The Issue of Digital Transformation in Higher Education in the Context of Digital Society Formation
Bobro N. S.

Bobro, Natalia S. (2025) “The Issue of Digital Transformation in Higher Education in the Context of Digital Society Formation.” The Problems of Economy 3:13–18.
https://doi.org/10.32983/2222-0712-2025-3-13-18

Section: World economy and international relations

UDC 331.5

Abstract:
The aim of the article is to examine the economic and value-related aspects of digital transformation in higher education within the context of forming a digital society. The article analyzes the characteristics of the transition from an information society to a digital society, which is accompanied by profound changes in the technological, social, and educational environment. The article outlines the impact of digitalization on the modernization of higher education and identifies the university’s role as an institution responsible for professional activity in a global digital environment. The article explores how digital technologies alter the structure and content of the educational process, transform the role of the teacher, promote the development of new forms of learning and communication, and contribute to the cultivation of flexible skills needed in the 21st century. The article focuses on the economic effects of digitalization in higher education. The article examines the impact of implementing digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, Big Data, blockchain, and virtual and augmented reality on the efficiency of managerial decisions, cost optimization, process automation, and the competitiveness of universities. Examples are provided of the economic growth of educational institutions thanks to digital distance learning platforms, new revenue streams, and the commercialization of research. The substantiation for creating a unified digital ecosystem within the university that integrates educational, administrative, and financial processes is presented. The article also highlights the contradictory nature of digital transformation, particularly the risks of digital inequality, fragmentation of the academic space, and threats to the formalization of educational activities. The value tension between traditional educational principles (academic freedom, personal development, service to science) and administrative-digital practices oriented toward metrics, reporting, and quantitative measures has been analyzed. The experience of higher education institutions transitioning to a remote format during the pandemic as a catalyst for digital transformation has been examined. It has been demonstrated that effective use of digital technologies is possible if the humanistic orientations of education are preserved. It is concluded that digital transformation in higher education should be regarded as a strategic response to the challenges of the digital age, involving not only infrastructural changes but also a profound rethinking of the university’s roles, educational content, and organizational mechanisms. An effective integration of digital tools with traditional academic values ensures the sustainable development of higher education and its capacity to act as an active agent in shaping a digital society.

Keywords: digital transformation, digital university, digitalization, distance education, digital economy, educational environment.

Tabl.: 1. Bibl.: 14.

Bobro Natalia S. – Candidate of Sciences (Economics), Director, Digital Department, European University (16-V Akademіka Vernadskoho Blvd., Kyiv, 03115, Ukraine)
Email: natalia@noolab.ch

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