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Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies ISSN 1729-3774 6/2 ( 108 ) 2020
6
is necessary to gain more and more knowledge in the shortest
possible time. This is impossible without intensification of the
educational process, without enhancing the quality of the ac-
tivity of higher education institutions, especially in the sphere
of organization of the educational process, its provision with
necessary resources, in particular, with information resources.
1. Introduction
The world is developing faster and faster. The volume of
information is increasing. In most spheres of human activity,
there is a shortage of specialists, especially with higher edu-
cation. That is why to become a professional in one’s field, it
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Copyright © 2020, I. Teslia , N. Yehorchenkovа, I. Khlev na,
Y. Kataieva, T. Latysheva, O. Yehor chenkov, A. Khlevnyi , V . Veretelnyk
This is an open access article under the CC BY license(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
DEVELOPING A SYSTEMS
ENGINEERING CONCEPT
FOR DIGITALIZING HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
I. Teslia
Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor
Department of Technology Management
National Aviation University
Liubomyra Huzara ave., 1, Kyiv, Ukraine, 03058
E-mail: teslyas@ukr.net
N. Yehorchenkova
Doctor of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor
Department of Project Management
Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
Povitroflotsky ave., 31, Kiyv, Ukraine, 03037
Е-mail: realnata@ukr.net
I. Khlevna
Doctor of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor*
E-mail: yuliya.khlevna@gmail.com
Y. Kataieva
PhD, Associate Professor
Department of Software of Automated Systems
Cherkasy State Technological University
Shevchenka blvd., 460, Cherkasy, Ukraine, 18006
Е-mail: kataevae@ukr.net
T. Latysheva
PhD, Assistant*
E-mail: latysheva550@gmail.com
O. Yehorchenkov
PhD, Associate Professor*
E-mail: alexee@ukr.net
A. Khlevnyi
PhD*
Е-mail: andlev@ukr.net
V. Veretelnyk
PhD
Department of Information Technology
The Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy
Shevchenko blvd., 81, Cherkasy, Ukraine 18031
E-mail: veretelnyk.vitaliy@gmail.com
*Department of Technology Management
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Volodymyrska str., 60, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01033
The systems engineering concept of
digitalization of higher education institutions (HEI)
was proposed. The concept integrates the systemic,
process-based, and project-based approach to
displaying the objects and processes of the HEI
activity in a unified digital space. This will make
it possible to use it for automated solutions of
functional problems in the educational, scientific,
economic, and management processes of the HEI.
Within the framework of the concept, the
approaches to implementation were proposed:
processes of the HEI digital transformation;
functions and structures of the HEI digitalization
project management; tools of a digital university.
The concept is based on a unified digital
space, which includes: digital and functional
environment, tools for its formation, tools for
using the digital environment. It was shown
that the success of the transformation of the HEI
into a digital university directly depends on the
effectiveness of the organization of processes
of digitalization project management. And
this requires the use of the problem-oriented
methodology of project management; the creation
of a special division of the HEI digitalization; the
development of the structure and technology of
filling and using the digital space of an institution
of higher education.
The result of the application of the HEI
digitalization concept is the creation of the
specified methodology for project management,
which is focused on the digital transformation
of an institution of higher education. New
organizational principles of digitalization of
higher education institutions were proposed,
based on the project-oriented organizational
structure – a digital transformation office. The
structure and the functions of such an office were
determined.
The processes of higher education
institutions from the positions of readiness for
the implementation of the systems engineering
concept of digitalization were explored. Examples
of the HEI digitalization using the proposed
concept were given
Keywords: digitalization, project
management, organizational structure, digital
transformation, systems engineering
UDC 001.8:005.7:378
DOI: 10.15587/1729-4061.2020.219260
Received date 21.10.2020
Accepted date 03.12.2020
Published date 25.12.2020
Information technology
7
The world trends of the development of society, educa-
tion, science, and economics are aimed at the transition to
digital transformation. In fact, this means that all processes
of social, educational, scientific, entrepreneurial, and other
activities completely transfer into the digital environment.
It is for this purpose, first of all, that digitalization of higher
education institutions is required. Digital universities need
to be created. This is a requirement of time, a requirement of
the country, a requirement of students. The COVID-19 pan-
demic showed that without digital transformation, a higher
education institution is unable to organize a high-quality ed-
ucational process, to organize remote work with documents
of its units, and to function properly, which adversely affects
students, teachers, employees.
That is why the issue of HEI digitalization comes to
the fore in all projects of development and modernization of
higher education. Much is done and was done in this regard.
Information technologies of training, management, account-
ing, etc. are developed and were developed, but in most
cases, these are disparate tools that are not combined into
a single system for solving functional problems of the HEI.
Such an organization corresponds to the local (task sched-
uling) approach when separate software tools that have
their own information bases are developed (or purchased)
for each functional problem. The systemic approach is not
implemented – all the tools and components of data storage,
processes of its filling and digitalization projects should be a
unified system of the creation of digital universities.
That is why questions arise. What steps are necessary to
be made to create an effective digital university? How to use
system engineering for the HEI digitalization under modern
conditions in order to create a digital university?
Finding an answer to these questions requires, at the
first stage, the development of such a concept of digitali-
zation, which would take into consideration the need for
systemic integration of various approaches to the digitaliza-
tion of higher education institutions. Of course, it would be
possible to borrow the experience of the developed countries
in the field of digitalization of universities. However, there
is a problem associated with differences in the organization
of higher education management in different countries,
with the level of readiness of the HEI for digitalization, and
availability of ready-made tools for the HEI digitalization.
Moreover, even in the developed countries, there remains
one quite significant drawback in the HEI digitalization.
Most often, the HEI digitalization is considered as the
process-based approach as an operational activity of a uni-
versity, which does not allow complete involvement of the
project management tools to increase the level of goal setting
and goal attaining in the course of the creation of digital
universities.
That is why there is a relevant scientific task, which is
to develop such a concept of digitalization of higher edu-
cation institutions, which would integrate the systemic,
process-based, and project-based approaches to create the
methods, models, and practical tools for the development of
digital universities.
2. Literature review and problem statement
Paper [1] presents the research into information tech-
nologies in education and their implementation into the
educational process and the system of management of an
educational institution. However, the issues related to the
formation of a class of technologies that support complex
or partial processes and the HEI facilities remained unre-
solved.
The option to overcome the appropriate difficulties may
be the use of ready-made software products that are present-
ed in the market, for example:
– software products of automation of the process of cre-
ation and management and examinations of MedMe, BeAxi
from KindGeek, (England) [2];
– systems of the management of the educational process
for higher educational institutions “Directive”, (Ukraine) [3];
– package of programs “Dean’s office”, “PS-EURODI-
PLOMA”, “PS-Appl ica nt ”, “Colloquium”, “Bibliographer”,
“PS-Staff” from Polytech-SOFT, (Ukraine) [4];
– software for the development of the system of accounting
the student body Lotus Notes/Domino from IBM, (USA) [5];
– and others.
