Ethical issues and risks of forming a digital university

Abstract

The digital transformation of university education is one of the key trends in the modern educational space, opening up new opportunities to improve the quality of the learning process, expand access to education, and develop the digital competencies of students and teachers. At the same time, the process of digitalization is accompanied by a number of ethical challenges related to threats to academic autonomy, digital inequality, personal data protection, risks of losing traditional university values, and changes in the role of a teacher in the learning process. These aspects require detailed analysis and development of effective mechanisms for regulating. The aim of the research is to analyze the ethical risks that accompany the process of digital transformation of the university and to identify possible ways to minimize them in the context of digitalization of higher education. To achieve this aim, the methods of systematic and comparative analysis were used, which allowed us to identify the main ethical challenges of the digital university. Theoretical analysis of the literature helped to identify key issues of digital education, including academic integrity, digital communication, the impact of digital technologies on the quality of education, and the ethics of using artificial intelligence in the learning process. The methods of descriptive analysis are also used to summarize the features of the impact of digital technologies on the university educational environment. The results of the research show that the digital university, being an innovative model of educational space, requires a balanced approach to the implementation of digital technologies. Particular attention should be paid to the protection of personal data, ensuring the academic freedom of teachers and students, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in the educational process. To minimize ethical risks, it is proposed to implement specialized training courses in digital ethics, strengthen mechanisms for regulating the use of digital technologies in the learning process, and develop ethical codes for the digital university.