Digital Technologies and Pakistani Universities in the Backdrop of COVID-19: Looking Back to Look Forward

Abstract

Through a systematic literature review, this study explores the relationship between digital technologies and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-COVID-19 studies are included to provide context, examining how HEIs viewed digital technologies for modernization and strategic goals. The review covers 86 publications from databases like SpringerLink, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, with 72 relevant articles selected. Findings were categorized into five areas: focus (objectives), themes (keywords), methodologies, approaches, and conclusions, and organized into seven overarching themes, including adoption, application, digital divide, leadership resilience, outcome, challenges, and way forward. A working group of media faculty from Pakistan further examined adoption patterns. Additionally, the study analyses publication trends, considering author numbers and gender to identify patterns in solo and collaborative works during the pandemic.

Keywords

ICT adoption higher education institutions educational continuity systematic review technology integration

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