Digital technology always accelerates change, altering organisations culturally, socially and technically. These modifications are known as “digital transformation” (DT). On a much greater scale than DT, the world was changed in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic, which re-organised society in the way of thinking, acting, producing, consuming and creating new business. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were no different, since these institutions had to make changes to the student–lecturer interaction; teaching–learning, where DT had a relevant role, above all in academic entrepreneurship. Therefore, this study aims to propose a framework showing the structural pillars of the link between digital transformation (DT) and academic entrepreneurship (AC) (DT-AC Framework). This framework identifies the new patterns, methods, skills and other discoveries in aspects such as management, information systems and culture sciences. The intention is not to analyse how the COVID-19 pandemic imposed global structural changes, but because of it, lecturers and students found their DT accelerated and intensified, and so it is necessary to investigate the pillars supporting academic entrepreneurship. The results show that DT was already emerging as a basic element of academic entrepreneurship before the pandemic, but the process has speeded up. This bibliometric study indicates the structural pillars that support entrepreneurship following the Covid19 pandemic, as created from DT in universities, providing an extensive systematic review that indicates the cause and effect of the academic entrepreneurship process.

Digital transformation (DT) has changed the means and mechanisms for acquiring knowledge, meaning that higher education institutions (HEI) have changed the form of student-lecturer and teaching-learning interaction. Digital transformation must have a relevant role in building the hard skills (HS) necessary for academic entrepreneurship, where HS are easily taught and measured. This study analyses the basis of HS for digital academic entrepreneurship, answering the following research hypothesis: What are the hard skills—entrepreneurial education—for digital academic entrepreneurship and how are they formed? An extensive, inclusive literature review revealed that, due to the possibility of editing, reprogramming and generating digital technology, the basis of DT can support the development of HS in higher education students. The results show that HS can be developed considering three major pillars: (i) Management Tools, (ii) Digital Process, and (iii) Digital Products. Since HS are easily taught, this study shows how the use of digital technology can transform this scalable teaching process in order to reach the maximum number of students. It is therefore suggested that those in charge of HEIs use the pillars presented here in the framework proposed to guide their institutions’ strategic planning. With these pillars in mind, the aim is to stimulate the development of innovative business proposals developed in the academic environment and promote digital academic entrepreneurship.

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PurposeDigital technology changes the organizational structure of traditional firms, creating opportunities for entrepreneurship. These modifications are known as “digital transformation” (DT). In addition, higher education institutions (HEIs) are altering the form of student–lecturer and teaching–learning interaction, where DT restructures the bases of soft skills (SS). Since SS are difficult to measure, this study aims to analyze the bases of SS for digital academic entrepreneurship, responding to the following research question: What are the bases of digital academic entrepreneurship and how are they formed?Design/methodology/approachAn extensive integrative review of the literature revealed that due to the editable, re-combinable, reprogrammable and generating nature of digital technology, the basis of DT, it is necessary to develop SS in higher education students.FindingsThe results show that the competencies can be developed considering three major groupings: (1) individual characteristics, (2) cultural characteristics and (3) knowledge sharing.Practical implicationsSince SS are not easily taught, this study shows how the use of digital tools can help and support this type of process. It is suggested, therefore, that those in charge of HEIs should use the pillars presented in the framework proposed here to guide their institutions' strategic planning. With these pillars in mind, the aim is to stimulate an entrepreneurial mentality in students and develop digital academic entrepreneurship.Originality/valueAn innovative conceptual model of digital academic entrepreneurship is proposed from the perspective of SS, where the interlinking of those groupings is permeated by DT, as well as the disruptive role of digital technology, leading to the development of an entrepreneurial mentality in HEI students.

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