eGovernment and Universities: Lessons learnt from European Study Visits

The studies conducted by HIS-HE in Germany in recent years on the digitalization of higher education institutions have shown that not only technical, financial and organizational framework conditions are important. Rather, the "digital culture" and the eGovernment of the states are decisive for the most comprehensive digitalization possible, especially in higher education administration. And it is precisely in this respect that Germany is not in the top group in a European comparison. Rather, the Northern European countries are considered pioneers in the area of eGovernment - see, among others, the EU report "eGovernment Benchmark 2021" or the UN's E-Government Development Index (EDGI).In order to analyze the current status, interactions and possible interdependencies between the level of digitalization of public administration in general and higher education administrations in particular, HIS-HE conducted study visits to higher education institutions in Estonia, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands in 2022. The study visits are intended to gain insights into the extent to which advanced eGovernment in public administration interacts with higher education administrations and what possibilities for action can be derived from this for the higher education system in Germany and Europe. In addition, we can look to the future - what practical insights can be gained? In which direction will the organisation and processes in higher education institutions develop with advanced digitalization? What recommendations for the development of German and European higher education institutions can be derived from this?