However, the experience of using ready-made software
products impersonates the introduction of separate infor-
mation systems for the HEI. The typical tools are created
by different developers, they do not have a unified digital
environment and necessary technologies for integrating var-
ious databases that use information from other systems. At
the same time, ready-made software products do not create
a unified system of the HEI management processes, do not
cover all objects and processes of the HEI activity, and do
not take into consideration the peculiarities of a particular
university, while additional settings require further invest-
ments. Impersonation of a unified system of management
of the HEI processes, which minimizes the disparity of
systems, is presented in paper [6]. Functional modules and
sub-modules of management of departments, educational
courses, staff and students, communication tools, and re-
porting were singled out. This approach enables all the HEI
stakeholders to perform and control their tasks. However,
the issue of data implementation into the single digital envi-
ronment of a university remains open.
That is why it is necessary to carry out the digital trans-
formation of the HEI in order to create a digital space, which
will become the foundation for solving functional problems
in the educational, scientific, economic, management, and
other spheres of higher education institutions.
The theoretical model of digital transformation imple-
mentation in the HEI is presented in research [7]. However,
the issues related to the systemic digitalization of objects
and processes of the HEI activity remained unresolved in
the research. Besides, the presented model does not take into
consideration the element of resistance in the implementa-
tion of new processes, which are distinguished in article [8]
in terms of the creation of a digital university. In addition,
as it is known from [9], the solution is to increase the level
of technological maturity of institutions, to form influences
on institutions for the effective implementation of the new
methodology [10]. Moreover, with the digital transforma-
tion of the HEI, it is appropriate to take into consideration
structural, budgetary, or cultural limitations, so it is ad-
visable to use the flexible approach proposed in paper [11].
This approach will make it possible to adapt to changes with
minimal costs.
The guidelines for creating a digital university, which are
given in article [8], are up to the point:
1. Digital transformation affects every part of a universi-
ty, rather than only IT.
Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies ISSN 1729-3774 6/2 ( 108 ) 2020
8
2. It is necessary to link all digital activities of a universi-
ty to the general vision and strategy of a university.
3. It is necessary to invest in the communities, built
around willing and capable digital innovators.
4. Accept the project approach focused on the needs of a
customer, rather than the internal structure of a university.
Such advice will help to find the best options in solving
the problems of the HEI digitalization in the creation and
application of a digital university, but such advice should
have some methodological basis.
The methodological concept of creating a digital univer-
sity is proposed in paper [12]. In particular, the conceptual
foundations of management of the HEI digitalization were
presented. The effective management of the HEI digitali-
zation was shown to be possible with the application of the
“project management” approach. However, the issues of cre-
ating a digital space, which is separated from the functional
tasks of the HEI, which are subject to automation, and acts
as an independent system-forming component of the digi-
tal HEI, remain open.
Taking into consideration the above, we can conclude
the importance of the scientific and practical significance
of the systems engineering approach to the HEI digita-
lization. This approach combines the definition of HEI
processes, their effective management in the digital envi-
ronment, and the use of this environment for automated
solving of functional problems of the HEI. Accordingly,
it is proposed to develop a systems engineering concept of
the HEI digitalization, which will reflect the processes,
functions, structures, and tools for managing the HEI
digitalization projects and present the use of such a
concept under real conditions of higher education insti-
tutions.
3. The aim and objectives of the study
This research aims to create a systems engineering
concept of digitalization of higher education institutions,
which would integrate the systemic, process-based, and
project-based approaches to solving the problems of creating
digital universities.
To achieve the goal, the following tasks were to be solved:
– to state the problems of digitalization within the
framework of the systemic, process-based, and project-based
approaches, the solution of which will make it possible to cre-
ate digital universities as a unified system of organizational,
functional, and information components;
– to create the structure and implementation mecha-
nisms of a digital university using systemic, process-based,
and project-based approaches;
– to use the project-based approach to manage the cre-
ation of the digital space of the HEI;
– to implement practically the developed concept of
the HEI digitalization.
4. Problems of digitalization within the framework
of the systemic, process-based, and project-based
approaches
Definition 1. The purpose of digital transformation is to
enhance efficiency and quality of the HEI activities through
the introduction of new technologies of activity, which are
based on more complete and timely satisfaction of employ-
ees’ needs for information by storing necessary information
digitally in databases and knowledge bases of modern com-
puters.
Definition 2. Information space of the HEI is the infor-
mation received or formed in the HEI, and which is neces-
sary to solve the functional problems of a higher education
institution.
The result of digital transformation is the creation of the
digital space of the HEI.
Definition 3. Digital space (DS) is the digital informa-
tion storage, software tools for maintaining these storages
that are implemented in computer facilities, and the organi-
zational infrastructure that ensures the functioning of this
space.
Based on definitions 2 and 3, information space is a
broader concept than digital space. Some elements of the
information space are digitized and transferred to the digital
space, which, in turn, is a part of the HEI information space.
In addition, it follows from definition 3 that two com-
ponents are separated in the digital space – the information
environment of the DS and the functional environment of
the DS.
Digital transformation aims to create a digital space,
and therefore, to construct an informational and functional
environment of the DS.
The fundamental difference between this concept of the
digital transformation of the HEI and the concepts based on
the local (task scheduled) approach is that the problem of
creating the digital space is separated from functional prob-
lems. These are the problems that are subject to automation
and act as an independent system-forming component of the
digital HEI (Fig. 1). That is why this concept was called
systems engineering concept.
Based on this statement of the HEI digitalization prob-
lem, it is necessary to solve three system-forming problems
to achieve the set goal (definition 1):
1. To apply the process-based approach to the digi-
tal HEI transformation. This means that it is necessary to
separate the main processes and to create a system of their
management in digital transformation.
2. To apply the project-based approach to the manage-
ment of digital HEI transformation. This means that it is
necessary to distinguish separate projects and create a sys-
tem for their management for the effective management of
digital transformation.
3. To apply the systemic approach to the structure and
functions of the digital space of the HEI. This means that it
is necessary to create the informational and functional envi-
ronment of a digital university and to construct the tools for
solving functional problems based on them.
Thus, in order to proceed from the concept based on
the local (task scheduled) approach to the creation of a
digital university to the systems engineering concept, it is
necessary to combine the systemic, process-based, and proj-
ect-based approaches into a single tool of the HEI digitaliza-
tion (Fig. 1). Combining these approaches is the basis for the
systems engineering concept of creating a digital university.
Consider them based on the problems that are solved using
the following approaches: systemic – product; process-based
and project-based – product creation; project-based – prod-
uct creation management.
Information technology
9
5. Using the systemic, process-based, and project-based
approaches to create the digital space of the HEI
5. 1. Using the systematic approach to create the
structure of the digital space of the HEI
To create the digital space of the HEI, it is necessary
to determine exactly what documents, what data, and
what functions should be included in the information and
functional environment in order to get the maximum effect
of such space. Traditionally, all databases are divided into
factographic and documentary.
