education

sciences
Article
Deep Dive into Digital Transformation in Higher
Education Institutions
Mamdouh Alenezi

College of Computer and Information Sciences, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia;
[email protected]

Abstract: In the present times, digital transformation has gained momentum. Contemporary higher
education institutions have been embracing new technologies and transforming their practices,
business models and process. Digital transformation in the higher education institutions is about
the development of new more advanced and effective methods and practices in pursuit of the
higher education’s mission. The present paper links digital transformation and higher education
institutions. The paper discusses existing models for the incorporation of digital transformation in
higher education institutions. The paper also delineates the challenges faced by higher education
institutions in pursuit of digital transformation.

Keywords: digital transformation; educational organization; maturity model; technology adoption

1. Introduction
In the recent decade, digital transformation has gained momentum. In the present



times, digital transformation is viewed as an evolutionary process influencing all the as-


pects and dimensions of life involving both people and organizations. The review of the
Citation: Alenezi, M. Deep Dive into existing literature reveals a wide range of views on digital transformation resulting in a
Digital Transformation in Higher range of interpretations and conceptualizations. According to some authors, digital trans-
Education Institutions. Educ. Sci.
formation is merely about the establishment of the application of IT in business practices
2021, 11, 770. https://doi.org/
and operations [1]. While practitioners and scholars have presented digital transforma-
10.3390/educsci11120770
tion as a process involving dramatic and disruptive changes and outcomes that lead to
disruption in the business environment, digital transformation can be seen as an evolution-
Academic Editor: Mike Joy
ary process [2]. In this context, one of the most holistic and balanced conceptualizations
characterizes digital transformations as an evolutionary process that leverages digital tech-
Received: 30 October 2021
Accepted: 25 November 2021
nologies and capabilities resulting in value-generating business models, more advanced
Published: 29 November 2021
and efficient business practices and operations and improved service delivery [3].
Digital transformation can also be seen from the perspective of the link between the
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral
structural, strategic and technological changes that are imperative to meet the demands of
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
the contemporary digital era [4] that emphasizes the need to align the old and new practices
published maps and institutional affil- and systems of the organisation. Due to the incorporation of the new technologies, digital
iations. transformation entails innovation focused on the transformation of organisational products
and processes and resolution of the existing and potential challenges. This also entails
continuous interaction between the organisational members and the digital technologies
aligning the business practices, services and the business model [5].
Copyright: © 2021 by the author.
In the present era characterised by age of revolutionized knowledge, it has become
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
imperative and critical to comprehend the values of technological initiatives and their role
This article is an open access article
in the transformation of the business models. A number of sectors have been fundamen-
distributed under the terms and tally reformed with the introduction of technology-oriented value-added processes and
conditions of the Creative Commons practices. As we progress further into the fourth industrial revolution, more disruptive
Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// digital technologies will have a greater influence on the development of creative, flexible
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ business models. A number of buzzwords have been emerged to characterise this trend
4.0/). such as e-readiness, IT maturity etc. [6].

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11120770 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/education

