Facilitating Successful Smart Campus Transitions: A Systems Thinking-SWOT Analysis Approach

Abstract

An identification of strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) factors remains imperative for enabling a successful Smart Campus transition. The absence of a structured approach for analyzing the relationships between these SWOT factors and the influence thereof on Smart Campus transitions negate effective implementation. This study leverages a systems thinking approach to bridge this gap. Data were collected through a stakeholder workshop within a University of Technology case study and analyzed using qualitative content analysis (QCA). This resulted in the establishment of SWOT factors affecting Smart Campus transitions. Systems thinking was utilized to analyze the relationships between these SWOT factors resulting in a causal loop diagram (CLD) highlighting extant interrelationships. A panel of experts drawn from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and South Africa validated the relationships between the SWOT factors as elucidated in the CLD. Subsequently, a Smart Campus transition framework predicated on the CLD archetypes was developed. The framework provided a holistic approach to understanding the interrelationships between various SWOT factors influencing Smart Campus transitions. This framework remains a valuable tool for facilitating optimal strategic planning and management approaches by policy makers, academics, and implementers within the global Higher Education Institution (HEI) landscape for managing successful Smart Campus transition at the South African University of Technology (SAUoT) and beyond.

Infrastructure Elements for Smart Campuses: A Bibliometric Analysis

“…Data mining supports harnessing analysis with deep learning architecture of neural networks for understanding campus end-user behaviour and requirements [3,17,134,135,[141][142][143]. Continuous improvement of smart campus infrastructure produces opportunities for research into smart campus applications, IT infrastructure, network, management, and applications [3,144,145]. Hence, a framework for improving the existing systems has used vertical and horizontal scalability, loss models, forecasting; statistics; and accuracy metrics.…”

“…Moreover, smart campuses are essential for meeting the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs) like affordable and clean energy and sustainable cities and communities [1]. Likewise, campuses are smaller communities within cities that may serve as micro smart cities and an available framework for smart city development [3,4]. Awuzie et al [3] suggested that smart cities development in developing countries can be hinged on a clear strategic framework inclusive of governance, policymaking, and management of campuses.…”

“…Likewise, campuses are smaller communities within cities that may serve as micro smart cities and an available framework for smart city development [3,4]. Awuzie et al [3] suggested that smart cities development in developing countries can be hinged on a clear strategic framework inclusive of governance, policymaking, and management of campuses.…”

“…Similarly, Verstaevel et al [5] suggested that 70% of the world's population will be living in urban areas by the year 2050, and the development of smart campus information technology (IT) applications is an integral part of creating smart campuses. The need for smart cities worldwide is predicated on the problems of the epidemic, climate change, unhealthy cities and access to modern amenities such as the internet of things [1,3]. The development of smart cities is viewed as expensive, non-inclusive of low-income earners, but Awuzie et al [3] argued that the microlevel application of smart infrastructure through Table 1.…”

“…The need for smart cities worldwide is predicated on the problems of the epidemic, climate change, unhealthy cities and access to modern amenities such as the internet of things [1,3]. The development of smart cities is viewed as expensive, non-inclusive of low-income earners, but Awuzie et al [3] argued that the microlevel application of smart infrastructure through Table 1. Publication extraction protocol.…”