However, digital space requires shifting accents towards
documentary databases (because in most cases whole docu-
ments are digitized and entered into a computer). Even when
processing input information and entering it into a comput-
er, it is also important that a database should be presented in
the form of documents.
To enable a user to get it in its original form at any time,
we will divide the documents that will be entered into the
digital space into two categories:
1. Digitized documents that imply the program use of
the separate elements (data) (in particular, the pdf format).
For example, incoming documents that
are informative or regulatory by na-
ture, which pass the clerical office,
are sent (assigned) to stakeholders and
stored in the archives.
2. Documents entered into the
separate fields of databases through
pre-base processing for the purpose of
their further automated processing.
In this case, using software tools, it is
possible to use separate data of these
documents for solving various prob-
lems. For example, curricula, from
which educational load is formed.
Based on this, the ways of forming
the information environment include:
1. Processing original documents
with the help of special tools that en-
sure the entry of their details into the
information environment through the
user’s interface.
The process approach is the main
one. The tools for processing original
documents should form an “informa-
tion conveyor”, which recycles the in-
formation resource in the form of pa-
per documents (sometimes of the low
quality of filling) into an information
product (electronic document). This
function must be performed using elec-
tronic processing of original documents.
Moreover, to improve the efficiency of
this work, employees who will perform
this function must be concentrated in
one unit and be in one place in order
to increase their professional level, to
ensure interchangeability when work-
ing on such an “information conveyor”.
2. Formation of the information
environment by means of solving
functional problems realized in the
processes of management, organiza-
tion, and implementation of educational, scientific, eco-
nomic work, and international cooperation. The output
information is not only provided for further application to
a use r but also is uploa ded to the informat ion environ ment.
A systemic approach is implemented. The means of solv-
ing functional problems in the creation of the digital space of
the HEI should not only provide information to its consum-
ers but also to form the information environment. For fur-
ther use of this information, both at the request of the HEI
employees, and to create an information standard of a higher
education institution, which is a system of information that
reflects the capabilities and actual assessment of the activi-
ties of units and employees in solving functional problems.
3. Displaying the information used in various processes
and communications in the information environment. For
example, the process of forming and controlling the exe-
cution of assignments or student-teacher communication,
which are aimed at assessing the student’s knowledge or pro-
viding him/her with educational information. In this case,
information about these processes or interactions becomes a
part of the information environment of the HEI and forms its
information standard.
Fig. 1. The systemic approach to the digital transformation of a higher education
Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies ISSN 1729-3774 6/2 ( 108 ) 2020
10
The process approach is implemented. The processes of
information interaction and f lows of documents, assignments,
approvals, and comments to documents, appeals, and re-
sponses to appeals are displayed. This is usually implemented
based on some HEI information management platform, which
provides electronic document flow, control of execution of
assignments, digital archives of documents, communication,
electronic training, and knowledge control, etc.
4. Placement of information on the websites of the HEI
and subdivisions. The content of the HEI sites and their
subdivisions is aimed at informing participants of the educa-
tional process and external stakeholders about their activi-
ties. The function is the HEI popularization among entrants,
parents, other organizations, and companies that may be
interested in cooperation in the educational, scientific, or
economic spheres.
The systemic and process-based approaches are im-
plemented. This makes it possible to store and display not
only current information but also keep the whole history
of changes and additions, to record the results of informa-
tion interaction with consumers of this information (the
process-based approach) and to conduct analytical work),
to clarify the needs for specific information, the results of
its use by stakeholders (the systemic approach). In part,
this content is formed automatically by the functional envi-
ronment of the HEI. For example, the timetable of classes,
curricula, the material of academic disciplines, etc. It is
partially selected by specialists from the information space
of the HEI.
That is why to construct informational and functional
environments of digital space as systems for presenting
and processing information, it is necessary to answer
2 questions:
1. What documents should be uploaded to the digital
space?
Let the benefits of storing the Tj type documents in a
digital environment be equal to:
( ) ( )
,
j k jk jk j k jk jk jk
S pD Z pW D= ⋅ −− ⋅ −
∑∑
(1)
where Sj is the expected benefits from storing type Tj doc-
uments in a digital environment; pjk is the probability that
document tjkÎTj will be demanded by users; Djk is the expected
benefits from using document tjkTj in the HEI; Zj is the costs
for storing type Tj documents in the digital environment; Wjk
is the costs for the search for and the use of document tjkÎTj
that is not stored in digital environment of the HEI.
Then, documents, for which
Sj>0
should be stored in the digital environment
2. Will access to the data from these documents will be
necessary for automatic processing in software tools?
Let us assume that
11
, ,..., ,... ,
jk jk jk jkl jkm
t=τ τ τ τ
where τjkl is the data of document tjk.
If the following condition is satisfied
( )
( )
( )
0,
k l jkl jkl j
k l jkl jkl jkl
pF X
pV F
⋅ −−
− ⋅− >
∑∑
∑∑
(2)
where pjkl is the probability that data τjkl of document tjkÎTj
will be necessary for automatic processing in the functional
environment of digital space; Fjkl is the expected benefits
from using data τjkl of document tjkÎTj in the functional en-
vironment; Xj is the costs for presentation and storing the Tj
type documents in the form accessible for automatic process-
ing; Vjkl is the costs for using external data τjkl in a functional
environment, such document must be presented in the form
accessible for automatic processing and entered into separate
fields of the database.
Thus, to implement the systems engineering concept, it
is necessary to create a system of documents, their data, the
functions of their processing, and the data obtained during
processing. In fact, it is necessary to create a system of
information – an information environment and a system of
functions – a functional environment.
The model of data and functions that corresponds to
formulas (1) and (2) and makes it possible to provide the
systemic-technical basis of digital space is proposed. Sche-
matically, such systems are shown in Fig. 2 (explanation –
Table 1) and include the following elements:
1. Information environment:
1. 1. Archives of documents: scanned documents of the
documentary database.
1. 2. Original accounting and management documents:
records, registers, reports, group registers, etc.
1. 3. Documents on education: diplomas, certificates,
supplements to diplomas.
1. 4. Incoming documents: all documents submitted to
the clerical office of the HEI, including citizens’ appeals.
1. 5. Data that reflect the information space of the HEI:
staffing, departments, authorities, contacts, etc.
1. 6. Documents on activities: documents necessary for
international, economic, scientific, management activities.
1. 7. Documents about students: grades, acknowledg-
ments, and punishments, accommodation in dormitories,
participation in competitions, olympiads, artistic activity,
sporting events, academic mobility, student self-govern-
ment, etc.
1. 8. Documents on the educational process: examina-
tion records, scoring books, and other reports, attendance
registers, etc.
1. 9. Information from UDEBE: information about stu-
dents and teachers.
1. 10. Curricula and working curricula: disciplines, types
of classes, work volumes.
1. 11. Educational materials: lecture notes, presenta-
tions, methodical instructions, manuals, textbooks, video
lectures, etc.
1. 12. Annual educational load: educational load per one
academic year in the context of departments.