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 2 of 13

For centuries, higher education institutions have been the epicentre of knowledge
creation and diffusion. However, in the present times, access to information and knowledge
is no longer limited to the physical space of the educational institutes. Rather, information
and knowledge pertinent to a wide variety of subjects can be gained from various platforms,
open-source databases and web browsers, applications, encyclopaedias which enable the
users to add to their learning. This emerging trend, although poses various challenges,
must be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat to the higher education institutions [7].
Contemporary higher education institutions have been embracing new technologies
and transforming their practices, business models and process. Digital transformation in
the higher education institutions concerns the development of new more advanced and
effective methods and practices in pursuit of the higher education’s mission. A number of
studies have also claimed that digital transformation is not merely about the incorporation
of technology in business processes. Rather, digital transformation is a process for analyzing
the needs and the demands of the stakeholders and ensuring the provision of education
and research services that are in line with the knowledge needs of the students. Digital
transformation is being gradually implemented in educational institutes across the world
ensuring that the learning of the students is supported by digital tools [8].
In the context of the contemporary knowledge society, the digital transformation must
be considered as a critical process in which the production of knowledge and the processing
of information take place through information technologies such as virtual reality, online
learning video integration, gamification, and big data [9]. Moreover, the success in this
digital age is determined by the ability of the institutions to create and appropriately
capture the information such as student engagement, outcomes attainment, satisfaction,
etc. [10]. Concerns have grown regarding how education manages its position in the
knowledge society. Higher education institutions are faced with significant challenges
pertinent to the digital transformation not only in terms of the adoption of the digital tools
and technology in the teaching and learning process but also for the incorporation of the
technologies for changing and modifying the existing systems, processes, communication
modes and channels and all the other academic and administrative activities involved in
the institute.
A number of digital tools and technologies have been developed to meet the changing
educational needs of the students. Virtual educational platforms around the world have
been established with a wide variety of new simulative methods of learning. However,
higher education institutions still has a lot to do to achieve the digital transformation
that this era requires. It is imperative to consider digital transformation at a macro level
considering all the areas where there is a need for the adoption of digital technology in order
to innovate and improve the service delivery and education system of the educational
institutes. In order to meet the international standards, it is imperative to adhere to
such policies and standards, which demonstrate the reputation of the higher education
institutes supporting the students with the advanced learning mechanism and knowledge
delivery that are tailored to the curriculum. The present paper provides an overview of
literature pertinent to the digital transformation of higher educational institutes through a
comprehensive review of the relevant literature. The paper highlights the digital maturity
as well as the challenges, opportunities and awareness of the digital transformation in
educational institutes.

2. Digital Transformation Background

In the present times, digital transformation has been emerging as one of the top
priorities of educational institutes, particularly, higher education institutions. Similar to
business institutions, it is an essential process for achieving a competitive edge in the
industry. A number of authors have attempted to conceptualize the notion of digital
transformation. Among them, Hess et al. [11] have conceptualized the notion as change
brought about by digital technology for improving overall performance and productivity.
This aligns with the definition by [12] that stated that with the incorporation of the digital
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 3 of 13

transformation, the organization’s processes, practices, procedures, competencies, systems

and models of an organization are transformed in a strategic and prioritized manner to
take full advantage of technological advancements, as well as its increased social effect.
In this context, similar to any other industry, if the higher education institutions want to
stay relevant to the changing industry scenarios and trends and to remain a significant
component of this transition throughout time and not fade away from the scene, they must
grow holistically [13].
Several research studies proposed and discussed new skill sets that are needed in the
next decade [14]. These skills are not limited to technical skills like programming. Rather
they include skills and competencies in terms of creative thinking, problem-solving, agile
working, cognitive abilities, critical thinking, cross-cultural competencies etc. Thus, these
skills or competencies are not limited to any particular technology.
In the context of digital transformation, it is important to note that the terms digitiza-
tion, digitalization and digital transformation have been used synonymously and inter-
changeably. However, they all relate to different conceptualizations. Digitization refers to
modifying analog tools into digital representations. Digitalization refers to improvements
with the incorporation of digital data. On the other hand, digital transformation refers to
disruptive and holistic changes in the organisation with the incorporation of digital tech-
nologies. Digital abilities and competencies required for successful digital transformation
are not really relevant to digitization and digitalization. They are more concerned with the
two primary capacities of abstraction and contextualization.
The major question is how do digital skills and transformation affect higher education?
Digital learning can be seen as an opportunity for higher education to enhance their
pedagogical approaches. E-learning was originally opted to increase the quality of learning
by using online tools and simplifying access to information, as well as distant exchanges
and cooperation [15]. However, most individuals only associate e-learning with digitization
and digitalization. It is more appropriate to consider e-Learning as a catch-all term for any
form of learning that relies on or benefits from electronic communication and cutting-edge
technology [16].
The use of terms such as digital learning and digitally transformed learning allows for
discussion of teaching and learning processes emphasizing common practices. Scalable
customized learning is possible with digitally transformed learning. In this sense, digital
approaches to higher education might expand beyond the use of technology gadgets and
toward new learning experiences made possible by technological advancements. The focus
would not be on technology, and the term “digital” might potentially open up possibilities
for rethinking teaching and learning approaches.

