doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2025.15.11.2444
Transforming Education Excellence in Ethiopian Higher Learning: Unleashing the Power of Digital Innovation to Drive Data-Informed Decision-Making
Zelalem Asfaw1,*
,
Bekalu Ferede2 ,
Abu Santure1 ,
Worku Jimma1 ,
Daniel Alemneh3
- 1Department of Information Science, Faculty of Computing and Informatics, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- 2Department of Educational Planning and Management, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- 3Department of Digital Libraries, University of North Texas, USA
- Manuscript receivedFebruary 27, 2025
- revisedMarch 24, 2025
- acceptedJuly 7, 2025
- publishedNovember 19, 2025
Abstract
Data-driven decision-making is being increasingly adopted worldwide to improve the quality, accessibility, and equity of education. However, there is limited empirical evidence regarding its implementation in developing countries such as Ethiopia. This study aims to investigate the practice of data-driven decision-making in Ethiopian higher education institutions to improve education quality. The study utilized purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Two public universities in Ethiopia were selected based on purposive sampling techniques. 98 faculty members and 211 students and 16 stakeholder participants were selected based on simple random and purposive sampling techniques. The results reveal a lack of genuine data-driven decision-making practices, limited knowledge and awareness of data analytics, reliance on manual analysis and basic software, and a lack of training and support systems for data utilization. The study recommends that leaders collaborate with external organizations, provide training on data usage, prioritize investments in data analytics, and develop policies for data management and decision-making. Future research should investigate the awareness and readiness of top institutional leaders regarding data-centric education and its impact on education quality. The findings of this research will contribute to improving the quality of education in higher education institutions by promoting data-driven decision-making.
Keywords
- data-driven decision-making
- data analytics
- higher education
- developing country
How to Cite
Zelalem Asfaw, Bekalu Ferede, Abu Santure, Worku Jimma, and Daniel Alemneh, "Transforming Education Excellence in Ethiopian Higher Learning: Unleashing the Power of Digital Innovation to Drive Data-Informed Decision-Making," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 15, no. 11, pp. 2485-2497, 2025. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2025.15.11.2444
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2025 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).