The article "Digital Transformation in Higher Education: The UOC Case" offers a thorough and pedagogical analysis of how a digitally native university—the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)—can serve as a model for other institutions seeking to embark on their own process of digital transformation (DT).
Through a rigorous mixed-methods approach and within the framework of the European ECOLHE project, the authors gather strategic, organizational, and pedagogical perspectives from a wide range of stakeholders—from academic leaders to students—to portray a university ecosystem where technology is not an end in itself, but a lever for educational, organizational, and social improvement.
A key educational contribution of the article lies in its demystification of the idea that digital transformation merely involves “digitizing” classes or administrative processes. On the contrary, it emphasizes that true digital innovation (DI) stems from the coordinated integration of technology, institutional culture, and human capabilities.
The collected testimonies highlight the importance of structures such as the eLinC, the promotion of distributed leadership, and the centrality of teaching experience and student feedback. The study also underscores that technological changes come with challenges—such as increased bureaucracy, workload intensification, and the need to rethink organizational processes with a flexible and adaptive mindset.
Ultimately, the research not only maps the UOC’s journey but also distills lessons that can be applied by other universities, especially those seeking to transition from traditional face-to-face models to hybrid ones. Flexibility—both geographic and organizational—emerges as the most valued attribute for students.
The article promotes an inclusive vision of digital transformation in which all institutional actors—faculty, administrative staff, and students—must be trained, heard, and actively involved. As such, this article becomes an essential resource for those aiming to foster a more agile, connected, and human-centered model of higher education.
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How to Cite: Romero, M., Romeu, T., Guitert, M., & Baztán, P. (2023). Digital Transformation in Higher Education: The UOC Case. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 26(1), 163–179. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.26.1.33998
