A case study in a foundation university: Investigation of administrative units' digitalization levels

Digital transformation is one of the driving forces in higher education, as it is in the business world. Digital transformation has become inevitable, especially after COVID-19, as our world is changing faster than organizations can adapt, requiring new technology investments, business models and processes to compete. This study aims to examine the extent to which the digitalization process, which has become a necessity in the information age we are in and whose importance has become more understood especially with the COVID-19 Pandemic, is present in the administrative units of higher education institutions. First, an initial theme analysis was made with the data obtained through the semi-structured interviews. Additionally, it was aimed to obtain cross data by examining the documents used in the units by conducting a document analysis. The research also shows that training and learning is vital for the success of digital transformation. Training and learning experience is necessary for users to be able to use new digital tools effectively and understand their functionality. Users' habits influence the design and usability of digital tools. Digital tools designed with user needs and habits could significantly improve the user experience. Keywords: Digitalization in Higher Education Institutions, Digital Maturity Levels of Foundation Universities, Digital Transformation in Administrative Units of Universities.