Introduction: the digital student - challenges for higher education and how to address them
Authors: Phippen, A., Bond, E.
Publication Date: 01/01/2026
Pages: 1-11
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-443-34057-4.00002-X
Abstract:This introductory chapter situates the concept of the ‘digital student’ within the post-COVID transformation of higher education. It critically examines how rapid digitalisation has reshaped student identity, engagement, and vulnerability, exposing deep gaps in institutional safeguarding, governance, and pedagogical frameworks. While universities have adopted digital tools at scale, they often neglect the social, ethical, and emotional dimensions of student life online. The chapter outlines the thematic structure of the book, highlighting the urgency of addressing online harm, digital inequality, and the myth of the digitally fluent student. It calls for a shift from compliance-driven responses to student-centred, relational approaches grounded in care, equity, and cocreation. Emphasising interdisciplinary insights and global relevance, the chapter frames the digital student not as a byproduct of crisis, but as a permanent and complex figure requiring thoughtful institutional transformation.
Source: Scopus