Prioritizing smart campus features: hierarchical structuring and fuzzy DEMATEL-based approach

Purpose The purpose of this research is to develop a concise and organized list of features representing a smart campus to facilitate better strategic planning and allocation of resources. Existing studies have created long lists of features that lack organization and are not practical for strategic decision making. Moreover, the absence of a clear hierarchical framework and limited analysis of causal relationships under uncertainty highlight a strong research gap that warrants this investigation. This study addresses these gaps by introducing a hierarchical, five-category framework and employing fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) to analyse causal interdependencies under uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was conducted across Scopus database using smart campus keywords and five main features and seventeen sub-features were synthesized. The study employs the fuzzy DEMATEL technique to develop a hierarchical framework for a smart campus. Data were collected through pairwise comparison surveys from four domain experts in academia, IT management, and campus infrastructure at a leading Indian educational institution. Findings The results indicate that learning and teaching, life and health, and sustainability are the highest-ranked smart campus features. Infrastructure and operations, governance and administration are identified as key driving features that influence others. Hybrid teaching, connectivity, e-governance, personal guidance, and social sustainability are the most important sub-features. Originality/value This study has used Fuzzy DEMATEL to analyse the relationships among the features in the hierarchical structure. This research provides valuable insights for university administrators on how to prioritize projects and allocate resources to implement smart campuses.