1. 13. Educational load of teachers: educational load for
an academic year individually for teachers.
1. 14. Orders, Instructions, Contracts.
1. 15. Educational files: files containing lecture notes,
presentations, guidelines, manuals, textbooks, video lec-
tures, etc.
1. 16. Plan of the educational process: schedule of the
educational process, timetable of classes.
1. 17. Syllabi: a formal description of disciplines.
1. 18. Official notes, reports, and other internal docu-
ments.
1. 20. Financial information: budget, applications, funds
flow, expenses of subdivisions, funds, etc.
Information technology
11
1. 21. Financial and accounting documents: incoming
documents of accounting and management records (invoic-
es, payments, timesheets, registers, reports, requirements,
contracts, etc.).
1. 22. Content of sites of the HEI and its subdivisions:
factual information posted on the websites of the HEI and
its subdivisions.
2. Functional environment:
2. 1. Curricula and working curricula; documents on the
activities of students; USEBE→Annual educational load:
the function takes into consideration the contingent of stu-
dents in the amount of educational work, which makes the
educational load of a university.
2. 2. Annual educational load; data that reflect the in-
formation space of the HEI; USEBE→Educational load
of teachers: the function uses the annual educational load,
which is distributed based on the information about depart-
ments and teachers from the information space of the HEI
and USEBE.
2. 3. Curriculum and working educational plans; sylla-
bi; USEBE; educational files→Educational materials: the
function, based on the disciplines of the curriculum, the
content of syllabi and students’ participating in educational
programs gives access to educational materials stored in
various files to students of the HEI. In fact, it is the function
of students’ education and knowledge control.
2. 4. Documents on the activities of students; documents of
the educational process; plan of the educational process; USE-
BE; archives of documents→ Documents on education: the
function forms the documents certifying the motion and eval-
uation of a student on the trajectory of the educational process.
2. 5. Educational load of teachers; documents on the
activities of students→plan of the educational process: the
function forms the timetable of classes; the schedule of prac-
tices and preparation of diploma works.
2. 6. Plan of the educational process; documents on
the activities of students; orders, instructions, contracts;
official notes, reports, and other internal documents;
USEBE→Electronic dean’s office: the function creates new
information about students’ education supplementing the
planned information with the operative (flow of the stu-
dents’ educational process) and regulatory (including orders
for students).
2. 7. Financial and accounting documents; archives of
documents→Accounting and ma nagement records: the func-
tion of information support of accounting systems by means
of pre-base processing of original documents.
2. 8. Financial and accounting documents; official notes,
reports, and other internal documents; archives of docu-
ments→Financial information: the function provides a se-
lection of financial information, its representation in a form
convenient for users, or in the one that must be uploaded to
information systems.
2. 9. Incoming documents; orders, instructions, con-
tracts; official notes, reports, and other internal docu-
ments; documents on education; accounting and manage-
ment records; financial information; database of documents
on activities→Archives of documents: the function of en-
tering digital space scanned documents received or created
during the implementation of functions into the archives of
digital space.
2. 10. Documents on activities; an archive of docu-
ments→Base of activity documents: the functions of display-
ing documents on educational, scientific, and other activities
in the digital space. It can be plans, reports, tasks, normative
documentation regulating the type of activity, etc.
2. 11. Functions of providing employees and authorities
of the HEI with information from the digital space and
information systems. Functions search for necessary infor-
mation, its presentation in the desired form, and transfer of
the received information resource to the Consumer (the HEI
authorities, the HEI staff, information systems) at the re-
quest of a user or the HEI authorities:
– annual educational load→Consumers;
– documents on education→Consumers;
– educational load of teachers→Consumers;
– plan of the educational process→Consumers;
– accounting and management records→Consumers;
– financial information→Consumers;
– digital dean’s office→Consumers;
– archives of documents→Consumers;
– database of activity documents→Consumers;
– educational materials→Consumers.
2. 12. Functions of formation of content of the HEI
sites and subdivisions. These are external functions of the
functional environment. Their implementation provides in-
formation to all entities of the HEI. The functions search
for necessary information in the information environment,
its presentation in the desired form, and upload the received
information resource to the sites of the HEI and subdivi-
sions. Implemented in 2 modes. Automatically – after the
appropriate configuration of the functional environment.
Selectively – with the participation of HEI employees who
implement relevant requests or perform analytical work on
information from the digital space. Almost all elements of
the information environment can be used. Exclusions are
personal data:
– curricula and working curricula→<automatical-
ly>→Content;
– documents on students’ activity→<selectively>→Con-
tent;
– annual educational load→<selectively>→Content;
– plan of educational process→<automatically>→Con-
tent;
– digital dean’s office→<selectively>→Content;
– base of documents on the kinds of activity→<selec-
tively>→Content;
– educational materials→Content;
– documents on the kinds of activity→<selective-
ly>→ Content;
– data from information space→<selectively>→Con-
tent;
– incoming documents→<selectively>→Content;
– orders, instructions, contracts→<selectively>→Con-
tent.
2. 13. The functions of information processes and com-
munications. The functions of providing the necessary
information to the employees of the HEI in the modes:
electronic document flow, control of the execution of
assignments, digital archives of documents, and commu-
nications. These are internal functions of the functional
environment, which ensure the implementation of all in-
formation processes and communications. These functions
are implemented based on the platform of software infor-
mation management. Ensure processing of all elements of
the information environment.
Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies ISSN 1729-3774 6/2 ( 108 ) 2020
12
The main part of the functions of the functional environ-
ment is implemented within the educational process. In this
case, the educational process is, on the one hand, a consumer
of the information environment of the HEI. On the other
hand, in accordance with the fact that the information envi-
ronment is filled with the tools for solving functional prob-
lems, it forms the information content of this environment.
The functions of the functional environment aimed at
the maintenance of the educational process are classified
into two groups:
1. Functions of management of educational process (func-
tions 1. 1, 1. 2, 1. 4, 1. 5). They are aimed at providing teach-
ers, students, employees of dean’s offices and departments
with information:
– regarding the volume and direction of educational
work;
– personalization of responsibility for a discipline and
carrying out of all types of educational work;
– on normative and legal support of the educational
process;
– synchronization of the information of the HEI with the
USEBE information;
– schedules and plans of classes and the forms of their
conduct.
2. Functions of implementation of the educational pro-
cess in the digital HEI (functions 1. 3 and 1. 6).
This is the function that ensures communicative teach-
er-student interactions and implements the process of form-
ing the educational content of the site and the platforms used
to teach students. Ensures educational work and control
of students’ knowledge. Typically, well-known platforms,
such as Moodle, ClassRoom, MS Teams, etc., are used for
this purpose. However, as the experience showed, the most
appropriate requirements of the digital HEI are the Moodle
system. Its advantages are:
– it is and it will be an open software platform, which
was created and is being developed by thousands of software
development specialists around the world;
– its database can be located on the HEI server and be
physically a part of the information environment, which eas-
C
Fig. 2. The trajectory of information flow at a digital university
Information technology
13
ily makes it possible to integrate it with other parts of this
environment;
– upon dismissal of a teacher, the access to this part of the
information environment belongs to the HEI and cannot be
blocked or destroyed by a dismissed teacher himself. When one
tries to perform these steps, it can be recovered from a copy of
the information environment and changes to the rights and
passwords of the system administrator may be made.
