Digital and intelligent integration drives educational transformation: the path, challenges, and future prospects of digital transformation in China's higher education

Hui Zhong ¹

¹ Changsha Normal University, 410311, Changsha, China

1968677585@qq.com

https://doi.org/10.64574/ghss.2026.2.2.4

Open Access

Under a Creative Commons license: CC BY 4.0

This article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). You are free to share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material) for any purpose, even commercially, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the CC BY 4.0 license, and indicate if changes were made.

Published: 27 Apr 2026

Abstract

The rapid development of digital technology is reshaping the global economic and social landscape with unprecedented depth and breadth. As a high ground for talent cultivation and technological innovation, the digital transformation of higher education has become an inevitable choice and a national strategy. This paper, based on a systematic review of the connotation and theoretical framework of digital transformation in higher education, comprehensively analyzes the current status and challenges faced by Chinese universities in terms of strategic planning, teaching models, governance systems, and teacher development. The study points out that the current transformation faces core bottlenecks such as fragmented top-level design, a disconnect between technology and education, insufficient digital literacy among teachers and students, and a lack of data governance systems. Drawing on the successful experiences of international organizations and universities at home and abroad, this paper proposes a systematic path for deepening the digital transformation of higher education in China from five dimensions: "concept reshaping—capability building—model innovation—governance reconstruction—ecological collaboration," aiming to provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for building a high-quality, sustainable new ecosystem of smart education.

Keywords

Higher education; digital transformation; artificial intelligence; teaching innovation; data governance; collaborative pathways

Conclusion

Digitalization of education is an inevitable path to educational modernization, and the digital transformation of higher education is a strategic precursor to building a strong education nation. Currently, my country's digital transformation of higher education has entered a more complex phase, facing more intricate challenges and arduous tasks. Only by moving beyond simple technological advancements and returning to the essence of education—nurturing people—can we truly unleash the transformative potential of digital technology through a systemic approach that promotes comprehensive changes in concepts, models, capabilities, and governance.

Looking to the future, with the further development of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, and metaverse, higher education will enter a new stage that is more intelligent, personalized, ubiquitous, and lifelong. The smart campus of the future will be a deep integration of physical and digital spaces; learning will no longer be confined to the classroom but will occur anytime, anywhere; teachers will transform from knowledge transmitters to designers, guides, and companions of learning; and students will transform from passive recipients to active explorers and creators.

Realizing this vision requires consensus and concerted efforts from the government, universities, enterprises, and all sectors of society. We must adhere to a combination of top-level design and grassroots exploration, encouraging universities to forge differentiated and distinctive transformation paths based on their own positioning and characteristics. We must continuously strengthen basic and applied research to provide solid theoretical support and scientific action guidelines for the transformation. We must attach great importance to digital ethics and security, ensuring that technology is used for good, so that the benefits of digital transformation reach every teacher and student, ultimately building a more equitable, higher-quality, and more resilient new ecosystem for higher education, providing strong talent support and intellectual guarantee for China's modernization.

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Volume 2 Issue 2

Publication Date: Apr 2026

Global Humanities and Social Sciences

ISSN (Print): 3105-174X

ISSN (Online): 3105-1758

Language: English

Frequency: Quarterly

Founded: 2025