and keywo ds we e ead a e wa ds. We emo ed 7 s udies ha we e no
ully a ailable, and 188 s udies emained om his phase.
Subsequen ly, we il e ed he 188 s udies e ie ed om he sc eening p ocess by e-
iewing he ull ex s. The pape s clea ly ela e o and discuss he meaning and scope o
digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. A his s age, we applied he inclusion and exclusion c i e-
ia. A o al o 188 s udies we e submi ed o check he ele ance o he esea ch ques ion.
The c i e ia chosen o ensu e he ele ance and quali y o he a icles we e as ollows:
1. Pape s should ela e o he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs;
2. Pape s should ha e he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs a he
cen es o hei analyses.
The exclusion c i e ion se aimed o exclude s udies ha did no ocus speci ically on
he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs bu e e ed o hem only in hei
in oduc ions o backg ounds and no in hei esul s, o s udies ha measu ed some hing
o he han he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. We ended up wi h 22
a icles ha add essed he abo e c i e ia.
By applying a Fo wa d and Backwa d Ci a ion Sea ch, we iden i ied and included
ano he 2 a icles. Fu he mo e, we included 6 pape s om he g ey li e a u e, as we
ound hem pa icula ly in e es ing and ele an o ou wo k. Finally, 30 s udies we e in-
cluded in-scope o ou esea ch.
We p esen he a icles ch onologically (Figu e 3) and acco ding o he ypes o doc-
umen s (Figu e 4).
Figu e 2. PRISMA p ocess applied o s udy selec ion, adap ed by (Mohe e al. 2009).
Fo he sea ch, we used s ing cons uc ion, Boolean ope a o s, as well as AND
and OR o in eg a e he selec ed a iables (Ki chenham 2007). Fo bo h da abases, he
que y ollowed was (“digi al ans o ma ion”) AND (“uni e si y” OR “highe educa ion”).
Sea ches we e pe o med in Feb ua y 2023, main aining he abo e-men ioned s uc u e.
The sea ch was conduc ed among English sou ces and co e ed he pe iod up o he end o
2022. In bo h da abases, we sea ched he i les. The sea ch yielded 241 s udies:
190 a icles
in he Scopus da abase and 51 in he Web o Science da abase. We included a icles,
con e ence p oceedings, and books.
We hen p oceeded o check he s udies e ie ed om he p e ious s ep a e we
emo ed 46 duplica es, using MS Excel 365 and Mendeley Desk op ( e sion 1.19.8). All
i les, abs ac s, and keywo ds we e ead a e wa ds. We emo ed 7 s udies ha we e no
ully a ailable, and 188 s udies emained om his phase.
Subsequen ly, we il e ed he 188 s udies e ie ed om he sc eening p ocess by
e iewing he ull ex s. The pape s clea ly ela e o and discuss he meaning and scope o
digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. A his s age, we applied he inclusion and exclusion c i e ia.
A o al o 188 s udies we e submi ed o check he ele ance o he esea ch ques ion.
The c i e ia chosen o ensu e he ele ance and quali y o he a icles we e as ollows:
1. Pape s should ela e o he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs;
2.
Pape s should ha e he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs a he
cen es o hei analyses.
The exclusion c i e ion se aimed o exclude s udies ha did no ocus speci ically on
he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs bu e e ed o hem only in hei
in oduc ions o backg ounds and no in hei esul s, o s udies ha measu ed some hing
o he han he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. We ended up wi h
22 a icles ha add essed he abo e c i e ia.
By applying a Fo wa d and Backwa d Ci a ion Sea ch, we iden i ied and included
ano he 2 a icles. Fu he mo e, we included 6 pape s om he g ey li e a u e, as we ound
hem pa icula ly in e es ing and ele an o ou wo k. Finally, 30 s udies we e included
in-scope o ou esea ch.
We p esen he a icles ch onologically (Figu e 3) and acco ding o he ypes o docu-
men s (Figu e 4).
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 5 o 18
Adm. Sci. 2024, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 o 19
Figu e 3. Timeline o esea ch a icles on digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs.
Figu e 4. Dis ibu ion o esea ch a icles by ypes o documen s.
2.2. In e iews
A e concluding he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew, he esea ch con inued by conduc -
ing in-dep h, semi-s uc u ed, and explo a o y in e iews wi h pu posi e samples
(Ri chie e al. 2013). The use o in e iews wi h domain expe s was chosen o achie e
complemen a i y (Lopez-Fe nandez and Molina-Azo in 2011).
The in e iew me hodology was designed in acco dance wi h he p o ocol desc ibed
by (S . John e al. 2014; Young e al. 2018). I was s uc u ed in o h ee s eps, as ollows:
1. The ini ial design, which included he iden i ica ion o he esea ch ques ion, he de-
sign o he esea ch me hods, and he o mula ion o he in e iews ques ions;
2. The da a ga he ing, which included he pilo ing/ e inemen o he in e iews, an e hi-
cal e iew, sampling, and unde aking in e iews;
3. The analysis and syn hesis, which included he esul s ob ained om he expe in e -
iews.
In he ini ial design, he esea ch ques ion, “Wha a e he meaning and scope o digi al
ans o ma ion in HEIs?”, o med he basis o he expe in e iews. The in e iews wi h
expe s we e conduc ed o help us de ine he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion
in HEIs. We applied a quali a i e app oach, using semi-s uc u ed and in-dep h explo a-
o y in e iews wi h expe s om academia no only in o de o alida e ou indings, bu
also, mo e impo an ly, o shape and deepen ou comp ehension o HEI digi al ans o -
ma ion in collabo a ion wi h he expe s. The in e iew ques ions we e ph ased in an
open-ended manne . The ollowing ques ions we e posed o he expe s o discussion:
1. Wha a e he special cha ac e is ics o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs compa ed o o he p i-
a e o public o ganisa ions?