The systems engineering properties of the above infor-
mation and functional environments are based on:
– separation of certain components of the information
space from the functional tasks of the HEI;
– integration into a single system in the digital space
with the following use to solve functional problems and meet
the information needs of students, teachers, and employees of
an institution of higher education.
However, the integration process itself requires
separating in the systems engineering concept of
digitalization, the processes, and projects that will
make it possible to form the digital space of the HEI.
Consider the approaches to solving this problem.
5. 2. Using the process-based and project-based
approaches to create the digital space of the HEI
Consider the procedure and the tools for solving
the problems of the HEI digitalization in terms of the
process-based and project-based approaches.
1. The process-based approach to the digital
transformation of the HEI. Implementation and
management processes.
Digital transformation includes such implemen-
tation processes as:
– analysis of the information infrastructure of
the HEI and creation of a model of information space
of an institution of higher education;
– creation of the platform of digital space – the
selection of tools and creation of databases for rep-
resentation in computers of the information environ-
ment of the DS;
– digitalization of the information space;
– informatization of activity.
The processes of the digital transformation man-
agement processes are implemented based on the
concept of “management through the project”. That
is why the project approach is very important for
digital transformation.
2. The project approach to the management of the
digital transformation of the HEI. Implementation of
each of these processes can be presented as a totality
of separate projects. All projects are incorporated
into a unified program for the creation of a digital
university (Fig. 3).
Table 1
Explanation to abbreviations in Fig. 2
AD Archives of Documents
BDKA Base of Documents on the Kinds of Activity
AMA Accounting and Management Accounting
DE Documents on Education (including supplements to diplomas)
IncD Incoming Documents
DData that display the information space of the HEI (staffing,
structure, archives, etc.)
DKA Documents on the Kinds of Activity (international, economic,
scientific, and other kinds of work)
DAS Documents on the Activity of Students (dormitory, competitions
and olympiads, academic mobility, performance)
DEP Documents of Educational Process (records, attendance)
DD Digital Dean’s office
USE-
BE Unified State Electronic Base on the problems of Education
C&WC Curricula and Working Curricula
EM Educational Materials
AEL Annual Educational Load
ELT Educational Load of Teachers
OIC Orders, Instructions, Contracts
EF Educational Files
PEP Plan of Educational Process (including the timetable of classes)
S Syllabi
OR Official notes, Reports, and other internal documents
FI Financial information (budget, bonuses, etc.)
FA D Financial and Accounting Documents
C Content of the HEI sites and subdivisions
Fig. 3. The structure of the program of creating a digital university
Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies ISSN 1729-3774 6/2 ( 108 ) 2020
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The projects themselves can be separated by the features
given in Table 2.
The digitalization projects, which must be performed in
the HEI in the context of the processes separated in Fig. 3
include:
1. Within the framework of analysis of the information
infrastructure of the HEI and the creation of the model of
the information space of the HEI, various projects are imple-
mented. Specifically, the projects are aimed at researching
the activities of HEI subdivisions, communications and
documentation exchange flows, sources, and information
consumers. In addition, the projects are classified in terms
of the functional tasks of the HEI.
2. Within the framework of the
process of creating a digital space
platform (feature – result), digitali-
zation projects aimed at the develop-
ment of the structures of databases
and functions of information pro-
cessing by means of DBMS and ap-
plied software tools are implement-
ed. Examples include projects of:
– creation of databases;
– database integration;
– development of the func-
tional environment in the form
of DBMS functions or applied
systems of the pre-base process-
ing of information entering data-
bases from applied software tools;
– development of the DBMS
functions or applied software tools
for providing information from
databases to apply software tools
that solve functional problems.
3. Within the framework of
the process of creating a dig-
ital space platform (feature –
functionality), there are dig-
italization projects aimed at
filling the digital space with:
– normative and reference information;
– educational materials;
– description of the HEI infrastructure;
– information about the HEI activities;
– all archival documents (through digitization) used in
the activities of the HEI and the access to which through the
digital space will enhance the efficiency of employees.
4. Within the framework of the process of the information
space digitalization (feature – the stage of development of the
functional environment of the DS), the projects for the cre-
ation of the functional environment of the DS in the part of:
– actualization of regulatory and reference information;
– synchronization with the USEBE – information sup-
port of the educational process;
– management of the educational process;
– management of the HEI;
– information support of the HEI activities;
– actualization of information about students (including
ensuring e-democracy);
– interaction with the system of electronic document flow.
5. Within the framework of the activity informatization
process (feature – stage of implementation of information
systems of the HEI), the following projects of creation of
information systems are implemented:
– “university in a smartphone”;
– digital dean’s office;
– information management;
– distant learning;
– management of the educational process;
– management of the HEI;
– according to certain types of HEI activity (planning
and finance, economic, scientific, international, etc.);
– e-voting;
– electronic document flow;
– management of digitalization projects,
– etc.
In addition, the program of creation of a digital universi-
ty includes the projects that implement the process of man-
agement of the digital transformation of the HEI.
These are the projects of:
– creation of an organizational structure specific to
the HEI – a digital transformation office (modeled on the
project management office) [12, 13];
– development of a methodology for management of the
digitalization project that is specific for the HEI;
– creation of information technology for managing digi-
talization projects.
Consider the features of the implementation of these
projects of digital transformation management.
6. Using the project-based approach to manage the
creation of the digital space of the HEI
6. 1. The project of creation of a digital transformation
office
Typically, project management offices are created in
project-oriented organizations [12]. The HEI is not a proj-
ect-oriented organization. However digital transformation
cannot be performed without separating the projects aimed
Table 2
Features for classification of digitalization projects
Process Features for projects’ classification
Result Functionality Implementation stage
Analysis of the
information infrastruc-
ture of the HEI and
creation of the model
of information space of
the HEI
1. Description of
the information
infrastructure
The framework within
which the functions
research is carried out
(educational process,
economic, scientific, man-
agerial, international, etc.)
–
2. Model of the
information space
Creation of the plat-
form of digital space
1. Functions of
databases (for exam-
ple, the PostgreSQL
function)
In accordance with the
database classification –
2. Applied program
tools
Digitalization of infor-
mation space –In accordance with data-
base classification
In accordance with the
stages of development
of the functional envi-
ronment of the DS
Informatization of
activity – –
In accordance with the
stages of implemen-
tation of information
systems of the HEI
Information technology
15
at the digitalization of information
space. That is why within the frame-
work of the concept of digital trans-
formation, it is proposed to create
digital transformation offices (DTO).
