Beyond Survival: Cultivating Digital Transformation Resilience in China's Private Humanities and Social Sciences Programs

The global wave of digitalization presents both existential threats and transformative opportunities for higher education. This challenge is particularly acute for private humanities and social sciences programs, which often operate in resource-constrained environments and face pressure to demonstrate relevance. While much of the discourse focuses on the risks of obsolescence, this paper argues for a proactive approach centered on cultivating resilience. Using China's rapidly evolving private higher education sector as a critical context, we develop a conceptual framework for Digital Transformation Resilience (DTR). This framework moves beyond mere survival by identifying four key dimensions: Robustness (the capacity to absorb shocks), Recovery (the ability to bounce back), Adaptability (the capability for incremental change), and Transformability (the ultimate power to reinvent). By conceptualizing these dimensions as a progressive pathway, our framework provides a diagnostic tool for institutional leaders and a strategic roadmap for not only navigating the digital era but thriving within it. We conclude by offering theoretical and practical implications for cultivating resilience, arguing that it is the core capability for ensuring a vibrant and sustainable future for the liberal arts in the 21st century.