Exploring Digital Transformation in Higher Education Institutions through E-Publishing

In the digital age, e-publishing (electronic textbooks and multimedia learning content) offered higher education institutions new avenues to ‎deliver up-to-date, interactive instructional materials. This study examined the appreciation and adoption of e-publishing in Macau’s higher ‎education institutions (HEIs), focusing on technological factors such as platform infrastructure and scalability. Using a descriptive-‎correlational mixed-methods design, researchers administered an online survey (N = 1,063; 381 students, 341 teachers, 341 administrators) ‎and conducted focus group discussions. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA (with F and p values reported), and ‎Pearson’s correlation. The results indicated that most participating HEIs were small universities with limited ICT infrastructure (e.g., digital ‎libraries in 90% of institutions, but only 50% had computer labs). Stakeholders reported moderate satisfaction with content quality, rele-‎vance, and accessibility of e-publishing materials, but lower satisfaction with cost-effectiveness due to start-up and licensing expenses. ‎Adoption of e-publishing for academic management, administration, resource access, and learning outcomes was also moderate (mean scores ‎‎≈2.5 on a 4-point scale), and ANOVA showed no significant group differences (e.g., quality: F (2,1059) = 0.67, p = 0.51; cost: F(2,1059) = ‎‎0.74, p = 0.48). Likewise, Pearson’s r values relating institutional profile variables to attitudes were all small (|r| < 0.10, p > 0.05), except ‎for a modest positive correlation between the number of digital facilities and perceived quality (r = .21, p = .002). A strategic plan is pro-‎posed, emphasizing robust digital platforms (e.g., cloud-based systems), improved content quality and accessibility, and affordable licensing. ‎These findings contribute to understanding digital transformation in an Asian HEI context and underscore the need for scalable, inclusive ‎technological solutions and supportive policies‎.