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In this introductory chapter, we collaborate on how digital transformation (DT) supports a value-driven educational approach, emphasizing the need for regular assessments of stakeholder needs, enhancing students' abilities to solve complex problems, applying learned knowledge effectively, nurturing creativity, and boosting employment prospects through skill development. Strategic considerations for implementing DT include creating a shared vision through collaborative strategy development, establishing clear objectives, designing a detailed action plan for DT initiatives, encouraging active participation from all educational community members, and maintaining the DT strategy through continuous evaluation and adaptation. By interweaving DT with these strategic educational priorities, higher education institutions can not only improve the learning experience but also equip students to succeed in a rapidly evolving future.

This chapter explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on higher education, particularly in the context of accelerating technological and societal changes. As higher education institutions face the need to offer more flexible, adapted and relevant academic programmes, AI presents significant opportunities and challenges. In the first part of this chapter, the authors elaborated on characteristic the evolution of AI including characterizing the emerging AI landscape. One of our contributions in this concluding chapter is to conceptualize the next areas of deployment of AI in higher education considering the novel, innovative services that will disrupt the entire market in the next few years. The strategic proposition for deployment of AI in higher education highlighted six pillars, namely large language models, research.AI, content creation.AI, personalised learning.AI, skill building assistants.AI and education out of the Box.AI. The authors presented opportunities to harness AI to enhance teaching, learning and research under each pillar, along with a detailed list of potential application areas and services. Universities are exploring innovative ways to use AI-driven solutions to improve research, teaching and learning experiences, and the authors also developed indicative scenarios for the use of AI in higher education based on the six pillars. One of the bold contributions in this chapter is the structured framework for understanding the evolution and use of AI in higher education, utilizing a matrix to map the intersection of market penetration and product development. Finally, the authors discuss future directions and strategies for Higher Education 2030 in light of advances in AI technology.

This chapter delves into the pivotal role of digital transformation (DT) strategies in fostering educational innovation, particularly through the lens of transformative learning (TL). By outlining a five-stage TL model, we explore how DT strategies can not only support but also significantly enhance educational reforms. Actions and multipliers, constituting the core elements of this model, interact dynamically to advance TL within academic institutions. Actions, such as strategic initiatives and the development of learning environments, account for the tangible steps toward transformation. Meanwhile, multipliers amplify these efforts, emphasizing the importance of strategy, commitment and the sustainable impact of educational transformations. We also highlight the emerging influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping learning contexts, demonstrating its capacity to personalize learning experiences and foster problem-solving skills. Additionally, we envision the future trajectory of higher education (HE) toward 2035, emphasizing the integration of AI and DT in creating a responsive and adaptive educational ecosystem. This chapter argues that DT is not just a tool but also a catalyst for active and transformative learning, proposing a holistic approach to integrating technology in education that addresses current challenges and anticipates future needs.

The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education marks a paradigm shift, driving significant changes in pedagogical approaches and learning methodologies. With the rise of generative AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI), institutions have witnessed a transformative era where traditional content creation and delivery are being redefined. Start-ups like OpenAI and Anthropic have been at the forefront, offering tools like ChatGPT and Claude-3, which reshape natural language processing and forecast a future where AI integrations are seamless and pervasive. This chapter provides a critical overview of the current AI-driven applications enhancing personalized learning, content generation, and remote learning. Tools such as Mainstay, CourseGenie, and AIDES demonstrate AI's capacity to improve student engagement and success rates, while Degreed and Gnowbe showcase the broadening horizons of AI in skills building and microlearning experiences. Furthermore, platforms like Elicit and Research Rabbit exemplify the transformation in research and academic writing, albeit not without raising ethical concerns. In conclusion, AI's permanence in the educational landscape is unquestionable, calling for strategic frameworks that empower educators and students to harness its benefits effectively. The imminent expansion of the AI tool ecosystem necessitates preparedness for substantial shifts in educational practices, where ethical considerations and value-based strategies become paramount. Higher education institutions must align with this technological momentum, ensuring AI's potential is maximized in an ethical, inclusive, and impactful manner.

Digital transformation (DT) has become a top priority for higher education (HE), driven by technological advances such as artificial intelligence (AI), artificial general intelligence (AGI) and Generative Open AI. It serves as a catalyst for the reshaping of mainstream processes in academic institutions, emphasizing teamwork, collaborative projects and critical thinking in research, learning and assessment strategies. In this chapter, the authors contextualize the use of this DT, highlighting its potential to improve learning experiences, business efficiency and upskill students and faculty. The holistic approach to DT as an enabler of excellence in HE is based on four pillars of excellence and impact: Business process reengineering, learning excellence and skill building, research capacity and innovation and partnership and outlook. DT needs the development of efficient, resilient, flexible and adaptable strategies and a strong collaboration between all the actors involved in the process to ensure the coherence, the sustainability and alignment of the objectives, means and targets with the real needs of the learners, tutors, labor market and society as whole. The authors’ bold proposition consists of a model for the strategy design of DT in universities and colleges organized in three dimensions: understand, strategize, deploy and exploit. Each dimension emphasizes different stages of the process: understanding emerging technologies and their impact on HE, collaboration between stakeholders, strategy and priorities formulation, roadmap of implementation, deployment and exploitation of digital technologies, etc. The ongoing DT in HE will continue to create an extensive shift in educational processes – learning, teaching, research and management. Institutions around the world are taking bold initiatives to adapt to this rapidly changing environment, emphasizing the importance of readiness for technological changes, system development, inclusive and sustainable transformation.

The dawn of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education (HE) is not just on the horizon; it's here, promising a transformative leap forward. This shift is not simply about adopting new technologies; it's about redefining educational paradigms to meet specific challenges – from enhancing support and critical thinking to improving outcomes and fostering teamwork. This chapter outlines a comprehensive strategy to integrate AI into HE, spotlighting personalized learning, content generation, and remote learning, among others, as key domains ripe for AI's influence. An effective AI strategy will foster excellence and enable HE institutions to unlock the potential of technology for students and faculty alike. At its core, the proposed AI development strategy targets five critical areas: training, career growth, skill enhancement, learning, and team building. These areas ensure that all HE community members are well-equipped to navigate the AI-enhanced landscape of future jobs and challenges. However, realizing the full benefits of AI transcends the deployment of tools and systems; it requires strategic planning, investment in people, and policy changes. HE must cultivate champions to spearhead this transformation, emphasizing that success is not just measured in output but in the cultivation of socially responsible citizens. To harness AI's full capacity, we must transcend outdated stereotypes and metrics, fostering an educational environment that prepares students for the future. The ultimate goal is not just to integrate AI into HE but to use it as a catalyst for growth, innovation, and a better future for all.

Artificial Intelligence presents itself as a revolutionary tool that has the potential to completely change the educational environment by providing alternative teaching methods that meet the varied needs of educators and learners. This chapter examines the associated risks as it explores the significant influence of AI on alternative learning approaches in secondary and higher education. An educational change is underway with the introduction of virtual assistants, new platforms, and virtual reality integration. These developments bring with them a variety of teaching methods that respond to the needs of students in the educational process.