Research Summary: Towards an integrated framework for digital transformation in Moroccan higher education

Research published in Frontiers in Education examines the digital transformation challenges within Moroccan public universities, identifying acute structural, organizational, and technological constraints. Utilizing a Design Science Research methodology, the study addresses the gap in existing frameworks that fail to account for the unique operating realities of higher education institutions in developing contexts.

Why it matters

This analysis highlights that generic digital transformation models cannot be transposed onto developing-world higher education systems without fundamental structural adjustments. Institutional progress depends on tailored frameworks that explicitly account for local technological and organizational deficits. Without contextualized models, investments in public university modernization risk systemic failure.

Key insights

• Public universities in developing economies encounter acute implementation barriers rooted in institutional structure and strategy.
• Moroccan higher education faces compounded challenges across structural, organizational, and technological dimensions.
• Mainstream digital transformation frameworks largely neglect the specific operational and governance contexts of higher education.
• The research utilizes a Design Science Research methodology incorporating a systematic literature review and structured expert validation to address these framework deficits.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1912168