3. Digital Maturity Models

Maturity models are well-known methods in the literature to measure the maturity
of organizations [17,18]. Digital maturity can be defined as the state of digital transfor-
mation in an organization [19]. Applying these concepts to educational higher education
organizations is unfortunately rare. Current models are restricted to information systems
management in these organizations and are still yet to grow [20]. Maturity models are
composed of different components such as maturity level, a descriptor for each maturity
level, dimensions, best practices or elements associated with the corresponding dimensions,
and a description of each element for each maturity level [18]. De Bruin et al. [21] classified
maturity models into three different types: descriptive, prescriptive, or comparative. The
descriptive models assist in the assessment of the given situation, the prescriptive models
are appropriate for implementing a plan or initiative and the comparative models are
suitable comparisons and benchmarking.
Consultancy companies are considered as appropriate advisors to provide consulta-
tions with regard to digital maturity models. Since there is a large number of management
consulting firms, the present paper only discusses the maturity models of the top firms in
the industry, assuming that their models are the most common in practice. It is found that
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 4 of 13

the consulting firms only provide generic MMs publicly. This may be because of the fact
that such consulting firms consider their mature models to be intellectual property and thus,
have kept them as confidential data. Table 1 summarizes these digital maturity models.

Table 1. Overview of Consultancy Companies Digital Maturity Models.

Consulting
# Digital Maturity Model Dimensions
Company
• Strategy and Leadership
• People and Culture
1 Accenture Digital Capability Assessment (DCA) • Product and Service
• Customer Experience
• Enterprise Enablement
• Business strategy driven by digital
• Digitize the core
2 BCG Digital Acceleration Index (DAI)
• New digital growth
• Enablers
• Customer
• Strategy
3 Deloitte Digital Maturity Model (DMM) • Technology
• Operations
• Organization and Culture
• Strategy, Innovation and Growth
• Customer Experience
• Supply Chain and Operations
4 EY Digital Readiness Assessment • Technology
• Risk and Cybersecurity
• Finance, Legal and Tax
• People and Organization
• Development and Purchasing
• Production
5 KPMG Digital Readiness Assessment (DRA)
• Marketing
• Sales
• Data-driven Insights
• Integrated Customer Experience
• Digital Marketing
6 McKinsey Digital Capabilities (DC)
• Digitally-enabled Operations
• Next-gen Technology
• Digital Enablers
• Digital business models and customer access
• Digitization of products and service offerings
• Digitization and integration of vertical and horizontal value chains
7 PWC Maturity Assessment • Data and analytics as core capability
• Agile IT architecture
• Compliance, security, legal, and tax
• Organization, employees, and digital culture

4. Digital Transformation in Higher Education

Organizations, regardless of their business domain, struggle with the integration of
digital technologies in their existing practices and processes. In the case of higher education
institutions, the process of digital transformation becomes more complex due to a number
of problematic trends such as declining enrollment, rise in operational costs, changing
educational demands etc. Such trends increase the likeability of replacing existing IT
infrastructure and applications with technologies that are better suited to higher education
in the digital world.
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 5 of 13

