Process Transformation at the University of Basilicata: Mapping, Digitalization, and Enhanced Transparency

Digital transformation in higher education requires the redesign of administrative and teaching processes to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability. This study analyzes and optimizes the process of Supplementary Teaching Assignments (ADI) at the University of Basilicata, integrating Business Process Modeling and Notation (BPMN 2.0) with discrete-event simulation using the Simul8® tool. The proposed Process Innovation in Higher Education (PIHE) Framework combines process mapping, simulation-based validation, and KPI-oriented monitoring to identify inefficiencies and guide evidence-based process reengineering. Simulation results highlight that the Didactics Office represents the primary process bottleneck, absorbing over 30% of the total workload, and that Department Council scheduling has a significant impact on overall lead time. Optimizing these factors reduces completion time by up to 8% while enhancing resource allocation and service quality. Although the analysis focuses on a single university, which limits external generalizability, the proposed PIHE Framework offers an adaptable methodological structure that can be transferred to other higher education institutions operating under different organizational and regulatory contexts. Future research will extend its application to multiple universities and additional administrative processes to strengthen its empirical validation and support data-driven decision-making in academic governance.