2. How would you imagine a “digi ally ans o med uni e si y” 10 yea s om now?
Figu e 3. Timeline o esea ch a icles on digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs.
Adm. Sci. 2024, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 o 19
Figu e 3. Timeline o esea ch a icles on digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs.
Figu e 4. Dis ibu ion o esea ch a icles by ypes o documen s.
2.2. In e iews
A e concluding he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew, he esea ch con inued by conduc -
ing in-dep h, semi-s uc u ed, and explo a o y in e iews wi h pu posi e samples
(Ri chie e al. 2013). The use o in e iews wi h domain expe s was chosen o achie e
complemen a i y (Lopez-Fe nandez and Molina-Azo in 2011).
The in e iew me hodology was designed in acco dance wi h he p o ocol desc ibed
by (S . John e al. 2014; Young e al. 2018). I was s uc u ed in o h ee s eps, as ollows:
1. The ini ial design, which included he iden i ica ion o he esea ch ques ion, he de-
sign o he esea ch me hods, and he o mula ion o he in e iews ques ions;
2. The da a ga he ing, which included he pilo ing/ e inemen o he in e iews, an e hi-
cal e iew, sampling, and unde aking in e iews;
3. The analysis and syn hesis, which included he esul s ob ained om he expe in e -
iews.
In he ini ial design, he esea ch ques ion, “Wha a e he meaning and scope o digi al
ans o ma ion in HEIs?”, o med he basis o he expe in e iews. The in e iews wi h
expe s we e conduc ed o help us de ine he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion
in HEIs. We applied a quali a i e app oach, using semi-s uc u ed and in-dep h explo a-
o y in e iews wi h expe s om academia no only in o de o alida e ou indings, bu
also, mo e impo an ly, o shape and deepen ou comp ehension o HEI digi al ans o -
ma ion in collabo a ion wi h he expe s. The in e iew ques ions we e ph ased in an
open-ended manne . The ollowing ques ions we e posed o he expe s o discussion:
1. Wha a e he special cha ac e is ics o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs compa ed o o he p i-
a e o public o ganisa ions?
2. How would you imagine a “digi ally ans o med uni e si y” 10 yea s om now?
Figu e 4. Dis ibu ion o esea ch a icles by ypes o documen s.
2.2. In e iews
A e concluding he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew, he esea ch con inued by con-
duc ing in-dep h, semi-s uc u ed, and explo a o y in e iews wi h pu posi e samples
(Ri chie e al. 2013). The use o in e iews wi h domain expe s was chosen o achie e
complemen a i y (Lopez-Fe nandez and Molina-Azo in 2011).
The in e iew me hodology was designed in acco dance wi h he p o ocol desc ibed
by (S . John e al. 2014;Young e al. 2018). I was s uc u ed in o h ee s eps, as ollows:
1.
The ini ial design, which included he iden i ica ion o he esea ch ques ion, he design
o he esea ch me hods, and he o mula ion o he in e iews ques ions;
2.
The da a ga he ing, which included he pilo ing/ e inemen o he in e iews, an e hical
e iew, sampling, and unde aking in e iews;
3. The analysis and syn hesis, which included he esul s ob ained om he expe in e iews.
In he ini ial design, he esea ch ques ion, “Wha a e he meaning and scope o digi al
ans o ma ion in HEIs?”, o med he basis o he expe in e iews. The in e iews wi h
expe s we e conduc ed o help us de ine he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion
in HEIs. We applied a quali a i e app oach, using semi-s uc u ed and in-dep h explo a o y
in e iews wi h expe s om academia no only in o de o alida e ou indings, bu also,
mo e impo an ly, o shape and deepen ou comp ehension o HEI digi al ans o ma ion
in collabo a ion wi h he expe s. The in e iew ques ions we e ph ased in an open-ended
manne . The ollowing ques ions we e posed o he expe s o discussion:
1.
Wha a e he special cha ac e is ics o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs compa ed o o he p i a e
o public o ganisa ions?
2. How would you imagine a “digi ally ans o med uni e si y” 10 yea s om now?
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 6 o 18
In s ep wo (da a ga he ing), he en i e p ocess was pilo ed wi h one expe o es
he leng h, app op ia eness o he language, and po en ial sou ces o bias (e.g., leading
ques ions). We used he same ideo con e ence pla o m o he pilo and he in e iews.
A he beginning o each in e iew, he in e iewee’s consen was sough . To ensu e
comple e co e age o he popula ion o in e es , we chose pu posi e and goal-o ien ed
sampling. To ensu e accu acy and igou , he sample selec ed was de e mined by i s abili y
o ep esen p ominen cha ac e is ics and ai s ele an o he esea ch (Rashidi e al. 2014).
Fo he pu poses o his esea ch, we decided o in e iew p o iles demons a ing a dual
cha ac e is ic: p o ound p o essional connec ion wi h hei uni e si ies; deep expe ise in
digi al ans o ma ion. We chose uni e si y p o esso s who a e dis inguished schola s in
he ield o digi al go e nmen and digi al ans o ma ion in he public sec o . The idea
o his p o iling was o in ol e in e iewees wi h a ho ough unde s anding and deep
domain (HEI) expe ience and, a he same ime, who a e wo ld-class expe s in digi al
ans o ma ion. To iden i y he in e iewees, we used he Digi al Go e nmen Re e ence
Lib a y (DGRL) (DGRL 16.6) (Scholl 2022). The Uni e si y o Washing on, since 2005,
has main ained his e e ence lib a y wi h academic li e a u e on digi al go e nmen . The
in e iewee sample was selec ed om he op 25 digi al go e nmen schola s based on his
lib a y (Scholl 2022).
