This Thesis Proposal outlines a critical research project examining the impact of digital transformation on faculty development within Algerian universities, specifically focusing on the evolving role of the Professor in Algeria Algiers. As Algeria embarks on ambitious educational reforms under its National Strategy for Higher Education (2019-2035), integrating digital technologies into teaching and research has become a strategic imperative. The University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB) in Algiers, alongside other leading institutions like the University of Algiers 1 "El Karimia" and Algiers 3, face significant challenges in preparing professors for this transition. This research directly addresses a critical gap: while digital infrastructure is expanding across Algeria Algiers, there is insufficient empirical understanding of how these changes affect professorial roles, pedagogical practices, and academic identity within the unique socio-linguistic and institutional context of Algerian higher education. The central question guiding this study is: How does digital transformation reshape the professional identity, responsibilities, and development needs of Professors in universities across Algeria Algiers?
The rapid adoption of Learning Management Systems (LMS), online resources, and digital communication tools in Algerian universities is occurring without a corresponding, institutionally supported framework for faculty development. Professors across Algeria Algiers often lack adequate training, institutional support structures, or clear pedagogical guidance on effectively integrating technology into their teaching practices. This has led to inconsistent implementation, potential widening of the digital divide among faculty (particularly between younger and senior professors), and missed opportunities to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes in a city like Algiers that serves as the nation's academic epicenter. Furthermore, the traditional role of the Professor as sole knowledge dispenser is being fundamentally challenged by digital access, yet this transformation is not adequately studied within Algeria's specific educational culture. The current gap in understanding directly impedes Algeria Algiers' ability to optimize its investment in digital education initiatives and support its teaching faculty effectively.
Global literature on digital transformation in higher education is extensive, often focusing on Western contexts with different institutional structures, funding models, and language landscapes (predominantly English). While studies exist on technology adoption in MENA universities (e.g., Saudi Arabia, UAE), research specifically targeting the Algerian context—characterized by its unique post-colonial educational history, the Arabic-French linguistic duality in academia, and specific institutional governance within Algeria Algiers—is severely lacking. Existing Algerian studies (e.g., Benhima & Belkadi, 2021; Mekki & Kherbache, 2023) focus primarily on infrastructure or student access, neglecting the crucial human dimension: the Professor. This Thesis Proposal fills this critical void by centering the lived experience and professional development needs of professors as key stakeholders in Algeria Algiers' educational future.
- To map the current state of digital tool adoption, training availability, and perceived challenges among Professors at major universities in Algiers (USTHB, University of Algiers 1 & 3).
- To analyze how digital transformation has altered the core responsibilities, teaching methodologies, research collaboration patterns, and professional identity of the Professor within Algerian university structures.
- To identify specific gaps and barriers (institutional, technical, pedagogical) hindering effective digital integration from the perspective of Professors in Algeria Algiers.
- To co-develop evidence-based recommendations for targeted faculty development programs and institutional policies to support Professor roles during digital transition, tailored to the Algerian context.
This study will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys with in-depth qualitative interviews and focus groups, designed specifically for the Algiers context.
- Phase 1 (Quantitative): A structured survey distributed to Professors across 5 key universities in Algeria Algiers (targeting ~300 respondents) to assess digital tool usage, self-efficacy, training access, and perceived challenges.
- Phase 2 (Qualitative): Purposive sampling for 25-30 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Professors representing diverse disciplines (STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences), career stages (junior to senior), and gender. Focus groups (~6 participants each) will further explore institutional barriers and collaborative practices within Algiers universities.
- Data Analysis: Survey data analyzed using SPSS for descriptive and inferential statistics. Interview/focus group transcripts subjected to thematic analysis using NVivo, guided by the research objectives and grounded in the Algerian university context.
This Thesis Proposal holds significant value for Algeria Algiers on multiple levels:
- For Policy & Administration: Provides concrete, evidence-based insights to guide the Ministry of Higher Education and Universities (MESU) in Algeria in designing more effective national faculty development strategies, moving beyond generic digital literacy towards context-specific Professor support.
- For Universities in Algiers: Offers actionable recommendations for institutional-level change at universities like USTHB and Algiers 1, enabling them to better support their Professor workforce through tailored training programs, reduced administrative burdens associated with new tools, and recognition of digital teaching as part of academic promotion criteria.
- For the Professor Profession: Validates the experiences and challenges faced by Professors in Algeria Algiers during this transition, giving them a platform to voice their needs. It empowers them to actively shape their professional development trajectory within the evolving digital landscape.
- National Development Impact: Contributes directly to Algeria's goals of modernizing higher education (National Strategy 2019-2035), enhancing graduate employability through improved pedagogy, and fostering a more research-intensive academic culture – all critical for Algeria's socio-economic development centered in Algiers.
This research will make a novel contribution by providing the first comprehensive, empirically grounded analysis of digital transformation's impact on Professor roles specifically within the Algerian university system, with Algiers as the primary site. It moves beyond technology adoption metrics to explore the complex human and institutional dynamics. The findings will generate new theoretical understanding relevant to post-colonial higher education contexts and provide a robust empirical foundation for future research on faculty development in similar settings across Africa and the MENA region. Crucially, it directly informs how Algeria Algiers can cultivate a resilient, digitally competent Professoriate capable of leading the nation's educational advancement.
The digital transformation of higher education in Algeria is not merely an infrastructure project; it fundamentally reshapes the core work and identity of the Professor. This Thesis Proposal addresses a critical, overlooked gap in the Algerian academic landscape by focusing on this vital human element within Algeria Algiers' most prominent universities. By meticulously examining how digital tools impact Professorial roles, responsibilities, and development needs through rigorous methodology grounded in the local context, this research promises to deliver tangible benefits for policy makers, university administrators, and Professors themselves. The successful completion of this study will provide indispensable guidance for Algeria Algiers as it navigates its educational modernization journey, ensuring that its esteemed Professoriate is not just equipped with technology but empowered to thrive within the evolving digital academy. This work directly serves the national ambition to build a world-class higher education system centered in Algiers, where every Professor is an active agent of innovation and excellence.
