Digitization of Higher Education and Science

Christian Leder & Luca Tratschin (UZH)

Slides (PDF, 749 KB)

Abstract: 
In recent years, digital transformation has become a key issue of public policy in countries around the world. Digital transformation is considered a driver for
technological innovation, and a central aspect of change in labour markets. Thereby, Universities have come to the fore as agents in national research, innovation and education systems.

In our talk, we will take a closer look at the Swiss university system and will discuss how it’s various actors relate to new opportunities and expectations. We draw on data and preliminary insights from our research project “Digital strategies: universities and fields of study as agents of change?” (NFP 77). Our empirical material consists of policy documents, bibliographical data, as well as a complete inventory of dedicated new courses and study programs. Furthermore, we analyse the SNF’s database of publicly funded research projects.

We will reflect on how digital transformation has become a central issue in strategymaking of Swiss universities of all types and how they position themselves towards multiple competitions and expectations – building on their autonomy and capacity as organizational actors. As this dynamic has strongly been influenced by developments in policy-making and funding, we examine and investigate this in conjunction with research, innovation and higher education policies at the national and regional level.

Barbara Getto & Franziska Zellweger (PHZH)

Abstract:

During the pandemic, higher education institutions had to switch to distance learning ad hoc. Digital media were applied area-wide, lecturers had to change to distance learning in next to no time, learners suddenly had to structure their studies much more on their own. These conditions of the pandemic are organizationally and individually not conductive to discursive change management in the way it is common in educational fields. At the same time there is concern about a possible digital backlash when higher education institutions do not develop any strategies for the planning of new digital course offerings.

The experiences since spring 2020 can be understood as a chance to position digitalization in teaching more strategically. The question arises how higher education institutions want to strategically approach the design of studies and apprenticeship after the pandemic. <

Format: The contribution is planned as a workshop with a short input at the beginning. Afterwards, the following key questions will be discussed in a moderated discussion:

• How can educational institutions benefit from the experiences, insights, and new competencies to advance the digitalization in higher education?
• How do educational institutions shape their digitalization strategies for highereducation after the pandemic?
• What kind of goals in the field of digitalization do higher education institutions have?How are these goals supposed to