Ou o he en p o esso s con ac ed, eigh ag eed o be in e iewed. Thei names and
a ilia ions appea in Appendix A. Thei uni e si ies a e loca ed in A gen ina, Belgium,
Canada, G eece, Poland, he Ne he lands, and he USA. The in e iews we e conduc ed in
June 2023, wi h an a e age du a ion o one hou . They we e eco ded wi h he consen o
he expe s o ensu e he maximum quali y o he da a analysis. In e iew ansc ip s we e
s o ed on a secu e uni e si y ile se e .
2.3. Analysis and Syn hesis o Resul s om Sys ema ic Li e a u e Re iew and Expe s’ In e iews
Du ing his s age, by applying he g ounded heo y (Glase and S auss 2017), we
i s p oceeded o codi y and analyse he esul s ound in he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew
and expe in e iews by adop ing he concep -cen ic-ma ix app oach (Mo akanyane
e al. 2017). Once he analysis was comple ed, we p oceeded o join ly syn hesise he
esul s ob ained om bo h me hods. This syn hesis o med he basis o o ganising and
conduc ing ou case s udy.
2.4. Case S udy
The inal phase o ou esea ch was ocused on a speci ic HEI o con i m o discon i m
he indings. The case s udy me hodology allows o a deepe unde s anding o a pa icula
social phenomenon (Me iam 1998;Rod íguez-Sánchez e al. 2020) and aims o unde s and,
sol e, o imp o e a eal-wo ld p oblem (Rod íguez-Sánchez e al. 2020). The use o a case
s udy was deemed app op ia e o ou esea ch, as i in ol es in ensi e analysis o iden i y
issues and gene a e insigh s (Chapleo and Simms 2010), he collec ion o da a, and he
achie emen o he esea ch objec i es (Yin 2000;Díaz-Ga cia e al. 2023).
A p ope ly selec ed quali a i e single case s udy on digi al ans o ma ion should
suppo he ela ionship be ween he unique and he gene al, which is “ he mos discussed
issue o all” in case s udies (Tigh 2017). We selec ed In e na ional Hellenic Uni e si y
(IHU) in G eece as ou single case s udy.
The main eason o his was because all he esea ch eam membe s a e s a o he
ins i u ion and ha e access o key indi iduals and in o ma ion. Ou amilia i y wi h he
social en i onmen o he uni e si y allows us o ha e insigh s in o wha is o iginal and
unique a IHU.
Mo eo e , IHU is he esul o a me ge o ou p e ious ins i u ions wi h a e y la ge
geog aphical sp ead wi h eigh campuses. A e he me ge in 2019, IHU became one o he
la ges uni e si ies in G eece. IHU has pu unde one oo di e en egula o y amewo ks,
di e en s uc u es, di e en academic and adminis a i e unc ions, and di e en cul u es.
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 7 o 18
We belie e ha his di e si y and complexi y gi es IHU quali a i e cha ac e is ics ha
makes i an in e es ing case o s udying digi al ans o ma ion.
To collec he needed in o ma ion, we decided o conduc a wo kshop wi h uni e si y
s a membe s. Rep esen a i es o he main in e nal s akeholde s (i.e., he go e nance body,
academic s a , and adminis a i e and IT s a ) we e selec ed. The c i e ia o he selec ion
o he indi iduals o each s akeholde g oup we e hei a ailabili y and hei willingness o
pa icipa e in ou esea ch. The o e all case s udy me hodology is p esen ed in Figu e 5.
Adm. Sci. 2024, 14, x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 o 19
amewo ks, diffe en s uc u es, diffe en academic and adminis a i e unc ions, and
diffe en cul u es. We belie e ha his di e si y and complexi y gi es IHU quali a i e
cha ac e is ics ha makes i an in e es ing case o s udying digi al ans o ma ion.
To collec he needed in o ma ion, we decided o conduc a wo kshop wi h uni e si y
s aff membe s. Rep esen a i es o he main in e nal s akeholde s (i.e., he go e nance
body, academic s aff, and adminis a i e and IT s aff) we e selec ed. The c i e ia o he
selec ion o he indi iduals o each s akeholde g oup we e hei a ailabili y and hei
willingness o pa icipa e in ou esea ch.
The o e all case s udy me hodology is p esen ed in Figu e 5.
Figu e 5. S ages o case s udy.
3. Resul s
In his Sec ion, in o de o add ess he esea ch ques ion, we p esen he esul s ob-
ained om he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew. Fu he mo e, we p esen he esul s o he
expe in e iews. Subsequen ly, o he pu pose o conduc ing he case s udy, we a emp
o iden i y and consolida e he concep s ha eme ged om he sys ema ic li e a u e e-
iew and expe in e iews. Finally, he esul s de i ed om he case s udy a e p esen ed.
3.1. Meaning and Scope o Digi al T ans o ma ion: Sys ema ic Li e a u e Re iew
We p esen below he de ini ions o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs ha we e ound
om he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew (Table 1).
Table 1. De ini ions o digi al ans o ma ion in he con ex o highe educa ion.
Re e ence De ini ion o Digi al T ans o ma ion in Highe Educa ion Ins i u ions
( on de Heyde 2022)
Digi al ans o ma ion is a se ies o p o ound and coo dina ed changes in cul u e, wo k-
o ce and echnology ha enable new educa ional and ope a ional models, ans o ming
he business model, s a egic di ec ions and alue p oposi ion o uni e si ies.
