Strategic convergence of Business Process Management and digital information technologies: action research of implementing BPM in a Brazilian public university

Digital Transformation has increasingly reshaped public organizations, requiring higher levels of efficiency, transparency, and service quality. Although Business Process Management (BPM) is widely adopted as a managerial approach, empirical evidence on how BPM can strategically converge with Digital Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) in public universities remains limited. This study addresses this gap by analyzing how the integration of BPM and digital certification can improve administrative processes in a Brazilian public university. An action research methodology was employed, structured in sequential phases that included the institutionalization of a BPM program, training of process architects, process mapping and modeling using BPMN, prioritization of critical processes through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and redesign and simulation of the selected process using the Bizagi Modeler. The results show that integrating BPM with digital certification enabled a significant redesign of the diploma issuing and registration process, reducing non-value-adding activities, increasing transparency, and shortening lead times. Beyond operational improvements, the study highlights top management support, structured communication, and organizational learning as critical success factors for sustaining BPM initiatives in public-sector digital transformation. The study offers empirical evidence and a replicable methodological pathway for aligning BPM with digital technologies in public organizations and suggests avenues for future research on the integration of BPM with emerging digital technologies in public sector digital transformation.