Digital Transformation

Digital transformation—it’s the buzziest of buzzwords, a Rorschach test for everything one might see as good or bad in higher education, either a panacea or a poison pill.

In the wake of 2020’s pandemic-induced shift to remote instruction and operations, even the most stalwart opponents of expanding the use of digital technologies in the modern university were seemingly won over.

Of course, the adoption and application of digital technologies looks different from this side of the pandemic, when not mandated by widespread lockdowns. Nonetheless, even if the urgency has tempered, there’s no denying the evolution of sector-wide attitudes on the role of digital technologies. The question on leaders’ minds is therefore less about whether to pursue a digital transformation agenda, but rather which of many opportunities should be prioritised, and how quickly progress can be made.

But what, exactly, is digital transformation? How do discerning leaders ensure they invest only in solutions that actually move the needle on financial, operational, or strategic objectives?

This executive brief will give you the answers you’ve been looking for, starting with a better understanding of digital transformation and the challenges of pursuing it in the higher education sector. In addition to providing examples of where digital transformation investments have been most successful in addressing strategic and operational challenges, this brief also outlines the core organisational capabilities necessary for change.