(Se na Gómez e al. 2021) Digi al ans o ma ion o HEIs is de ined as he phenomenon in which old managemen
pa e ns a e b oken and ein en ed h ough a c ea i e dis up ion, suppo ed by he use o
Figu e 5. S ages o case s udy.
3. Resul s
In his Sec ion, in o de o add ess he esea ch ques ion, we p esen he esul s
ob ained om he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew. Fu he mo e, we p esen he esul s o he
expe in e iews. Subsequen ly, o he pu pose o conduc ing he case s udy, we a emp
o iden i y and consolida e he concep s ha eme ged om he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew
and expe in e iews. Finally, he esul s de i ed om he case s udy a e p esen ed.
3.1. Meaning and Scope o Digi al T ans o ma ion: Sys ema ic Li e a u e Re iew
We p esen below he de ini ions o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs ha we e ound
om he sys ema ic li e a u e e iew (Table 1).
Table 1. De ini ions o digi al ans o ma ion in he con ex o highe educa ion.
Re e ence De ini ion o Digi al T ans o ma ion in Highe Educa ion Ins i u ions
( on de Heyde 2022)
Digi al ans o ma ion is a se ies o p o ound and coo dina ed changes in cul u e, wo k o ce and
echnology ha enable new educa ional and ope a ional models, ans o ming he business
model, s a egic di ec ions and alue p oposi ion o uni e si ies.
(Se na Gómez e al. 2021)
Digi al ans o ma ion o HEIs is de ined as he phenomenon in which old managemen pa e ns
a e b oken and ein en ed h ough a c ea i e dis up ion, suppo ed by he use o digi al
echnology, in o de o achie e mo e e ec i e managemen and build new ela ionships. Digi al
ans o ma ion is mainly abou changing he exis ing o ganisa ional cul u e.
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 8 o 18
Table 1. Con .
Re e ence De ini ion o Digi al T ans o ma ion in Highe Educa ion Ins i u ions
(Iosad 2020)
Digi al ans o ma ion is a se ies o deep and coo dina ed ac ions on cul u e, wo k o ce and
echnology ha enable new educa ional and ope a ional models and ans o m an ins i u ion’s
ope a ions, s a egic di ec ions and alue p oposi ion.
(Simone e e al. 2021)
Digi al ans o ma ion o HEIs is a holis ic academic, o ganisa ional and s uc u al inno a ion
ha anscends new echnologies in lea ning and eaching. I changes he ins i u ion i sel , he
academic cul u e, impac indi iduals and socie y.
(Cas illo e al. 2021)
Digi al ans o ma ion e e s o he p ocess o op imizing, and ans o ming he ins i u ion’s
s a egies, ac i i ies, ope a ions, decisions, and alue p oposi ion h ough he adop ion o
digi al ools.
(B anch e al. 2020)
Digi al ans o ma ion is he esul o an o ganisa ional change in which people, p ocesses and
business models can unde s and echnologies as ools ha c ea e alue be ween cus ome s
and pa ne s.
(Ga u o e al. 2020)
Digi al ans o ma ion is a se ies o echnological, manage ial and o ganisa ional changes. I no
only in ol es he use o he la es echnologies, bu also gi es oppo uni ies o deli e new
se ices by c ea ing new connec ions be ween people and places.
(Rod íguez-Abi ia and B ibiesca-Co ea 2021)
Digi al ans o ma ion is seen as an e olu iona y p ocess h ough which IT becomes a
undamen al elemen o e e yday li e, a ec ing all dimensions conce ning bo h people and he
o ganisa ion i sel .
(Wilms e al. 2017;Adi ya e al. 2022)
Digi al ans o ma ion mus be unde s ood as a p o ound and adical p ocess ha di ec s
businesses and o ganisa ions in new di ec ions and b ings hem o comple ely di e en le el
o e ec i eness.
(Al-Ali and Ma ks 2022)
Digi al ans o ma ion is no only he ans o ma ion o ools, echnologies and p ocesses bu i is
ans o ma ion o en i e business model, changing he way, a business ope a es and in e ac s
in e nally and wi h ex e nal wo ld.
(Valdés e al. 2021)
Digi al ans o ma ion can be unde s ood as simple e olu iona y p ocesses ha allow business
models, ope a ional p ocesses, and expe iences o be apidly and e icien ly by ins i u ions
and agen s.
(Mal ese 2018)
Digi al ans o ma ion goes beyond he me e adop ion o new echnologies and makes i possible
o p o ide se ices, supply goods, and li e expe iences, as well as he p ocessing and dis ibu ion
la ge amoun s o con en c ea ing new connec ions be ween people, places, and hings.
(Ro e al. 2020)
Digi al ans o ma ion is an e olu iona y p ocess, a ec ing and ans o ming all he main a eas
o ac i i y ( eaching, esea ch and ans e o esea ch, adminis a ion). Digi al ans o ma ion is
no only abou he adop ion o new digi al ools and equipmen , bu i is also abou he
ans o ma ion and au oma ion o all he p ocesses, hus inc easing hei e ec i eness and
elimina ing any physical p ocesses and ba ie s h ough he inc eased connec i i y and
digi alisa ion o e e y hing.
(Alenezi 2021)
Digi al ans o ma ion e e s o dis up i e and holis ic changes in he o ganisa ion by in eg a ing
digi al echnologies.
(Sa iullin e al. 2019)Digi al T ans o ma ion o Uni e si ies is a p ocess o c ea e a unique uni e si y in o ma ion
sys em ha will p o ide uni ied da a on s uden s, s a , acul y and esea che s.
