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Sustainability in Higher Education: Digital Transformation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Its Impact on Open Knowledge

Author

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  • Temitayo Shenkoya

    (Science & Technology Knowledge Research Institute, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea)

  • Euiseok Kim

    (School of Business and Technology Management, Graduate Program for Innovation &Technology Management, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

Education is important for sustainable development and drives innovation within national innovation systems. As developed economies move to matured stages of the fourth industrial revolution, the quality of education needs to keep up with the required technological changes brought about by the digital transformation created by these technologies. However, studies on the impact of the digital transformation of the higher education system and its effect on sustainability are few. This study bridged this gap by providing empirical evidence on the subject matter through a synergy of extant studies. The methodology used herein involves a combination of a systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis. The results of this study show that the digital transformation of the higher education sector is leading to the development of sustainable curriculums, digitalization of the higher education, enhancement of innovation, and an improvement in the performance of students. It also shows that the future of the digital transformation of the higher education sector will include—the advancement of the concept of ‘Education 4.0’, an increase in gamification within the sector, a rise in the use of datafication in decision making, and the integration of artificial intelligence/augmented intelligence to reform higher education.

Suggested Citation

  • Temitayo Shenkoya & Euiseok Kim, 2023. "Sustainability in Higher Education: Digital Transformation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Its Impact on Open Knowledge," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-16, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:3:p:2473-:d:1051436
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    1. Rafael Martínez-Peláez & Alberto Ochoa-Brust & Solange Rivera & Vanessa G. Félix & Rodolfo Ostos & Héctor Brito & Ramón A. Félix & Luis J. Mena, 2023. "Role of Digital Transformation for Achieving Sustainability: Mediated Role of Stakeholders, Key Capabilities, and Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-27, July.
    2. Evangelos Katsamakas & Oleg V. Pavlov & Ryan Saklad, 2024. "Artificial intelligence and the transformation of higher education institutions," Papers 2402.08143, arXiv.org.
    3. Jungmyoung Son & Seulki Kim, 2025. "A Living Lab Model for Elementary Informatics Education: Enhancing Sustainability Competencies Through Collaborative Problem-Solving, Computational Thinking, and Communication," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Syazuin Sazali & Rozina Muzaffar & Maya Lestari Muchtar & Najibah Binti Yasin, 2025. "From Aspirations to Decisions: A Biographical Study on Factors Influencing Postgraduate Students’ Choices of HEI in Malaysia," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(1), pages 5092-5109, January.
    5. Marwan Al‐Raeei, 2025. "The smart future for sustainable development: Artificial intelligence solutions for sustainable urbanization," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 508-517, February.
    6. Carlos Cacciuttolo & Yaneth Vásquez & Deyvis Cano & Fernando Valenzuela, 2023. "Research Thesis for Undergraduate Engineering Programs in the Digitalization Era: Learning Strategies and Responsible Research Conduct Road to a University Education 4.0 Paradigm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-27, July.
    7. Aryo Dwi Harprayudi, 2024. "Challenges and Opportunities of Digital Learning: Pedagogical Approaches in Higher Business Education," GATR Journals gjbssr657, Global Academy of Training and Research (GATR) Enterprise.
    8. Christos Zisis & Georgios Polydoros, 2024. "Challenges and Opportunities of Digital Transformation in Educational HR Management," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(14), pages 532-543, November.

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