DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE GOVERNANCE IN U.S. HIGHER EDUCATION: A PRACTITIONER FRAMEWORK FOR SYSTEM SELECTION

An Integrated University Digital Transformation Model Combining IT Governance, Interoperability, Cloud Security Assessment and Data Analytics: The UTMACH Case in Ecuador

Digital transformation in higher education requires integrated designs connecting strategy, governance, infrastructure, interoperability, applications, cybersecurity, accessibility, analytics, and continuous improvement. This study analyzes the Integrated University Digital Transformation Model implemented at Universidad Técnica de Machala, Ecuador, between 2023 and April 2026. A qualitative embedded case study with a design-science orientation examined institutional documents, technical records, governance evidence, cloud migration reports, interoperability mechanisms, system descriptions, analytics outputs, and cloud security assessment records through thematic analysis, process tracing, and artifact evaluation. Findings showed alignment between the Strategic Information Technology Plan and institutional planning; formal IT governance and information security structures; an API- and microservices-based architecture; a staged migration of 52 institutional servers in four operational lots, with documented post-migration monitoring indicating 99.85% average server uptime and no critical incidents attributable to the migration during the monitored period; an automated and traceable admission allocation process within a broader portfolio of integrated academic–administrative systems; and dashboards supporting evidence-informed decisions. MMGSI-Cloud complemented the architecture by assessing governance capabilities, identifying improvement priorities, and linking findings to an institutional roadmap. The case indicates that university digital transformation is strengthened when technological implementation is integrated with formal governance, systematic assessment, evidence-based planning, and institutional accountability.

A Governance Framework for University Impact Assessment

Higher education is being required to contribute more directly to national development, yet most instruments through which the state currently measures university performance are originally designed for other purposes. Not many are designed to steer the intermediate space between minimum compliance and frontier research performance, where most universities in an absorption-stage economy compete. This paper reframes the problem as one of governance rather than measurement, and develops a governance theory of policy-instrument portfolios organised around distinct governance objects. Drawing on that theory, the Vietnamese Multidimensional Impact Assessment Framework (V-MIAF) is derived as a steering instrument for the currently under-occupied governance space. Five domains are specified, namely workforce skill fit, economic value of knowledge, venture sustainability, collaborative integration, and institutional integrity, with integrity operating as a substrate that conditions the legitimacy of contribution generated elsewhere. Documentary analysis of 2024 institutional reporting from four Vietnamese universities illustrates the analytical visibility the account creates, and a two-gate design couples V-MIAF to Circular 20/2026 and the Autonomy Decree. The contribution is a governance-theoretic account of university impact assessment, an integrity-substrate design, and a portable conceptual logic.

“Development of an Integrated Information Security Governance Maturity Assessment Framework for Higher Education Institutions Using COBIT 2019 and ISO/IEC 27001: A Design Science Research Approach”

The adoption of digital technologies, online learning platforms, and electronic services has significantly changed the functioning of higher education institutions. Universities and colleges now rely extensively on digital platforms for teaching, learning, research, and administrative functions. As a result, these institutions manage large quantities of sensitive data, including student records, financial information, research findings, and other vital assets. In parallel, the rise in cybersecurity threats has underscored the necessity for enhanced information security governance to protect these resources and ensure secure and efficient technology use across campuses. Although established frameworks such as COBIT 2019 and ISO/IEC 27001 offer valuable guidance on governance and information security management, they are often implemented independently. This separation can cause gaps, overlaps, and inconsistencies in governance practices. To address this issue, this study developed an Integrated Information Security Governance Maturity Assessment Framework specifically for Higher Education Institutions by merging the governance principles of COBIT 2019 with the information security management demands of ISO/IEC 27001. The research employed a Design Science Research (DSR) methodology to develop a framework that is robust in theory and applicable to the higher education sector. This framework was built through a comprehensive analysis of COBIT 2019, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, relevant academic sources, and existing governance maturity models. The resulting framework encompasses five assessment dimensions: Governance and Leadership, Risk and Compliance Management, Security Operations and Control Management, Monitoring and Performance Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement and Governance Optimization. Additionally, a five-level maturity model was crafted to enable institutions to evaluate their current governance capability and identify areas needing further development. Findings indicate that integrating COBIT 2019 and ISO/IEC 27001 results in a more systematic and thorough approach to information security governance. The framework provides higher education institutions with a practical tool for assessing governance maturity, planning improvement efforts, and enhancing cybersecurity governance. It also lays the groundwork for further implementation, testing, and empirical validation in real university settings.

Software Architecture for a Transparency Assessment Platform in E-Government Systems

A well-structured software architecture enhances government transparency by ensuring auditable, traceable, and secure public data access and provides a self-diagnostic tool for institutions to assess their transparency maturity based on open government principles.

AIS Electronic Library

TECHNOLOGY IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW WITH EVIDENCE-BASED IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS

This integrative review examines digital transformation in public administration with particular attention to regional and subnational governments in emerging economies. The review combines a primary corpus of 268 records identified through a structured search and screening process with three supplementary searches conducted to address subnational governance, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), and cybersecurity and privacy standards. The synthesis extends the Technology-Organization-Environment framework by incorporating multilevel governance and subnational state capacity, thereby explaining why similar technologies produce different outcomes across jurisdictions. The evidence indicates that digital transformation succeeds when technological investment is preceded and sustained by legal authority, interoperable architecture, data governance, institutional coordination, workforce capability, cybersecurity, and stable financing. Comparative analysis of Estonia, Singapore, Uruguay, the United Kingdom’s Universal Credit program, and Healthcare.gov demonstrates that durable governance and incremental delivery matter more than technological novelty. For Brazilian subnational governments, the Digital Government Law, the General Data Protection Law (LGPD), federal shared-service infrastructure, and national oversight arrangements provide an enabling baseline, but implementation remains conditioned by uneven state capacity and federative coordination. The article proposes a phased implementation framework and updates the cybersecurity and privacy discussion to reflect ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27018:2025, ISO/IEC 27701:2025, ISO/IEC 27031:2025, NIST CSF 2.0, and the ANPD regulations on incident reporting and international data transfers. It also develops a risk-based governance approach for GenAI, digital twins, and verifiable credentials. The central conclusion is that subnational digital transformation should be governed as long-term institutional reform rather than as a sequence of isolated technology projects.