(Fa ia and Nó oa 2017)
Digi al ans o ma ion goes a beyond he implemen a ion o p ocesses, in ol ing an inno a i e
use o new echnologies as a way o p omo ing new se ices, ede ining business models and
inno a i e in e ac ions wi h i s use s.
(Goula e al. 2022)
Digi al ans o ma ion is leading o changes in highe educa ion, no only in e ms o eaching
echniques bu also in he new skills o be augh , inco po a ing echnical, manage ial and
non-cogni i e skills no p e iously conside ed necessa y.
(Bena ides e al. 2020)Digi al ans o ma ion o HEIs is a comp ehensi e and holis ic p ocess aimed a hei
o ganisa ional ans o ma ion and he in eg a ion o hei es ablished pa hways.
(Pa ke 2020)
Digi al ans o ma ion is abou he cu iculum, lea ning deli e y, s uden suppo and esea ch,
he back o ice, he ope a ing model, he echnology and, undamen ally, he sum o capabili ies
ha eside in he o ganisa ion: o be lexible, agile, pu pose ul and e idence-led.
(G osseck e al. 2020)
Digi al ans o ma ion is an o ganisa ional change a he in e sec ion o echnology, business and
people h ough he de elopmen o a digi al way o hinking by adop ing a new mindse .
3.2. Meaning and Scope om Expe s’ Pe spec i es
To igge ou discussion wi h he expe s, he ollowing de ini ion o digi al ans-
o ma ion in HEIs was used ( on de Heyde 2022): “Digi al ans o ma ion is a se ies
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 15 o 18
Impac o digi al ans o ma ion: Uni e si ies a e ypical examples o “p o essional
bu eauc acies” (Min zbe g 1980). The digi al ans o ma ion impac can be seen in bo h
he adminis a i e and co e (p o essional) unc ions o HEIs. Impac s on “educa ional
ac i i ies” e e o he main academic unc ions (i.e., eaching, esea ch, echnology ans e ,
cu iculum, and adminis a ion). Impac on “ope a ional e icacy” e e s o he abili y o an
HEI o e ec i ely and e icien ly manage i s in e nal p ocesses and esou ces o achie e
i s s a egic goals and objec i es. I in ol es op imising a ious aspec s o unc ions o
imp o e he o e all pe o mance and deli e y o educa ional se ices.
The o he e ms iden i ied (i.e., capabili ies, imp o ed ela ionships, ope a ional model,
and educa ional model) could be conside ed as dimensions o highe educa ion ans o -
ma ion bu a e ei he pa ially co e ed by he selec ed e ms (e.g., capabili ies, ope a ional
model) o no conside ed cen al o ou p oposed de ini ion.
Key ans o med a eas o digi al ans o ma ion: The “educa ional model” e e s o he
amewo k o s uc u e in which he co e ac i i ies (i.e., cu iculum, eaching and lea ning
me hods, esea ch, lea ning, con inuous educa ion, echnology in eg a ion) a e o ganised
and deli e ed. When alking abou ans o ma ion, i is i al o emphasise how all changes
a ec he co e way in which educa ion is p o ided and ecei ed. This includes changes in
he cu iculum design, eaching me hods, and o e all lea ning expe ience.
Aligning s a egic goals wi h he changing educa ional landscape: The e m “s a egic
di ec ions” e e s o aligning he s a egic objec i es o HEIs wi h he changing educa ional
landscape, ocusing mo e on he o e ing o new educa ional se ices. “Value p oposi ion” is
abou he ou comes and bene i s a he o ganisa ion le el because o digi al ans o ma ion.
Finally, i ela es o wha he ins i u ion o e s o he s uden s, acul y, and o he s akeholde s
and he pe cei ed bene i s.
The o he de ined concep s, namely, business model, ope a ing model, o ganisa ional
cul u e, alue c ea ion, and connec i i y, a e conside ed pa o ou selec ed e ms.
5. Conclusions, Limi a ions, and Fu u e Wo k
This s udy ied o shed ligh on he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in
HEIs using quali a i e esea ch me hods, wi h he ul ima e aim o p o iding a well- ounded
de ini ion o digi al ans o ma ion in HEIs. Addi ionally, h ough he me hodology used,
his s udy also seeks o p o ide a basis and an example o esea che s in o he disciplines
o de ine he meaning and scope o digi al ans o ma ion in hei ields.
The limi a ions o his s udy include he ela i ely small sample size o he expe s
in e iewed. I is no mal ha he pa icipan s in e iewed in his s udy had hei own
biases o pe spec i es, and his in luenced he esul s. Fu u e esea ch could a ge a mo e
ex ensi e and di e se sample o expe s. Whils he selec ion o a speci ic case s udy is in
i sel a limi a ion, he selec ion o a quali a i ely meaning ul single case s udy o digi al
ans o ma ion allows he eade ship o assess o wha ex en he esul s can be gene alised
o o he a eas.
Fu u e esea ch could compa e he digi al ans o ma ion e o s o HEIs ac oss coun-
ies, con inen s, and ypes o ins i u ions. Such compa isons could help iden i y he bes
p ac ices ha in luence success. Also, in-dep h case s udies o speci ic HEIs ha ha e
success ully na iga ed digi al ans o ma ion could p o ide ac ionable insigh s and se e
as models o o he ins i u ions. As he digi al landscape con inues o e ol e, ongoing
esea ch e o s will be i al in guiding HEIs owa ds success ul ans o ma ion in an
e e -changing en i onmen .
Au ho Con ibu ions: Concep ualiza ion, T.G.; me hodology, T.G., V.P. and I.M.; w i ing—o iginal
d a p epa a ion, T.G.; w i ing— e iew and edi ing, V.P. and I.M.; supe ision, V.P. All au ho s ha e
ead and ag eed o he published e sion o he manusc ip .”
