Competency Framework for University Lecturers in the Context of Digital Transformation in Education

ABSTRACT: This paper analyzes the essential requirements for university lecturers in Vietnam amid the ongoing digital transformation of higher education. Using a document-based synthesis and comparative analysis of international and national studies, the research identifies three core competency domains: (1) professional expertise and digitally adaptive pedagogy; (2) technological and personal digital transformation competence; and (3) professional ethics and integrity in digital environments. The findings affirm that lecturers play a central role in the digital education ecosystem, as knowledge creators, learning designers, and key connectors between policy, research, and teaching practice. The study contributes to both theory and practice by providing a comprehensive framework for developing lecturers’ digital competence and offering scientific evidence to inform policymaking, professional training programs, and the implementation of smart university models in Vietnam.