The concept of digital transformation transcends beyond the adoption of advanced

digital technology only. In the case of higher education institutions, the transformation of
the existing teaching and learning models is imperative for survival and sustaining the
competitive position in the long term. Leaders in higher education have identified four
main and consistent goals. These goals are to improve the students’ learning environment,
increase operational efficiency, increase computing power for cutting-edge research, and
stimulate innovation in education. For higher education institutions, it is imperative to
rethink their teaching and learning practices by integrating digital tools in their existing
systems, ultimately enriching their traditional pedagogical approaches and education
system through advanced education delivery tools [22]. However, up till now, in higher
education, technology has been viewed as a means for incremental changes in terms of
improvement in the existing learning approaches. Technology has been largely ignored as
a means for disruptive and evolutionary changes [23]. Moreover, the digital transformation
in higher education must also extend beyond the innovation driven by the instructor for
improving pedagogical approaches. It must also incorporate digitization skills rather than
just focusing on supporting the learning processes with technology [24].
In order to sustain a competitive position and maintain a reputation in the present
times, higher education institutions employ all possible digital technologies and tools to
ensure continuous improvement of their education delivery and ensure superior student
experience. Investing in technology to become more digital native and using this technology
to help engaging students, tracking them, and predicting their success will eventually lead
to a better student journey. In addition, digital solutions of the student journey can be used
to recruit and retain students as well as improve digital education delivery.
National Center for Education Statistics shows that in the period between 2010 to
2018, the non-administrative expenses of US-based public and private not-for-profit higher-
education institutions, rose by 18 per cent. In this regard, investing in technology and
streamline business processes through technology will help a great deal in reducing oper-
ating costs. Using cloud technologies will also help in reducing maintenance overheads.
Moreover, as scientific research becomes more complex, a need arises to have more scalable
secure computing power. Digitizing these computing powers and using remote, networked
or cloud-based research tools is a necessity for higher education institutions.
It is also worth noting that in the present times, digital-native students are the major
drivers for the evolution of education delivery. Students have started to consider the
digital experience as an essential part of their college experience. In some cases, it might
be an important factor in selecting their institution. Digital maturity will allow higher
education institutions to become more agile and effective in providing an education that
adapts to changing educational needs, responding to changing preferences and predict
future disruptions.

4.1. Need for Digital Transformation in Higher Education

In the present times, the mission of the higher education institutions is to develop the
employability skills of the students for a specific career, in order to equip them to survive
in the labor market for the following 30 or 40 years. Educational institutes rarely devote
time to educating students on how to learn. Things have changed in the recent decade
since it is now uncommon for employees to work for the same business for their whole
career [14]. As a result, higher education institutions are faced with the task of preparing
students for continuous learning. Thus, higher education institutions need to focus on
the development of the self-efficiency and adaptability skills of the students [25]. In this
regard, digital transformation can help accomplish contextualization in learning. Such
skills and competencies must be integrated into all modules and courses, as well as all
learning settings. If we can do this, we can begin to transform education. This way we can
get a general idea of what “critical thinking” or “abstract thinking” means—we build a
model—and through contextualization, later There we create concrete visualizations of
“critical thinking in a field” [26].
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 6 of 13

Higher educational institutes also need to make well-researched and oftentimes fast
choices in order to simplify operations and better understand their consumers. As such,
meaningful data must be used to understand and delineate the trends and patterns that in
turn influence decisions that will have the greatest impact on the institution as a whole [12].
Furthermore, utilizing all of the chances and potentialities provided by the richness of
digital technologies accessible, as well as rethinking full business models and transforming
the operations and practices throughout the value chain is certainly one of the most
difficult endeavors. Such a problem is more of concern for the business organizations as
they always compete in the market to establish and sustain a competitive position in the
industry. However, it is also emerging as a serious concern for the higher educational
institutes due to the rising competition between the universities for the finest students
and researchers grows [27]. Legacy systems can incur considerable costs and put pressure
on budgets [13]. There is also a greater demand for security than ever before as a result
of attacks on higher educational institutes both online as well as on-campus. Legacy or
manual forms and methods will not be able to solve these issues. More than ever, higher
education establishments need to embrace the use of digital technology for their daily
operations [28].