Definition 4. A digital transfor-
mation office is a project-oriented
structure, in which university offi-
cials perform different roles in the
digital transformation program. In
particular, these are the roles of a
project coordinator, a digital space
administrator, a project manager re-
sponsible for informatization in a sub-
division, a developer, an instructor, a
methodologist, a consultant, a meth-
odologist, a technologist, etc. [12].
A digital transformation office
is not a typical subdivision of high-
er education institutions. Based on the autonomy of
the HEI, in terms of the formation of the structure and
the staffing, a digital transformation office can unite such
traditional subdivisions as information centers, a depart-
ment of technical facilities and distance learning, etc.
A digital transformation office (DTO) should ensure the
implementation of the classes of projects separated in Table 2.
The DTO functions are professional provision and central-
ization of information exchange processes among the depart-
ments involved in the projects for:
– development of the concept of the HEI digitalization;
– planning and control over the implementation of digi-
talization projects;
– organization of project activity;
– recommendation for the role of the digitalization proj-
ect managers;
– providing digitalization project managers with labor
force;
– participation in the formation and expert evaluation of
potential digitalization projects;
– initiation of digitalization projects;
– operative management of digitalization projects;
– management of development and development and
implementation of digital transformation tools of the HEI;
– management of development and development and
implementation of information systems and technologies for
solving functional problems;
– support of the operation of implemented digital trans-
formation tools and software tools of information systems for
solving functional problems;
– development of methodological recommendations, in-
structions, manuals, and training users under conditions of
digital HEI;
– creation of the digital space of the HEI.
6. 2. The project of development of a methodology for the
management of digital transformation projects
After the creation of the DTO, there arises the prob-
lem: what managerial tasks and functions should office
workers perform for the successful digital transformation
of the HEI? The answer to this question can be obtained
only from the specified methodology of project manage-
ment oriented to the conditions of digitalization proj-
ects [10, 14] (Fig. 4).
This methodology should include the basis that makes it
possible to clearly determine the purpose, goals, objectives,
results of digitalization projects of the HEI. The specified
methodology for managing digitalization projects should
include management tools while minimizing risks, through
in-depth analysis of digitalization problems and rational
planning. Different project management methodologies were
created by tens, hundreds, thousands of professional man-
agers over several generations [15, 16], but none of them are
suitable for the conditions of the HEI digitalization projects.
Flexible methodologies [10] do not take into consider-
ation the specifics of the tasks of the HEI digitalization [11],
and classical ones [12] require significant costs for the for-
malization of business processes of a University. That is why
there is a problem of creating the methodology for the HEI
digitalization projects – a specific methodology for project
management [14].
In the formation of such methodology, it is necessary to
take into consideration the internal and external processes
of the HEI, the processes of project management, and the
development of information technologies.
The structure of this methodology is proposed in pa-
per [12]. However, taking into consideration the peculiari-
ties of each HEI, it should contain a component of the orga-
nization of digital transformation management. In different
HEIs, this task is solved in different ways so far. In addition,
for digitalization projects, a combination, on the one hand,
of the processes of managing the creation of digitalization
tools, on the other hand, of the tools for managing individual
digitalization projects, is relevant. That is why in addition
to the structure of the methodology given in paper [12], it is
proposed to use a matrix organizational structure of digitali-
zation project management as the basic one (Fig. 5).
6. 3. Implementation of the information technology
for digitalization projects management
Unlike the projects aimed at creating organization-
al (ODT) and methodological bases of digital transfor-
mation, the creation of information technology for project
management differs little from the project of creation of
information technologies for project management in other
spheres of activity. It is necessary to use the tools, such as
MS Project, Oracle Primavera P6 EPPM, or cloud services,
such as Basecamp, Clarizen, Zoho, Wrike, and others.
Fig. 4. Specified methodology for management of digital transformation projects
Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies ISSN 1729-3774 6/2 ( 108 ) 2020
16
7. Practical results of the creation of a digital university
Implementing the above-mentioned systems engineering
concept of digitalization in the program “National Aviation
University – a digital higher education institution”, the sys-
temic, process-based, and project-based approaches to the
creation of the tools for the creation and the use of the digital
space of a university were implemented [12].
Within the framework of the program, the following sys-
tems and technologies for filling and using the digital space
were developed:
1. Information environment. It is located on the servers
of the NAU and includes 92 tables of the database (approxi-
mately 800 classes of objects).
2. Functional environment. About 200 functions of in-
formation transfer to the digital space and information
transfer from the digital space to users and to information
systems.
3. Electronic document flow system (PrimaDoc) (also as
a tool for the formation of the digital space). It provides filling
the digital space with incoming, outgoing, and internal docu-
ments (official notes, submissions). This means that all these
documents are entered into the information environment, sent
for consideration to the university authorities and heads of
subdivisions. They are monitored by terms and routes of pas-
sage, stored in the archives, and become available for use via a
WEB browser, both from the workplace and off the workplace.
In total, since the beginning of the industrial implementation of
the PrimaDoc system (October 2019 – June 2020), the follow-
ing was uploaded to the information environment: incoming
documents – 2,341, official notes – 1,564, assignments – 1,045,
syllabi –1,023, e-mails – 937, certificates, memos, reports –
854, orders – 408, citizens’ appea ls – 305, internal letters – 197,
other documents – 46 9. 10,197 scanned documents were post-
ed and 38,544 tasks were given.
4. The technology of agreement of syllabi of disciplines.
The implementation algorithm is the following: the academic
secretary of the department receives a syllabus from a teach-
er, makes a primary check, and uploads a doc (docx) file to
the digital space. There are templates in the digital space
regarding the order and the person who should agree on a
syllabus. A syllabus is automatically sent to reviewers. A re-
viewer can agree on a syllabus, make technical changes, and
agree or return to the academic secretary with comments.
Upon return, all prior agreements are canceled. During the
use of the technology (October 2019 – May 2020) 1,023
syllabi were agreed upon and uploaded to the digital space.
The average time of consideration and agreement on syllabi
decreased from 34.98 days to 12.46 days.
5. The system of keeping records of academic mobility
projects. It is intended for introduction, control over the
implementation of academic mobility projects, entering the
correspondence with stakeholders into the digital space,
accounting, and control of students’ participation in such
projects. It has just been put into practice.
6. The system of keeping the records of competitions of
students’ scientific works and olympiads “Student Science”. All
information on competitions and olympiads (venue, number of
participants and prizes, etc.) is digitized, entered into the infor-
mation environment, participants’ records are kept, prize-win-
ners and winners are recorded. Information on 65 competitions
of scientific student works was uploaded to the digital environ-
ment. It regarded 123 participants in the second round of these
competitions. In addition, information on 110 Olympiads and
230 participants of the 2nd round was digitized. Information on
the winners and prize-winners of the 2nd round of competitions
and olympiads was downloaded. All this information is auto-
matically displayed in the student rating.
