Researcher Athari Sulaiman Al-Zaidan discussed her doctoral dissertation titled: “Exploring the Factors Influencing Digital Transformation and Its Impact on Innovative Performance in Higher Education in the State of Kuwait,” as part of the requirements for a Ph.D. in Innovation Management. The study aimed to identify the most significant factors influencing digital transformation and analyze their impact on enhancing innovative performance in higher education institutions.

The study employed a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with academic leaders and faculty members at Kuwait University, utilizing the Atlas.ti software for data analysis. The results showed that professional experience, continuing education, quality of education, innovation incentives, data management, and innovation culture, along with effective communication between users and designers, represent key elements in supporting digital transformation and enhancing institutional innovation.

The findings also showed that organizational readiness, awareness and training levels, leadership mindset, technological infrastructure, and a culture of innovation are key pillars for ensuring the success of digital transformation projects in higher education institutions.

Researcher Al-Zaidan presented a roadmap for decision-makers aimed at developing more innovative and sustainable learning environments, emphasizing the importance of investing in social capital and strengthening institutional networks to support knowledge exchange and improve higher education outcomes.

The study recommended accelerating the transition toward sustainable digital education by integrating concepts of sustainability, artificial intelligence, and digital skills into curricula, developing teaching strategies and assessment methods supported by modern technologies, as well as expanding opportunities for academic collaboration and student and researcher exchanges, and building effective partnerships with the labor market, thereby enhancing the quality of education and contributing to the achievement of the goals of Kuwait Vision 2035 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The dissertation was supervised by Associate Professor of Information and Communication Technology Dr. Afaf Bu Gawa as the primary supervisor, and Associate Professor of Management Information Systems Dr. Fairouz Al-Dhamour and Professor of Educational Technology and Distance Learning Prof. Dr. Al-Ajab Al-Ajab as co-supervisors. Also participating in the defense were Professor Raed Abdulqader, Professor of Management Information Systems at the University of Jordan, as an external examiner, and Associate Professor Asif Mahmoud Nazir, Professor of Operations Management, as an internal examiner.