DX Strategy & Benchmark

All involved stakeholders need to make a clear commitment to transforming the higher education institutions (HEIs) of the future. HEIs already have enormous performance potential in terms of activities in their disciplines. For this reason, each university also views digitalisation success through its own lens. At the same time, recent developments have shown that HEIs must cooperate and collaborate if they want to react appropriately and overcome the challenges presented by the current rapidly changing, agile global environment. In the context of digitalisation, the only way for each individual HEI to tap into added value and create far-reaching change is for them to take a cooperative approach.

The role of governance and change management structures

Cooperation usually takes place when digitalisation is assigned a structural and high priority, which is ideally reflected in the corresponding policies and governance structures. These decision-making and governance structures must be well-developed. The goal to address infrastructural problems that usually prevent sustainable change can be tackled by establishing these decision-making structures and processes and increasing their visibility. Establishing, expanding, and interpreting synergies among HEIs and their cooperative networks plays a significant role here, because these processes also actively influence how sustainable digitalisation governance structures are developed, namely by combining and attempting to address different interests from teaching, research, administration, and third mission areas.

An initial structural anchor was established by creating the Vice Rectorates for Digitalisation at Austria's HEIs. Furthermore, the HEI administration teams are strategically integrated by making clear commitments in the respective digitalisation strategies and policies; thus, these are anchored in the public university development plans. A strategic framework for digitalisation at Austria's HEIs was also anchored in the new Austrian National Development Plan for Public Universities (GUEP), which was developed in the context of the Digital Action Plan Austria (DAA). In 2023 in particular, the HEIs are called upon to update their digitalisation strategies according to this plan. An overview (in German) of the current strategies being applied by the individual higher education institutions can be found HERE

In order to overcome structural and process-related challenges, change management support needs to be offered at the respective HEIs. What experience has been gained in this area? And how can we create a 'transformation process' that allows us to apply an interdisciplinary digitalisation strategy? The digital university hub provides you with a platform that encourages discussion, offers exciting incentives, enables you to dive deeper into significant topics, and provides you with a wealth of information.

New working group for stronger exchange

An ever-expanding working group in the DUH project is examining digitalisation models and processes currently in use or under development at HEIs, as well as the structural models and approaches currently in use. The aim is to identify aspects that are relevant for shaping the digital future. This will be done by following a RTSC (Real Time Strategic Change) process that provides opportunities to hold discussions about models and processes that support digitalisation at HEIs, develops them further, and allows the identification of synergies. This, in turn, will create a shared understanding – insofar as possible – of the digitalisation processes and models used at HEIs.

CLICK HERE to learn how you can join us and help to shape the process as an HEI representative!