scholarly journals Is the infrastructure of regional universities ready to meet the challenges of digital transformation?

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 14-32
Author(s):  
S. N. Kostina
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Maximum Speed ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
It Infrastructure ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Regional Universities

The processes of informatization, digitalization, and digital transformation of education have led to large-scale changes that have affected almost all elements of the educational system – from pedagogical concepts and technologies to the structures of new types («digital universities», «smart campuses», etc.). The creation of such structures is based on the universities’ IT-infrastructure, the requirements for the latter to be determined by the modern problems challenging the higher education system. The development of the IT-infrastructure became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there appeared the necessity of an urgent transition to electronic forms of education, including the mass delivery of electronic content to students. This problem was most acute for regional universities, whose own resources were not always sufficient to solve it. The purpose of this research article is to analyze the dynamics of the universities’ IT-infrastructure 2015–2020 development in the Sverdlovsk region as the basis for their digitalization and digital transformation. The choice of the Sverdlovsk region is explained by the fact that among the subjects of the Russian Federation, it occupies one of the leading positions by the number of universities and the number of students. Within the study, based on 2015–2020 statistical data (the so-called «ВПО-1» and «ВПО-2» forms as filled in by all HEIs), there were analyzed various components of the universities’ IT-infrastructure: the park of personal computers and multimedia facilities; the access to the Internet; the general availability of special software both for the region as a whole and in the context of particular universities. According to our analysis, the period studied saw growth in the information equipment provision for the universities’ non-educational activities, and – at the same time – decrease in the provision of computers used for educational purposes and for the students’ independent work. Along with the positive dynamics of providing the universities with access to high-speed Internet, less than a third of them maintain a maximum speed of over 100 Mbps. The universities are provided mainly with mandatory software tools (electronic library and reference systems, testing systems), whereas the virtual simulators are the least available. Another problem is the obsolescence of universities’ information technology equipment. At the same time, the region continues to see the universities’ differentiation by the level of all the IT-infrastructure components development (hardware, Internet access, software). To solve the problems of digitalization and digital transformation, the universities should assess the IT-infrastructure capacity necessary to solve modern educational and extracurricular tasks according to the interests of external and internal stakeholders (including employees and students of various categories), and more clearly formulate the objectives of modernizing IT-infrastructure in their development programs (strategies). The elimination of the universities’ digital inequality in the regions should be reflected in federal projects concerning the development of higher education. For these purposes, it is necessary to develop a modern methodology for assessing the compliance of the universities’ IT-infrastructure with the requirements of digitalization and digital transformation. Our research is original, as it presents an attempt to analyze the dynamics of the universities’ IT-infrastructure development in the Sverdlovsk region on the basis of statistical data.

CAN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ALLEVIATE MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY? — EVIDENCE FROM CHINA

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-34
Author(s):  
YONGBO GE ◽  
YUEXIAO ZHU ◽  
WENQIANG ZHANG ◽  
XIAORAN KONG
Keyword(s):  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Capital Accumulation ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Public Infrastructure ◽  
Regional Heterogeneity ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

We investigate the impact of the construction of large-scale high-speed railways (HSRs) on regional multidimensional poverty in China. We find that the opening of HSRs can reduce this poverty indicator. This association is robust to a series of checks. Regarding the mechanisms, the opening of HSRs can improve regional accessibility, enhance local tourism, increase labor mobility and promote human capital accumulation, which alleviates multidimensional poverty. Further research indicates the regional heterogeneity of the effect. This research supplements poverty alleviation theory from the perspective of public infrastructure and offers insight into how multidimensional poverty arises and how it can be alleviated.

Stakeholder Approach for Quality Higher Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 1664-1690
Author(s):  
Neeta Baporikar
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Growth ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Stakeholder Approach ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Core Issue ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Quality In Higher Education

Higher education is not necessary for economic growth and development is a general presumption, the belief being literacy and primary education is. Increased concerns for ‘Education for All', also led to overall neglect of higher education in many developing countries. But given the inter-dependence of one layer of education on the other, higher education becomes critically important for developing and sustaining a good quality primary and secondary education. It is also a necessary feature for economic growth, development and sustenance. Higher education system suffers from a yawning gap in funds, outdated regulatory mechanisms, poor quality, and low efficiency. Liberalization of sector to attract large scale investments is the key to access, affordability, and equity. However, the core issue still remains ‘quality in higher education'. This chapter through in depth literature review and content analysis delves into stakeholder approach for quality higher education, which would hopefully not only optimize the higher education impact but also guarantee quality higher education.

