Digitalisation v. The Values of Higher Education: Opportunities, Threats, Recommendations for the EHEA

Whether the deployment of digital technology in higher education can be regarded as an opportunity or a risk is a question of values. The relevant values range from traditional academic values and the fundamental values of higher education in the EHEA to a democratic society and respect for human rights. Before COVID-19, it was customary to focus on potential benefits for learners. However, the earlier approach failed to pay enough attention to the wider educational and societal impacts of digital transformation. This changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies have discussed the impact of the digital transformation of higher education on staff, institutions, the higher education market and society as a whole. In this chapter, it is argued that the digital transformation of higher education can have an impact on academic freedom, student and staff participation in higher education governance, public responsibility for higher education, public responsibility of higher education, and democracy. The digital transformation of higher education makes it necessary to balance multiple values. Higher education policy in the EHEA should take into account both opportunities and risks.