4.2. Dimensions of Digital Transformation in Higher Educational Institutes

The incorporation of digital technologies can be used to transform various dimensions
of higher education. One of the dimensions in teaching and pedagogy. Bozhko et al. [29]
have emphasized the need of using tools that meet current educational standards and
techniques, particularly those based on technology. Bond et al. [30] also stressed that digital
advancement in the context of education has been going beyond just technical changes,
rather, it has impacted the curricular as well as organizational and structural as well. Digital
educational tools are seen as providing new roles for the researchers, teachers and learners,
generating more interactive, simulative and engaging methods for teaching and learning,
and enhancing collaboration and engagement [31]. Another major dimension is curriculum
and digital literacy in terms of the establishment of digital skills and curriculum modern-
ization. In the present digital era, a new highly skilled workforce with technological skills
and expertise in technology and contemporary knowledge is required [32]. Furthermore,
Bond et al. [30] have asserted that technical, as well as instructional advice, is required from
the standpoint of university professors to prepare the students for future employability. As
a result, there is a need to modernize the curriculum to meet current educational standards
and techniques, including discovering new ways to accelerate digital learning and expand-
ing the use of information and communication technologies [29]. Digital transformation
can also be applied to the dimension of infrastructure and administration. As [33] asserted
that digital transformation of the administrative architecture can result in an agile and
flexible architecture that can enable the management to quickly adapt to the emerging
technologies and systems. Similarly, Faria and Henriqueta [27] contemplated that a number
of higher educational institutes have incorporated digital technologies for the improve-
ment of their current practices in terms of how they handle student data and curriculum
and to innovate their management experiences while making data-driven proactive and
informed decisions.

4.3. Education-Specific Transformation Frameworks

The development of a maturity model of digital transformation in educational orga-
nizations must be theoretically sound and rigorously tested [21]. It must also take into
account the core business of these institutions which are teaching and learning, research,
and community service. Various companies have attempted to build a framework that
guides universities and higher education institutions towards digital transformation. These
attempts outline some foundational steps in the right direction. These frameworks differ
in terms of their rigorousness. Nonetheless, the frameworks can help especially in cases
where there is no clear strategy for these institutions.
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 7 of 13

4.3.1. KPMG Framework

KPMG developed a research-based consumer-centric enterprise-wide framework for
the digital transformation of higher education institutions [34]. The KPMG framework
is intended to assist the educational institutes in better positioning themselves to create
higher value and returns by structuring and aligning different aspects of the education
system in order to offer seamless, consumer-centric service and experience. KPMG calls this
framework “a blueprint for digital transformation in universities”. The framework has six
organizational elements namely, customers, channels, enterprise strategy, core businesses
practices, advanced data and analytics, and enabling business practices. Figure 1 shows
the organizational elements of the framework.

Figure 1. KPMG blueprint for digital transformation in universities.

“Customers” in this framework include existing and potential students, alumni stu-
dents, educational communities, government and various partnering institutions. Channels
entail all kinds of communication channels as mentioned in Figure 1. Enterprise strategy
entails all the strategic objectives, goals and planning. Core business practices entail all
the practices associated with curriculum, student experience, research and other academic
areas. Visualizations and insights, scenario planning and modelling, data management
and governance are all covered in data and analytics. Lastly, technology and operations
are considered as enablers for business practices.

4.3.2. Microsoft Framework

Microsoft has presented a framework for the transformation of higher education [35].
The framework is proposed to provide practical guidance to assist the higher educational
institutes in building a comprehensive digital transformation plan based on their vision and
desired objectives. The framework is divided into four major dimensions: student achieve-
ment, teaching and learning, academic research, and a secure and connected campus.
Figure 2 provides an overview of the framework.
Student success focuses on attracting students, meeting the educational needs of
the students and building lifelong relationships with them. The teaching and learning
dimension is focused on building a culture of continuous learning and improvement
in education delivery. The academic research dimension focuses on empowering all
researchers and providing them with all the necessary skills and competencies. The secure
and connected campus dimension is concerned with a rethinking of the configuration,
optimisation and management of the campus resources.
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 8 of 13

Figure 2. Microsoft Education Transformation Framework for Higher Education.

4.3.3. Google Framework

Google has its own education transformation framework [36]. Figure 3 provides an
overview of the framework. Google has classified seven elements of transformation namely
vision, learning, culture, technology, professional development, funding and sustainability,
and community engagement. As per this framework, the digital transformation in higher
education delivery can also take place when there is a strong vision from the outset. When
the higher education institute has a clear vision, it implies that the leadership and the
larger community are working together toward common future goals. The framework also
presents the idea that that the university leadership must foster an innovative culture and
encourage people to take risks and learn from failures. Moreover, it must be noted that
technology is not simply a facilitator of school transformation, but it is a vital element. Thus,
the leadership must identify, test, and win the support of their team for the incorporation
of the appropriate technology (tools and procedures) in pursuit of the institutions academic
and administrative goals. After that, the administrators should develop a sustainable
budget, identify a variety of financing sources, and look for savings and reallocation
possibilities that are directly related to student goals.