Exploiting Digital Skills in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Domitilla Magni ◽  
Beatrice Orlando ◽  
Manlio Del Giudice
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Business And Society ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
Benefit Corporation ◽  
The World ◽  
Digital Skills

Thus far, digital transformation had a strong impact on business and society. The large-scale adoption of digital technologies changed social relationships and opened up to new opportunities for higher education. Currently, the interplay between innovation and digitalization become are among the most important assets for the educational system. In this light, this chapter aims to explore how digital skills and competencies modify the issue of co-creation in higher education. The authors use the case study analysis to explore such theme. The Little Genius International case is presented and discussed: an international alternative school in English for digital natives recognized as the best benefit corporation for the world. The main contribution of the chapter is that it outlines what are the new digital skills and competencies enabling a better understanding of the concept of students' co-creation in HEIs.

The Viability of Tuition-Free Community College

2020 ◽  
pp. 089590482095111
Author(s):  
Matthew P. Ison
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Community College ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Student Loans ◽  
College Education ◽  
Underrepresented Populations ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
American Higher Education ◽  
Political Implications ◽  
Policy Discussion

Free higher education has become a major policy discussion of the past few years, one that is often debated or supported along partisan lines. Those supporting this policy initiative often point to the rising cost of a college education and the barrier it creates for underrepresented populations hoping to access higher education. Others point to a broken financial aid system that leaves more individuals financing their education through student loans, adding to a massive national loan debt now exceeding a trillion dollars. Various arguments for and against a free-tuition program within the American higher education system are addressed. While an argument can be made that all public American higher education should be tuition-free, limiting a large-scale federal program to the American community college has economic and political implications that could make the policy more feasible for a larger percentage of the American public.

scholarly journals Priority directions of increasing the adaptivity of universities to the conditions of the digital economy

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (33) ◽  
pp. e16383
Author(s):  
Nataliia Kholiavko ◽  
Olha Popelo ◽  
Svitlana Tulchynska
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Education System ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Digital Economy ◽  
Productive Force ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Depth Of Response ◽  
Development Trajectory ◽  
Information And Communication

The digital economy forms a set of new challenges to the higher education system, namely: accelerating the pace of socio-economic transformations; transformation of information into a commodity and a productive force; large-scale digitalization of economic entities; virtualization of workplaces; active introduction of information and communication technologies; creation of a global information field; exacerbation of cybersecurity problems. In such conditions, the system of higher education and the activities of universities need to be adequately changed in order to ensure their competitiveness in the modern market of educational services. The article substantiates the need to increase the level of adaptability of higher education institutions to exogenous challenges. Under the category of adaptability, it is proposed to understand the desired property of the higher education system, which determines its ability to absorb shocks, adapt or reorganize in accordance with the challenges posed by the development of the digital economy. The main parameters of the adaptability of the higher education system to the digital economy are the degree of its resistance to external disturbances, the depth of response to them, the speed of recovery after crises, the degree of structural and functional reorganization, the possibility of continuing pre-board development trajectory. The purpose of the article is to formulate scientifically sound proposals to increase the level of adaptability of universities to the challenges of the digital economy. The authors of the set of such proposals are structured according to the selected types of adaptability: introversion and extraversion.

scholarly journals Approaches to the Formation of Intangible Resources Based on the Innovations Introduction in the Higher Education System

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (525) ◽  
pp. 81-90
Author(s):  
S. V. Labunskaya ◽  
◽  
M. V. Sobakar ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Intangible Resources ◽  
Innovative Capacity ◽  
Classification Product

The article is aimed at determining approaches to the identification and formation of evaluation indicators as to the production, availability and use of intangible resources, including intellectual ones, as a result of innovative changes in the activities of higher education institutions and their reform on an innovative basis. The role of introduction of innovations in the higher education system for improving the innovative capacity and competitiveness of enterprises and the national economy as a whole is defined. Based on the analysis of statistical data, the need to reform domestic higher education institutions on an innovative basis is identified. The role of implementation of the key performance indicators (KPI) system for identification and evaluation of intangible assets of both intellectual and information nature as a result of innovative changes is substantiated. A general approach to assessing the results of innovations on the basis of giving a tuple look to the model for computing KPI indicators is proposed. The analysis of strategies of innovative development of leading higher education institutions of Ukraine for the implementation of innovative changes is carried out. The identified innovations are grouped into the main types according to the Oslo classification: product-related, technological, marketing and organizational. Each type of innovation is considered in the plane of educational, scientific and international activities. The main directions of innovative changes for each of these groups are allocated and technologies for innovative changes are determined. It is noted how the changes in question affect the formation of the intellectual resource of higher education institutions and business environment entities.

