Digital university: Approaches to the concept definition

Introduction. The modern period of development of higher education is directly related to the ongoing digital transformation of public relations. The changes that occur in universities, in their external interactions and functions, basic principles and value-normative foundations, require methodological analysis and research. Aim. The aim of the research is to analyse the theoretical approaches to disclosing the concept and essence of digital universities. Methodology and research methods. The mix-method was used as a research design: qualitative analysis (studying the content of theoretical sources and context, analysing the content of a concept) and quantitative analysis (scientometric analysis of publications and keywords in databases). Results. The study showed that in the methodological terms, there is a problem of defining the concept of “digital university”: there are several theoretical approaches based on different understanding of the phenomenon and its role in the digital development of the university. The methodological problem is complicated by the urgent need to systematise the practical activities of modern universities, which classify themselves in one way or another in the “digital” format; therefore, this is much more difficult to do without a coordinated approach to the concept itself. Scientific novelty lies in an attempt to systematise theoretical approaches to defining the concept of “digital university” and the problem of the absence of a holistic interdisciplinary approach has been identified. Practical significance of the study is associated with the need to develop a regulatory model of a digital university based on a holistic concept for the subsequent analysis of the activities of universities. The results of the analysis can be used in scientific discussion to further define the concept of “digital university” and develop a general model of a digital university.Введение. Современный период развития высшей школы непосредственно связан с происходящей цифровой трансформацией общественных отношений. Изменения, происходящие внутри университетов, в их внешних взаимодействиях и функциях, базовых принципах и ценностно-нормативных основаниях, требуют методологического анализа и исследования. Цель статьи – провести анализ современных теоретических подходов к раскрытию понятия и сущности цифровых университетов. Методология и методы исследования. В качестве дизайна исследования применялся mix-метод: качественный анализ (изучения содержания теоретических источников и контекста, анализ содержания концепта) и количественный анализ (наукометрический анализ публикаций и ключевых слов в базах данных). Результаты. Исследование показало, что в методологическом плане существует проблема определения концепта «цифровой университет»: сложилось несколько теоретических подходов, основанных на различном понимании феномена и его роли в цифровом развитии университета. Методологическая проблема осложняется необходимостью систематизации практической деятельности современных университетов, относящих себя так или иначе к формату «цифровых», а без согласованного подхода относительно самого концепта это сделать намного сложнее. Научная новизна заключается в попытке систематизации теоретических подходов для концептуализации понятия «цифровой университет», в ходе которой обозначилась проблема отсутствия целостного подхода. Практическая значимость исследования связана с необходимостью разработки на основе целостного концепта нормативной модели цифрового университета для последующего анализа деятельности вузов. Результаты анализа могут быть использованы в научной дискуссии для дальнейшей концептуализации понятия «цифровой университет» и выработки общей модели цифрового университета.The article was prepared with the support of the School of Public Administration and Entrepreneurship of the Institute of Economics and Management of the Ural Federal University named after the First President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin.Статья подготовлена при поддержке Школы государственного управления и предпринимательства Института экономики и управления Уральского федерального университета имени первого Президента России Б. Н. Ельцина

DIGITAL UNIVERSITY: APPROACHES TO THE CONCEPT DEFINITION

Introduction. The modern period of development of higher education is directly related to the ongoing digital transformation of public relations. The changes that occur in universities, in their external interactions and functions, basic principles and value-normative foundations, require methodological analysis and research. Aim. The aim of the research is to analyse the theoretical approaches to disclosing the concept and essence of digital universities. Methodology and research methods. The mix-method was used as a research design: qualitative analysis (studying the content of theoretical sources and context, analysing the content of a concept) and quantitative analysis (scientometric analysis of publications and keywords in databases). Results. The study showed that in the methodological terms, there is a problem of defining the concept of “digital university”: there are several theoretical approaches based on different understanding of the phenomenon and its role in the digital development of the university. The methodological problem is complicated by the urgent need to systematise the practical activities of modern universities, which classify themselves in one way or another in the “digital” format; therefore, this is much more difficult to do without a coordinated approach to the concept itself. Scientific novelty lies in an attempt to systematise theoretical approaches to defining the concept of “digital university” and the problem of the absence of a holistic interdisciplinary approach has been identified. Practical significance of the study is associated with the need to develop a regulatory model of a digital university based on a holistic concept for the subsequent analysis of the activities of universities. The results of the analysis can be used in scientific discussion to further define the concept of “digital university” and develop a general model of a digital university. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved

A Digital Campus in 2030: The Case of Three Merging Higher Education Institutions in Tampere

Digitalization is one of the most central megatrends currently altering our society. In the last decades higher education has not, however, transformed in proportion with the possibilities digitalization has to offer. The merging process of three higher education institutions in Tampere sets in motion a transformation process in which a digital leap is a central goal for several reasons, such as financial savings, enhancing cross-disciplinary learning and research in physically separate locations, and enhancing the availability and accessibility of information and services. The research demonstrates that higher education institutions have not succeeded in utilizing the potential of digitalization, and that its development requires more resources. Academic communality is predicted to be emphasized through the development of technology to promote interaction, and through the utilization of modern pedagogical solutions. These trends also transform academic work to be more interactive and cross-disciplinary. Digitalization disrupts the whole higher education sector by enabling operation in the global market. Digitalization also enables modular and scalable content, allowing for more versatile and flexible content usage, for example in the growing needs of complementary education. The higher education institutions need to adapt a more user-centered and open modus operandi in order to uphold their appeal in the digital era. The importance of stakeholder co-operation increases as public funding decreases and the requirements for the transparency of public funding tighten