Figure 3. Google Education Transformation Framework.

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 9 of 13

It must be noted that schools impact a varied community of parents, families, com-
panies, government, organizations, and citizens. Thus, the leaders have to make certain
that these stakeholders support the institute throughout its transformation. Lastly, the
framework proposes that effective professional development and continuing coaching
must be provided to the educators in order to help them use skills and techniques to meet
the requirements of their students.

4.4. The Existing Institutional Levels of Digital Transformation

The outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic has pushed several industries to
transform digitally to sustain their business. Consequently, education systems and higher
educational institutes all around the world were also required to incorporate digital tech-
nologies in order to modify their education delivery system and adapt to the changing
scenario. Many issues were raised concerning the provision of education to the students in
terms of sustaining classroom learning, performing examinations, accommodating a large
number of students etc. To keep operations running, several institutions joined up various
online software for video conferencing and meeting such as Zoom and other software solu-
tions [37]. As a result of this huge disruption, many institutions are establishing specialized
digital strategies, yet a high number of institutes lack the vision, capacity, systems, expertise
or even the commitment needed for the successful implementation of the digital tools.
On average the status of digital transformation is still underdeveloped [27]. This aligns
with the findings of Buvat et al. [38] that there is little discernible progress in developing
skill and expertise in driving digital transformation and thus, institutes are struggling in
this regard.
The existing institutional levels of digital transformation can be captured by assessing
the digital maturity of the institutes. In this regard, Rodríguez-Abitia et al. [39] put
forward a framework for assessing the digital maturity of higher educational institutes. The
digital maturity of any educational institute can be assessed by observing its information
technology infrastructure in terms of digital tools used in classrooms and labs as well as
for administrative purposes. Moreover, it also needs to be assessed how the institutes
have applied digital tools in teaching and learning. The authors found that the ability and
progress of the higher educational institutes have been limited and impeded by various
contextual constraints. Similarly, assessing the digital maturity of the higher educational
institutions, Rodríguez-Abitia and Bribiesca-Correa [40] have asserted that the higher
education institutions have been lagging behind other businesses and industries when
it comes to embracing digital transformation. Due to market pressure, other industries
have likely been compelled to develop quicker. Nevertheless, the educational industry is
beginning to offer a variety of learning choices that may appeal to younger generations.

5. Digital Transformation Challenges in Higher Education Institutions

Research has revealed various challenges that act as obstacles in the digital transfor-
mation of higher education institutes [41–44]. The research done in this area is focused on
different aspects and from different points of view. In this work, we are summarizing the
main strategic high-level challenges that higher educations institutes usually face while
adopting digital transformation. Figure 4 shows the major challenges pertinent to digital
transformation in higher education institutions.
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 10 of 13

Figure 4. Challenges Pertinent to Digital Transformation in Higher Education Institutions.

These challenges can be summarized as follows:

