Digital transformation of higher education: towards a conceptual model of a digital university as a socio-technological institute

Abstract

Annotation. The article is devoted to the understanding of the digital transformation of higher education as a complex process that includes not only technological upgrades, but also institutional, cultural, and ethical rethinking of the university's functioning in the digital age. The main focus is on building a conceptual model of a digital university as a socio-technological institute that integrates IT infrastructure, educational activities, management services, ethical principles, and regulatory autonomy. Based on an interdisciplinary approach, three leading vectors of transformation have been identified: modernization of the educational process with an emphasis on individualization, implementation of flexible forms of education and digital avatars; automation of management decisions using algorithmic technologies, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence; and formation of a new IT architecture that ensures the creation of an integrated digital campus and electronic information and educational environment. A special emphasis is placed on the axiological dimension of digital transformation, which requires a rethinking of the traditional principles of higher education. In particular, the principles of accessibility, safety, efficiency, and quality of education in the context of digital interaction are analyzed. It is shown that the digital university should act not only as a technical and technological platform, but also as an open ethical and normative space focused on the development of academic integrity, protection of personal data, and the formation of digital autonomy and inclusion. The author substantiates the need to implement an ethical code for the digital university, create a system of ethical examination, and introduce digital pedagogy that combines innovative tools with humanitarian content. The article also examines the leading approaches to understanding the essence of the digital university: as a distance educational space, as a smart organization, as a digital ecosystem, and as a digital avatar of a classical university. It has been established that the most promising is a hybrid model that combines all these components, ensuring adaptability, technological integration, and value sustainability of the educational process. In this context, the digital university is seen as the institutional basis for the development of the knowledge economy, a research and education platform, a driver of social progress, and a strategic subject of digital modernization. Therefore, the digital transformation of higher education should be carried out not only along technical, but also social, humanitarian, and ethical vectors, which allows for its inclusiveness, legitimacy, and sustainable development.