Digital Transformation of Local Universities in Western China: Challenges and Countermeasures

Abstract

The digitalization of education is a central strategic lever for the high-quality development of higher education in China. Local universities in western China—regionally administered institutions, as distinct from centrally administered national universities—currently face four interconnected challenges in their digital transformation: deficiencies in infrastructure and data governance, constraints on the total volume and structure of funding, gaps in faculty digital literacy and technical personnel, and the absence of governance mechanisms and evaluation systems. In response, this paper proposes adaptive optimization strategies along five dimensions: targeted policy support, regional east–west collaboration, internal governance reform, faculty empowerment, and industry–education integration. The analysis offers a practical reference for the digital transformation of local universities in western China.