University digital transformation as an institutional maturity process toward intelligent literacy

Abstract

This study examines university digital transformation as a process of institutional maturity oriented toward knowledge governance. The research begins with the recognition of a structural gap between the promise of digitalization and its effective realization within higher education institutions, characterized by technological fragmentation and the absence of integrated data management. A mixed and applied approach was adopted, articulated through four iterative phases—diagnosis, design, implementation, and validation—supported by a comprehensive review of scientific literature and the triangulation of documentary, metric, and testimonial evidence. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the in-house development of a modular and interoperable digital ecosystem that integrates core processes such as admissions, academic records, payments, enrollment, and scheduling, ensuring traceability, coherence, and efficiency. The designed model consolidates knowledge management through master catalogs and interoperability flows that enable informed decision-making and organizational learning. It is concluded that digital transformation transcends the technical dimension and becomes a cultural and cognitive experience sustained by data transparency, institutional co-responsibility, and critical understanding of technologically mediated knowledge. The research provides a replicable framework for Latin American contexts, demonstrating that digital maturity is built through praxis and situated reflection.