Factors influencing students’ satisfaction with the digital transformation of German higher education institutions: a grounded theory and fsQCA approach

With the rapid development of digital technology, the digital transformation of higher education institutions (HEIs) has become crucial for improving the quality of teaching and the students’ experience. Taking German HEIs as an example, this study combines the Grounded Theory with the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to systematically identify and analyze the influencing factors such as teachers’ digital readiness, teaching technology infrastructure, digital teaching strategies, digital resource management, students’ digital experience, as well as the impact of their multiple combination pathways on students’ satisfaction. The study finds that students’ digital experience plays a pivotal role in the combination of various factors, and the flexible configuration of different factors can significantly enhance satisfaction. The empirical insights of this study not only deepen the theoretical understanding in educational digital transformation and students’ satisfaction, but also provide clear and actionable decision-making references for policymakers and university administrators when formulating and implementing educational digital transformation strategies and resource allocation, thus contributing to enhancing the innovative value and sustainable development of higher education reform.