Funding: This esea ch was unded by In e na ional Hellenic Uni e si y (p ojec numbe 81271) unde
he p ojec : “Dissemina ion and use o esea ch esul s in he hema ic a ea o Digi al O ganisa ions”.
Ins i u ional Re iew Boa d S a emen : No applicable.
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 16 o 18
In o med Consen S a emen : In o med consen was ob ained om all subjec s in ol ed in he s udy.
Da a A ailabili y S a emen : Da a is una ailable due o p i acy.
Acknowledgmen s: Cha GPT 3.5 (h ps://cha .openai.com, accessed on 30 Janua y 2024) was used
o op imise he English language o he a icle.
Con lic s o In e es : The au ho s decla e no con lic o in e es .
Appendix A. Lis o Expe s Who Pa icipa ed in In e iews
A/A Name Uni e si y Coun y
1 Joep C omp oe s KU Leu en Public Go e nance
Ins i u e Belgium
2 Eu ipides Loukis Aegean Uni e si y G eece
3 Tomasz Janowski Gda´nsk Uni e si y o Technology Poland
4 Elsa Es e ez Uni e sidad Nacional del Su A gen ina
5 The esa Pa do Uni e si y a Albany, S a e Uni e si y
o New Yo k USA
6 Adegboyega Ojo Ca le on Uni e si y Canada
7 Ma ijn Janssen Del Uni e si y o Technology Ne he lands
8 E himios Tambou is Uni e si y o Macedonia G eece
Appendix B. Lis o Pa icipan s in IHU Case S udy
A/A Posi ion
1 P o esso , Membe o he IHU Execu i e Council
2
P o esso , Vice Rec o o In e na ionalisa ion, Public Rela ions and Digi al
Go e nance o he IHU
3P o esso , Dean o School o Social Sciences, Membe o he Sena e, and
Membe o he Resea ch Commi ee o IHU
4Sec e a ia o Vice Rec o o he IHU, Academic Fellow as a Teaching
Assis an a he IHU, PhD Candida e.
5 Sec e a ia o School o Social Sciences o IHU
6Head o Adminis a i e Suppo Uni , Special Accoun Managemen
Depa men
7 Lib a y s a o UCIPS/IHU
8 Public Rela ions & Communica ions O ice o IHU
9 IT s a
10 IT s a
Re e ences
Adi ya, Bayu Rima, Ridi Fe diana, and S i Suning Kusumawa dani. 2022. A ba ie diagnos ic amewo k in p ocess o digi al
ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions. Jou nal o Applied Resea ch in Highe Educa ion 14: 749–61. [C ossRe ]
Al-Ali, May ha, and Adam Ma ks. 2022. A digi al ma u i y model o he educa ion en e p ise. Pe spec i es: Policy and P ac ice in Highe
Educa ion 26: 47–58. [C ossRe ]
Alenezi, Mamdouh. 2021. Deep di e in o digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions. Educa ion Sciences 11: 770. [C ossRe ]
Bena ides, Lina Ma ía Cas o, Johnny Alexande Tamayo A ias, Ma in Da io A ango Se na, John William B anch Bedoya, and Daniel
Bu gos. 2020. Digi al ans o ma ion in highe educa ion ins i u ions: A sys ema ic li e a u e e iew. Senso s 20: 3291. [C ossRe ]
[PubMed]
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 17 o 18
B anch, John W., Daniel Bu gos, Ma in Da io A ango Se na, and Gio anni Pé ez O ega. 2020. Digi al T ans o ma ion in Highe
Educa ion Ins i u ions: Be ween My h and Reali y. In Radical Solu ions and eLea ning: P ac ical Inno a ions and Online Educa ional
Technology. Singapo e: Sp inge , pp. 41–50.
B own, Malcolm, Be sy Reini z, and Ka en We zel. 2020. Digi al ans o ma ion signals: Is you ins i u ion on he jou ney. EDUCAUSE
Re iew. A ailable online: h ps://e .educause.edu/blogs/2019/10/digi al- ans o ma ion-signals-is-you -ins i u ion-on- he-
jou ney (accessed on 12 Sep embe 2023).
Cas illo, A is, Da ni Mo a, Vladimi Villa eal, and Line h Alaín. 2021. S a e o Digi al T ans o ma ion in he Uni e si ies o Cen al
Ame ica. In Radical Solu ions o Digi al T ans o ma ion in La in Ame ican Uni e si ies: A i icial In elligence and Technology 4.0 in
Highe Educa ion. Singapo e: Sp inge , pp. 109–28.
Chapleo, Ch is, and Ch is ophe Simms. 2010. S akeholde analysis in highe educa ion: A case s udy o he Uni e si y o Po smou h.
Pe spec i es 14: 12–20. [C ossRe ]
De in, B enda. 1983. An O e iew o Sense-Making Resea ch: Concep s, Me hods, and Resul s o Da e. A ailable online: h ps:
//con e sa ional-leade ship.ne /pape /an-o e iew-o -sense-making- esea ch/ (accessed on 30 Janua y 2024).
Díaz-Ga cia, Vicen e, José-Luis Rod íguez-Sánchez, An onio Mon e o-Na a o, and Rocío Gallego-Losada. 2023. Managing Digi al
T ans o ma ion: A Case S udy in a Highe Educa ion Ins i u ion. Elec onics 12: 2522. [C ossRe ]
Fa ia, JoséAn ónio, and Hen ique a Nó oa. 2017. Digi al ans o ma ion a he Uni e si y o Po o. In Explo ing Se ices Science:
8 h In e na ional Con e ence, IESS 2017, Rome, I aly, May 24–26, 2017, P oceedings 8. Cham: Sp inge In e na ional Publishing,
pp. 295–308. [C ossRe ]
Fink, A lene. 2019. Conduc ing Resea ch Li e a u e Re iews: F om he In e ne o Pape . Thousand Oaks: Sage Publica ions.