7. The system of recording innovative projects and stake-
holders. The digital space displays the information on all
projects, in which a university and its structural subdivi-
sions participate. This is the name of a project, a subdivision,
stakeholders, a project manager, implementation stages,
funding required, the project result and its stages, as well
as the terms. All documents accompanying a project are
digitized. As of 23.06.2020, 33 projects in educational units
of the University were digitized. In addition, a database of
stakeholders, which contains 1,956 organizations, was cre-
ated. In addition to descriptive parameters, all documents
accompanying cooperation with stakeholders, correspon-
dence with them are stored in the digital space of the HEI.
The participation of stakeholders in innovative projects and
projects of academic mobility is reflected.
8. The system of accounting of accommodation in dormi-
tories. The information on students, postgraduates, the staff,
and external hirers of residential premises was digitized. In
total, information regarding 2,703 people was entered. In
addition to descriptive information, information on rewards
and punishments is displayed, the relevant documents are
digitized and stored.
9. Technology of control over the execution of assign-
ments. Meetings held at the university, orders, and instruc-
tions contain a variety of assignments for the university
staff. In addition, assignments may be related to incoming
correspondence and internal documents. All of them are
displayed by means of the functional environment in the
digital space and sent to executors. Then executors are sent a
reminder of the deadlines that are due or even those already
missed. Every week, the authorities are provided with infor-
mation about the progress of the assignments. This is a “dis-
ciplining” element of the system. During the operation of the
system, the average time of consideration of assignments de-
creased from 8.36 days to 1.23 days. While in the beginning,
the term of execution was extended on average by 8.61 days,
in June 2020, on average, the tasks were performed 3.01 days
before the deadline. The percentage of timely executed tasks
increased from 54.85 to 73.30.
10. The system “Digital dean’s office”. The information
environment, which contains the structures of the data for
displaying documents about a student, his studies at the uni-
versity, attendance of classes, performance, awards, rewards,
and reprimands, winning competitions and olympiads, etc.,
was created In total, information about 15,450 students and
1,718 teachers is stored in the information environment.
11. Technology of filling the digital environment with
curricula and working curricula, educational materials. The
order for its implementation is as follows:
– curricula from MS Excel are imported and checked in
the digital space information environment of the digital space;
– groups of students and students are divided in accor-
dance with curricula and elective disciplines;
– working curricula and training load for departments
are calculated;
– the educational load is distributed among teachers;
– teachers upload educational materials to the informa-
tion environment in accordance with distributed disciplines.
Information technology
17
A total of 492 curricula containing 30,682 disciplines, 399
groups of students were downloaded.
12. The system of import of data from the USEBE.
Information about students and teachers is imported from
the USEBE into MS Excel files. The data on specialities,
educational programs, students, and teachers are uploaded
from MS Excel files to the information environment. At the
same time, the changes in the information uploaded before
are coordinated with the current data. The changes made
by employees directly to the information environment are a
priority and are not canceled when downloading information
from the USEBE.
13. The system of educational
process management. At the heart,
there is the information provided to
the digital space by other systems.
Information on the educational load
of departments and teachers is used
to form the timetable of classes. In-
formation on the number of students
studying by specific curricula and
the share of the educational load,
which is distributed among the de-
partments determines the normative
number of teachers at a department.
If the average load on the curricu-
lum exceeds the norm, the curric-
ula are optimized in terms of the
correlation between the classroom
load and students’ independent work.
14. The system of conducting com-
mercial projects of the SRD. Informa-
tion on commercial projects of the SRD
is displayed in the digital space. All
documents accompanying projects are
digitized. It has just been introduced.
15. The technology of agreement of
orders and instructions. The initiator
prepares an order or instruction and
uploads the pdf file to the digital space.
There are templates in the digital
space , in what order, and who should agre e on this document.
Managers who have to agree on the document can: approve,
return to the initiator with comments. Upon return, all prior
agreements are canceled. After agreement by all participants,
the document is printed out, together with the agreement
sheet, which displays QR codes of the officials who agreed
on the document. Then it is signed by the top manager.
16. Online learning. Moodle platform was used and
is used for online learning for distance and part-time ed-
ucation. It has accumulated significant information base
on educational materials. Due to the transition to online
education of full-time students, the Google platform
was additionally implemented using applications: Class-
room (information environment of disciplines) and Meet
(online learning). These tools were implemented on the
scale of the entire university. That makes it possible to de-
sign a flexible work schedule and to use an affordable form
of interaction with students under modern conditions,
complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Digital transformation of the NAU made it possible
not only to create and implement information technol-
ogies in all areas of its activity but also to improve the
processes of management, education, innovation, and
economic activity. In particular, it created a virtual core
of the University informatization – digital transforma-
tion office. It enabled the creation and implementation
of a system of administration and control over the imple-
mentation of managerial decisions. It allowed introduc-
ing the end-to-end technology for processing and using
curricula and agreement of syllabi. It made it possible to
create a unified database of information about students
and teachers and integrate it into all the processes of
the University.
The features of this program are that only open (free)
systems and their own developments, which were automat-
ically integrated into a single digital environment, were
used in the process of creating a digital university. A unified
digital space of functioning of all information systems and
technologies, which includes information and functional
environments created in the EDS PostgreSQL (USA), was
created. All the tools are open for changes and are oriented
to the NAU; the wishes of the employees were taken into
consideration during their development and implementation.
8. Discussion of the results of the development of the
systems engineering concept of digitalization of higher
education institutions
The results obtained were the consequences of changing
the strategy in the issues of implementation of information
systems and technologies in higher education institutions.
Recently, there has been a change in the key paradigm in
the practice of automation of the HEI. It goes increasingly
often not about the automation of solving the functional
Fig. 5. Interactions in the matrix organizational structure of digitalization project
management
Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies ISSN 1729-3774 6/2 ( 108 ) 2020
18
problems based on the use of information systems and tech-
nologies, but about the creation of digital universities based
on the digital transformation of all activities. This requires a
comprehensive approach to setting the organizational com-
ponents of the HEI to new conditions of functioning, to the
creation of digitalization technologies, and most important-
ly, to the effective management of all digital transformation
actions through projects.
Unlike the task-scheduled approach used by the HEI to
automate the solution of functional problems [2‒5], the ar-
ticle suggests an integrative approach to the creation of the
digital space of a university independent of solving function-
al problems. And based on it, the functional environment,
which is the basis for the informatization of all parties to
the activity of a higher education institution, is formed. This
idea is illustrated in Fig. 1, and problems of the HEI digitali-
zation, the decision of which is necessary for the processes of
the digital transformation of higher education institutions,
are shown in section 4.
It is this vision of modern requirements for the creation
of digital universities that became the basis for the creation
of a systems engineering concept of digitalization of higher
education institutions as a unified system of organizational,
functional, and informational components. This concept
is constructed by incorporating the system, process, and
project approaches into a unified system of organizational,
functional, and informational components.
