Development of the university digital ecosystem in modern conditions

Abstract

In modern conditions, in the context of the modernization of the higher education system, the digital ecosystem of higher education institutions plays a decisive role. As digital counterparts of natural ecosystems, digital ecosystems are made up of many independent entities such as individuals, organizations, services, software, and applications that perform one or more tasks and focus on interactions and relationships among themselves. Content analysis of scientific research has demonstrated different approaches to the concept of a digital ecosystem. In this study, the digital ecosystem is considered in the context of transformational processes. Based on the digital transformation roadmap recommended for billion-dollar companies, the author made an attempt to adapt it for higher education institutions, which will contribute to the effective development of the digital ecosystem. It was determined that the main areas that should be subjected to digital changes are interactions with stakeholders, operations, employee experience, as well as the transformation of the business model and the development of digital platforms. Each individual direction is a tool, which will allow initiating and stimulating digital transformation. At the same time, digital transformation requires strong leadership, a clearly defined direction of development and a vision that is consistent with the development strategy of the university. Also, any digital change requires investments and effective communications to ensure development in the right direction. This study can be useful for university leaders at different stages of digital transformation.