Fla in, Michael. 2017. Dis up i e Technology Enhanced Lea ning: The Use and Misuse o Digi al Technologies in Highe Educa ion. London:
Sp inge . [C ossRe ]
Ga u o , Ilsha Ra ka o ich, Ma a Rashi o ich Sa iullin, El i Muni o ich Akhme shin, Almaz Ra iso ich Gapsalamo , and Vladimi
L o ich Vasile . 2020. Change o he Highe Educa ion Pa adigm in he Con ex o Digi al T ans o ma ion: F om Resou ce
Managemen o Access Con ol. In e na ional Jou nal o Highe Educa ion 9: 71–85. [C ossRe ]
Glase , Ba ney, and Anselm S auss. 2017. Disco e y o G ounded Theo y: S a egies o Quali a i e Resea ch. London: Rou ledge.
Goula , Ve a G., La a Ba occi Liboni, and Luciana O anges Ceza ino. 2022. Balancing skills in he digi al ans o ma ion e a: The
u u e o jobs and he ole o highe educa ion. Indus y and Highe Educa ion 36: 118–27. [C ossRe ]
G osseck, Gab iela, Lau a Mali¸ a, and Mădălin Bunoiu. 2020. Highe Educa ion Ins i u ions Towa ds Digi al T ans o ma ion—The
WUT Case. In Eu opean Highe Educa ion A ea: Challenges o A New Decade. Cham: Sp inge In e na ional Publishing, pp. 565–81.
[C ossRe ]
Iosad, Alexande . 2020. Digi al a he Co e: A 2030 S a egy F amewo k o Uni e si y Leade s. Jisc. A ailable online: h ps:
//www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/digi al-a - he-co e-a-2030-s a egy- amewo k- o -uni e si y-leade s (accessed on 21 Janua y 2021).
Jensen, T ine. 2019. Highe educa ion in he digi al e a. The cu en s a e o ans o ma ion a ound he wo ld. In e na ional Associa ion
o Uni e si ies 2019: 28–42.
Ke oum, Kamal, Ayoub Bahnasse, Azeddine Khia , and Es-Saadia Aoula. 2020. The p oposal o an agile model o he digi al
ans o ma ion o he Uni e si y Hassan II o Casablanca 4.0. P ocedia Compu e Science 175: 403–10. [C ossRe ]
Ki chenham, Ba ba a. 2007. Guidelines o Pe o ming Sys ema ic Li e a u e Re iews in So wa e Enginee ing. EBSE Technical Repo
EBSE-2007-01. Ringwood: Ki chenham, p. 65.
Lacey, Fiona M., Lydia Ma heson, and Jill Jesson. 2011. Doing you li e a u e e iew: T adi ional and sys ema ic echniques. In Doing
You Li e a u e Re iew. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publica ions L d., pp. 1–192.
Lopez-Fe nandez, Ola z, and Jose F. Molina-Azo in. 2011. The use o mixed me hods esea ch in he ield o beha iou al sciences.
Quali y & Quan i y 45: 1459–72. [C ossRe ]
Mal ese, Vincenzo. 2018. Digi al ans o ma ion challenges o uni e si ies: Ensu ing in o ma ion consis ency ac oss digi al se ices.
Ca aloging & Classi ica ion Qua e ly 56: 592–606. [C ossRe ]
Me iam, Sha an B. 1998. Quali a i e Resea ch and Case S udy Applica ions in Educa ion. Re ised and Expanded om “Case S udy Resea ch in
Educa ion”. San F ancisco: Jossey-Bass Publishe s.
Min zbe g, Hen y. 1980. S uc u e in 5’s: A Syn hesis o he Resea ch on O ganiza ion Design. Managemen Science 26: 322–41.
[C ossRe ]
Mohe , Da id, Jenni e Te zla , Alessand o Libe a i, Douglas G. Al man, and PRISMA G oup. 2009. P e e ed epo ing i ems o
sys ema ic e iews and me a-analyses: The PRISMA s a emen . Annals o In e nal Medicine 151: 264–69. [C ossRe ] [PubMed]
Mo akanyane, Resego, Aud ey A. G ace, and Philip O’ eilly. 2017. Concep ualizing Digi al T ans o ma ion in Business O ganiza ions:
A Sys ema ic Re iew o Li e a u e. Pape p esen ed a he 30 h Bled eCon e ence: Digi al T ans o ma ion–F om Connec ing
Things o T ans o ming Ou Li es, Bled, Slo enia, June 18–21.
Pa ke , S ephen. 2020. The Fu u e o Highe Educa ion in A Dis up i e Wo ld. KPMG In e na ional Repo . pp. 1–30. A ailable online:
h ps://asse s.kpmg.com/con en /dam/kpmg/xx/pd /2020/10/ u u e-o -highe -educa ion.pd (accessed on 8 July 2023).
Rashidi, M. No , M. Mokh a , R. A a Begum, and J. J. Pe ei a. 2014. The conduc o s uc u ed in e iews as esea ch implemen a ion
me hod. Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch Design 1: 28–34.
Ri chie, Jane, Jane Lewis, Ca ol McNaugh on Nicholls, and Rachel O ms on, eds. 2013. Quali a i e Resea ch p ac ice: A Guide o Social
Science S uden s and Resea che s. Newcas le upon Tyne: Sage.
