Digital Transformation and Quality, Efficiency, and Flexibility in Arab Universities

Abstract

Disruptive technologies such as AI, Big Data, and the intersection of cloud, social, and mobile have major impact on higher education. From developing technology-enhanced learning programs, to curriculum structural changes leading to flexible, blended, online, and accelerated programs, all the way to even rethinking the entire business model and delivering User Experience Design/User Interface Design (UX/UI) friendly administrative services via mobile apps; the impact of technology is becoming substantial. New technological developments are fueling innovative university applications: new cloud computing capabilities and applications, social media via mobile devices, multimedia and virtual reality, tracking, and targeting via geolocation sensors provide easier and better ways of communication among university constituencies. On one hand, this helps in responding to the pressure of higher student expectations for enhanced learning and better user experience when accessing university services. On the other hand, it helps in improving the university's competitive advantage in an internationalized market, and has direct results on enhancing the learning experience and quality of service; more efficient student recruitment and retention, more efficient operations and reduced costs, greater classroom innovation, new modes of research, and easier access to both administrative tools and academic coursework from any device. A single application accessible from any device can now manage the student's entire life on campus. More digital services result in more data collected on every aspect of university life, and thus in more effective data analytics and intelligent forecasting and planning. This extension of reach, effectiveness, and quality cannot happen without a proper change-management strategy resulting in embracing new digital skills and an overall cultural change.