• Prioritization: Universities tend to focus on urgent matters rather than important
ones. They tend to prioritize immediate results and postpone critical investments in
building capabilities that are time-consuming. It is asserted that planned digitization
is not being done in a particularly novel fashion, nor with the necessary financial
means to execute the plan, which further exacerbates this problem [40]. This issue can
be dealt with through the development of a prioritization plan for digital investments
a roadmap that can guide the systematic transformation of the organization in a
sequential manner.
• Decentralized Decision Making: Decentralized decision making can cause delays
in the implementation of large-scale decisions and projects. On the other hand, IT
systems that are characterized by centralized control and decision making are more
efficient. It is an important way to balance the scale and speed of coordinated decision-
making. To ensure success, there is a need to build a dynamic ambidextrous organizing
model for digital transformation to better balance separation and integration over
time [45].
• Human Resistance to Change: It is a commonly agreed idea that the primary obstacle
that higher educational institutes encounter in adapting to digital transformation is
adjusting to new teaching methods and the learning settings and models. Thus,
resistance to the adoption of digital transformation can be a major obstacle. Academic
professionals are typically regarded to be some of the most secure occupations in
the world. There is a good chance that change will be opposed if it threatens job
security [40]. Successful organizations inspire their staff to advocate a vision of digital
maturity. Small pilot projects can be used to give a clear picture of the potential change
and eliminating uncertainly or the doubts of the faculty pertinent to job security. It is
imperative to develop orientations for the educational professionals to guide them
regarding the positive side of technology and reducing their job insecurity.
• Gaps in Digital Tech Talent: The low level of the digital literacy of the faculty is also
a major challenge. In the context of the higher educational institutes, new teaching
methods and learning tools and procedures such as the use of video conferencing, dig-
ital platforms, simulation-based learning and collaborative learning, must be adapted.
Higher education systems are being pushed to adapt to global developments, which
necessitates new teaching and learning paradigms and environment [46]. As the cur-
rent students are digital natives, the lecturers must be more imaginative and inventive
in their digital teaching abilities. Another major challenge to the successful imple-
mentation of digital technologies in the higher education system is the generational
gap between the students that are considered as native to these digital technologies
and the institutes’ faculty that have to adapt and learn the use of the technologies.
Thus, due to such generational disparities between students and technology adopting
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 11 of 13

faculty, it is necessary to promote policies to enable both infrastructure and creative

learning settings to address the changing punditry trends. In addition, there will be a
substantial need for faculty training
• Narrow View of ROI: Lastly, it is found that higher education institutions usually
make errors in calculating the business case and ROI for the investment. Business
cases for basic digital skills should consider actions that are slowly evolving or difficult
to quantify. Examples include saving faculty time and costs through more efficient
operations and automation, as well as better enrollment, retention, and on-time
graduation numbers that result from the improved student experience.
It is also found that the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has pushed organizations
around the world, to incorporate digital tools and technologies to adapt to the changing sce-
narios. The higher educational institutes have not been an exception to such transformation
and thus, they have to transform their operations digitally in order to sustain the education
delivery. The authors [47] observed that with the right tools and ingenuity, problems may
be converted into opportunities. Thus, digital technologies may increase social connection,
collaboration, interactions and engagement as with the incorporation of the new online
platforms and programs, a higher number of instructors, teachers, experts and speakers
can be accessed globally. However, models must be modified to satisfy the needs of online
delivery. With such sudden adoption of digital technologies and mechanisms the need
to encourage student engagement and interactions also rises, which can be easily lost
or diminished when compared to a face-to-face situation, among other factors. Passing
from a traditional venue to completely online distribution has not always made it easy to
adjust the course to its newfound nature. To get a student to want to be interested and
contribute, there is a need to establish a relationship, create communication linkages, and
use information effectively [10].

6. Conclusions
The paper attempted to contextualize the digital transformation in the context of
higher educational institutions. Conclusively, it is found that in the present era, similar to
other industries and business organizations, the higher education institutions also need to
transform digitally to remain relevant to the changing industry scenarios and trends. The
digital transformation can be applied to several dimensions of the higher education system
including teaching, pedagogy, learning and curriculum, infrastructure, and administrative
and management. The paper also discussed the maturity models of the top firms to
understand the relevant dimensions that can help in measuring the maturity of any higher
education institution. The paper has also presented frameworks and models for the digital
transformation of higher education institutions proposed by three leading firms; KPMG,
Google, and Microsoft. It is also found that with such a high need for digital transformation,
higher education institutes have been lagging behind the other industries and business
organizations due to several challenges. Summarizing the key challenges that have been
impeding the digital transformation of higher education institutions, it has been found that
immediate focus and poor prioritization, decentralized decision making, internal resistance,
digital literacy of the faculty fuelled by the generational gap of digital natives’ students
and faculty and narrow view of ROI are some of the major challenges in this context.

Funding: This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.
Acknowledgments: The author would like to acknowledge the support of Prince Sultan University
for paying the Article Processing Charges (APC) of this publication.
Conflicts of Interest: The author declares no conflict of interest.
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 770 12 of 13

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