Of course, the scenario-based approach can be added to
these approaches. However, this was not done for the reason
that the scenario-based approach is more consistent with
the operational phase of the digital transformation when the
basic tools are created and it goes about scenarios of their
use. Specifically, the creation of such tools in the form of the
structure and implementation mechanisms of a digital uni-
versity was another objective of the research. Formulas (1)
and (2) give the tool to form the structure of digital space,
and Fig. 2 and Table 1 illustrate the filling of this space. In
addition, the functional environment of the digital space is
outlined in a sufficiently complete way. An alternative to
such a solution is the traditional way of forming a digital en-
vironment through solving functional problems of the HEI.
However, this leads to the disconnection of databases of
different systems, and, accordingly, to the impossibility, or
significant complexity of integrating such databases into a
unified digital environment.
On the other hand, such a problem statement is not quite
complete in terms of solving the problem of digital transfor-
mation, because it does not include the process of implemen-
tation of the actions of HEI staff on its transformation into
a digital university. Although, as it follows from the results
devoted to the implementation of the developed concept,
these processes are implemented in practice.
In addition, within the framework of the systems engi-
neering concept, the issue of how to use the project-based
approach to the management of the creation of the digital
space of the HEI was revealed. This issue was illustrated
in Fig. 5, 6. In addition, a verbal description of a digital
transformation office, which meets the requirements of the
digital transformation of the HEI, was given. Three main
projects that create organizational, methodological, and
technological components of the processes of digital trans-
formation management were separated. The disadvantages
include the fact that the theoretical part of the article did
not reveal the filling of the projects’ portfolio at the phase of
application of digitalization tools of the HEI. Although the
practical part contains several projects of the formation of
digital space, first of all, it is the use of the electronic docu-
ment flow system PrimaDoc.
The use of the systems engineering concept of digitali-
zation of the HEI allowed not only creating a digital space
of a higher education institution but also creating the tools
that use this environment to solve functional problems of
the HEI. The proposed systems engineering concept of
digitalization of higher education institutions integrates the
systematic, process-based, and project-based approaches to
solve the problems of creating digital universities.
The limitations inherent in this study are related to the
level of automation of the HEI activity at the current stage.
If the level of automation is high, the creation of digital space
will face the problem of integrating existing databases into
a unified information environment. Universities that are at
the initial stage of digital transformation, or in which this
process has not yet begun, are more ready to implement
the proposed systems engineering concept of digitalization.
Another limitation is related to the existence of professional
project managers in the HEI to implement the project-based
approach, or with the possibility of their involvement.
The shortcomings of this study include the fact that the
issue related to the implementation of the project of integra-
tion of existing (previously created) databases into a single
information environment was not sufficiently studied. It
is in this direction that the development of this study may
continue.
Even though the issue of database integration is suf-
ficiently studied, it is in the development of methods for
managing integration projects that significant problems re-
lated to the uniqueness of such tasks may arise. After all, the
creation of databases and technologies of their management
can vary to a great extent in different HEI, which causes dif-
ficulties in creating universal approaches and mathematical
methods of managing such projects.
9. Conclusions
1. The problems of digitalization within the framework of
the systematic, process-based, and project-based approaches
were set. These problems imply separating the main pro-
cesses and projects, forming a system of their management,
creating an information and functional environment of a
digital university. It was shown that solving these problems
will make it possible to create digital universities as a single
system of organizational, functional, and information com-
ponents.
2. The structure and the implementation mechanisms of
a digital university were developed. In order to eliminate the
shortcomings of the task-scheduled (local) approach to the
digital transformation of the HEI, it is proposed to combine
the systemic and process-based approaches to the creation
of informational and functional environments of the digital
space of the HEI. The essence of this integration is that all
the processes of forming new information are based on a sin-
gle system of functions of digital space. And the information
obtained as a result of the implementation of functions is im-
mersed in the single digital environment of the HEI. Based
on the needs of the HEI for information to solve problems
in the managerial, educational, scientific, economic, and
other spheres of activity, the structures of informational and
Information technology
19
functional environments of the digital space of an institu-
tion of higher education were developed. The features for
the classification of digitalization projects, which, unlike
traditional classification methods, are in line with the
separated processes in the digital space of the HEI, were
proposed. This allowed presenting the implementation of
processes through digitalization projects. It was proposed
to use the document databases in the digit al space to make
it possible for the information environment to be used
both to solve functional problems and to directly meet
the information needs of HEI staff. According to the for-
mulas that make it possible to determine the documents
that should be uploaded to the digital space, 20 classes of
documents to fill the information environments, and 11
classes of functions to be implemented in the digital space
of the HEI, were specified.
3. The concept of using the project-based approach to
manage the creation of the digital space of the HEI was
proposed. It was shown that effective management of dig-
ital transformation of the HEI is possible only with the
successful implementation of three projects: the creation of
a digital transformation office; development of a method-
ology for managing the projects of the HEI digitalization;
creation of the information technology for digitalization
project management. The feature of these projects is their
interdependence because they are aimed at the formation of
a unified product – the system of management of the digital
transformation of the HEI (organization + methodology +
technology), which provides a systemic solution to manage-
ment problems in the processes of digitalization of higher
education institutions. Since the organizational structure of
higher education institutions is functional, it is proposed to
use the matrix model of management of such projects for the
implementation of digitalization projects. The peculiarities
of this model, compared to the traditional matrix organiza-
tion, are that the links between the subdivisions are realized
not directly, but through a digital transformation office. The
objectives and subject of a digital transformation office are
professional support and integration of all information f lows
in projects of the digital transformation of the HEI.
Based on the peculiarities of the proposed matrix man-
agement model and taking into consideration the specifics of
distribution of digitalization projects through implementa-
tion processes and management processes, the organization-
al structure, which should be used in the specific method-
ology of management of digital transformation project, was
proposed.
Information technology of digitalization project man-
agement plays an important role in the digital transforma-
tion of the HEI. This is due to the fact that digitalization
projects operate mainly with information resources. These
are regulations, documents, databases, etc. That is why
within the framework of the systems engineering concept of
the digital transformation of the HEI, it is proposed to apply
instrumental software tools for project management, such as
MS Project, Primavera, etc.
4. The systems engineering concept of the HEI digi-
talization was practically tested at the National Aviation
University (Ukraine). Unlike traditional approaches, which
are based on the implementation of means of solving func-
tional problems, the unified digital space of functioning of
all information systems and technologies, which includes
information and functional environments, was created at the
first stage at the NAU. The unified information environment
includes 92 database tables integrated into a unified system.
The functional environment comprises about 200 functions
of remote information processing in PostgreSQL. This
approach, first of all, meets the requirements of cost-effec-
tiveness in regard to the digital transformation of the HEI,
because it eliminates any information duplication, and also
makes it possible to use the same tools to solve various func-
tional problems. Specifically, in the problems of electronic
document flow, accounting of residence in dormitories, con-
trol of assignments, agreement of syllabi of disciplines and
others, the unified technology of digitization, passage con-
trol, storage, and use of documents were used. In addition,
this made it possible based on the uniform information en-
vironment not only to solve all functional problems but also
to ensure the development of this environment through the
use of arrays of new information formed in these problems.
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