Adm. Sci. 2024,14, 48 18 o 18
Rod íguez-Abi ia, Guille mo, and G aciela B ibiesca-Co ea. 2021. Assessing digi al ans o ma ion in uni e si ies. Fu u e In e ne
13: 52. [C ossRe ]
Rod íguez-Sánchez, José-Luis, An onio Mon e o-Na a o, Thais González-To es, and Rocío Gallego-Losada. 2020. In es ing ime and
esou ces o wo k–li e balance: The e ec on alen e en ion. In e na ional Jou nal o En i onmen al Resea ch and Public Heal h
17: 1920. [C ossRe ]
Ro , Albe , And ea Bik al i, and Pila Ma quès. 2020. Digi al ans o ma ion o business model inno a ion in highe educa ion:
O e coming he ensions. Sus ainabili y 12: 4980. [C ossRe ]
Sa iullin, Ma a R., El i Muni o ich Akhme shin, and Vladimi L o ich Vasile . 2019. P oduc ion o indica o s o e alua ion o
digi al ans o ma ion o mode n uni e si y. In e na ional Jou nal o Enginee ing and Ad anced Technology 9: 7399–402. [C ossRe ]
Scholl, Hans J. 2022. Digi al Go e nmen Resea ch: A Di e se Domain. In Scien i ic Founda ions o Digi al Go e nance and T ans o ma ion:
Concep s, App oaches and Challenges. Cham: Sp inge In e na ional Publishing, pp. 51–71. [C ossRe ]
Selwyn, Neil. 2022. Digi al deg ow h: Towa d adically sus ainable educa ion echnology. Lea ning, Media and Technology. [C ossRe ]
Se na Gómez, JoséHumbe o, Flo Nancy Díaz-Pi aqui e, Yasse de Jesús Mu iel-Pe ea, and Alejand o Díaz Peláez. 2021. Ad ances,
Oppo uni ies, and Challenges in he Digi al T ans o ma ion o HEIS in La in Ame ica. In Radical Solu ions o Digi al T ans o ma ion
in La in Ame ican Uni e si ies: A i icial In elligence and Technology 4.0 in Highe Educa ion. Singapo e: Sp inge , pp. 55–75.
Shen on, And ew K. 2004. S a egies o ensu ing us wo hiness in quali a i e esea ch p ojec s. Educa ion o In o ma ion 22: 63–75.
[C ossRe ]
Simone e, Ma cel, Ma io Magalhães, and Edison Spina. 2021. Digi al T ans o ma ion o Academic Managemen : All he Tige s Come
a Nigh . In Radical Solu ions o Digi al T ans o ma ion in La in Ame ican Uni e si ies: A i icial In elligence and Technology 4.0 in
Highe Educa ion. Singapo e: Sp inge , pp. 77–92.
S . John, F eya A. V., Julia P. G. Jones, Aidan M. Keane, and E. J. Milne -Gulland. 2014. Robus s udy design is as impo an on he
social as i is on he ecological side o applied ecological esea ch. Jou nal o Applied Ecology 51: 1479–85. [C ossRe ]
Tigh , Malcolm. 2017. Unde s anding Case S udy Resea ch: Small-Scale Resea ch wi h Meaning. Newcas le upon Tyne: Sage.
Valdés, Ka en Núñez, Susana Qui ós y Alpe a, and Luis Manuel Ce dáSuá ez. 2021. An ins i u ional pe spec i e o e alua ing digi al
ans o ma ion in highe educa ion: Insigh s om he Chilean case. Sus ainabili y 13: 9850. [C ossRe ]
on de Heyde, Ma kus. 2022. Wha ’s Digi al? Fac o s o pe cei ed Digi al T ans o ma ion o Highe Educa ion in Ge many.
INFORMATIK 2022: 1379–92. [C ossRe ]
Webs e , Jane, and Richa d T. Wa son. 2002. Analyzing he pas o p epa e o he u u e: W i ing a li e a u e e iew. MIS Qua e ly 26:
xiii–xxiii.
Wilms, Kons an in L., S e an S iegli z, Ch is ian Meske, Lena F öhlich, Hannah Decke , Sa ah Schaulies, Nadine Jend osch, Raimund
Vogl, and Dominik Rudolph. 2017. Digi al T ans o ma ion in Highe Educa ion–New Coho s, New Requi emen s? Pape
p ensen ed a he 23 d Ame icas Con e ence on In o ma ion Sys ems, Bos on, MA, USA, Augus 10–12.
Wo ld Economic Fo um. 2023. Accele a ing Digi al T ans o ma ion o Long Te m G ow h. A ailable online: h ps://ini ia i es.
we o um.o g/digi al- ans o ma ion/home (accessed on 8 July 2023).
Yin, Robe K. 2000. Case S udy E alua ions: A Decade o P og ess? In E alua ion Models: Viewpoin s on Educa ional and Human Se ices
E alua ion. Do d ech : Sp inge , pp. 185–93. [C ossRe ]
Young, Julie e C., Da id C. Rose, Hannah S. Mumby, F ancisco Beni ez-Capis os, Ch is ina J. De ick, Tom Finch, Ca olina Ga cia,
Chand ima Home, Esha Ma waha, Cou ney Mo gans, and e al. 2018. A me hodological guide o using and epo ing on
in e iews in conse a ion science esea ch. Me hods in Ecology and E olu ion 9: 10–19. [C ossRe ]
Disclaime /Publishe ’s No e: The s a emen s, opinions and da a con ained in all publica ions a e solely hose o he indi idual
au ho (s) and con ibu o (s) and no o MDPI and/o he edi o (s). MDPI and/o he edi o (s) disclaim esponsibili y o any inju y o
people o p ope y esul ing om any ideas, me hods, ins uc ions o p oduc s e e ed o in he con en .