Indian Digital Transformational Initiatives in the Higher Education System

2021 ◽  
pp. 128-144
Author(s):  
Thangasamy Esakki
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Academic Quality ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Efficient Management ◽  
Innovative Thinking ◽  
Indian Higher Education ◽  
The Government

Globally, the developmental process primarily originates from creative and innovative thinking of an individual. Undoubtedly, higher education promotes the academic quality and research in a country. In order to disseminate knowledge to the aspirants in educational and research institutions, the information and technology has been put to use widely across the world. The digital transformation gained importance in the field of education to accelerate the wheels of world economy. During its period of transition, there are multifarious managerial issues. They ought to be tackled prudently by the government or policymakers. Otherwise, digital transformation in higher education can never be considered as a boom but bane. Hence, it necessitates an efficient management for yielding better fruits. The current study has been undertaken to examine the Indian digital initiatives in the higher education system, identify the crucial managerial issues, and suggest remedies for improvement of the Indian higher education system via digital transformation.

scholarly journals Research of the market of educational services when forming programs for strategic development of regional universities

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-18
Author(s):  
Lyubov A. Vybornova ◽  
Svetlana A. Morozova ◽  
Yulia S. Butyrina ◽  
Ekaterina A. Mikheeva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Educational Services ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Strategic Development ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Social Sphere ◽  
Regional Universities

At a new stage in the development of the Russian higher education system, missions are being adjusted, strategies and programs for the development of universities are being developed in accordance with global trends in the development of higher education and the challenges facing the country and regions. Amodern university plays an important role in ensuring the socio-economic development of the country and the region, participates in the implementation of national, federal and regional projects, strategic development programs. The basis of university development programs is the provision of training for the priority areas of scientific and technological development of the Russian Federation, sectors of the economy and the social sphere, the development and implementation of breakthrough scientific research and development, new creative and social and humanitarian projects, as well as their implementation in the economy and social sphere of high technologies. Important aspects of strategic planning of the university are the analysis of trends and challenges in the higher education system in Russia, as well as the study of the educational services market in the region. The paper analyzes the structure and dynamics of development of the national and regional (using the example of the Samara Region) higher educational systems in Russia, identifies general patterns and tendencies, identifies the directions of development of regional universities.

scholarly journals Principal Directions of Digital Transformation of Higher Education System in Sustainable Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 09042
Author(s):  
Elvir Akhmetshin ◽  
Karine Barmuta ◽  
Vladimir Vasilev ◽  
Hilary Okagbue ◽  
Ogochukwu Ijezie
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Digital Economy ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Sustainable Education ◽  
Essential Components

From the perspective of a systematic integrated approach, the article formulates the main directions of digital transformation of higher education system in sustainable education in all its components, taking into account the requirements of the modern digital economy as the leading trend in the country’s innovative development model. The authors consider essential content of the digital economy as a vector of innovative trends focused on the training of specialists of a qualitatively different level, and present the results of the formation of the digital economy in the Personnel and Education direction in 2025. One of the essential components of the modern educational process is the electronic information and educational environment, which is considered as a system that includes innovative technology platforms as an indispensable element for the generation and processing of knowledge. The article explores the prospects for improving the Russian scientific and educational system based on innovative methods of education using neural network technologies, the need for a transition to online education with integrated systems of natural and artificial intelligence. The paper identifies obstacles that significantly hamper the sustainable development of online education, one of which is the lack of teachers of the new formation who can work in the digital environment. It also presents an analysis of the results of a comprehensive study to assess the readiness of higher education to the parameters of the digital economy, showing that most universities are at the initial stage of the informatization and automation processes, which proves the relevance of the materials presented.

scholarly journals Spatial features of training highly qualified scientific and pedagogical personnel in the South of Russia

2020 ◽  
Vol 210 ◽  
pp. 18026
Author(s):  
Nadezhda Shpak ◽  
Yuliya Merinova ◽  
Vladimir Latun ◽  
Ludmila Nedoseka
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
The South ◽  
Doctoral Studies ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Russian Higher Education ◽  
Qualified Personnel ◽  
Territorial Organization

The key factors of the socio-economic development of society are science, innovation and new educational technologies that shape and reveal the scientific, pedagogical and production potential of the country. The formation of an innovative economic model today is impossible without the intensive development of fundamental and applied research activities, which makes higher educational institutions one of the most influential elements of the implementation of the concept of advanced development of the territory. There is a need to improve the institutional framework, expand the academic network, strengthen interuniversity cooperation for the development and effective operation of the entire educational sphere. The Russian higher education system, which is responsible for the reproduction of professional scientific personnel, is in a state of large-scale transformations, which is reflected in the main institutes for training highly qualified personnel - postgraduate and doctoral studies. Transformations in higher education affect the quality of training of future specialists, and also form a certain imbalance in their territorial organization in different constituent entities of the country. The article discusses the particularity of training, spatial characteristics and provision of subjects of the South of Russia with scientific and pedagogical personnel of the highest qualification.

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