ANÁLISIS MULTIMODAL DE LA MADUREZ DIGITAL E INTEGRACIÓN DE LA INTELIGENCIA ARTIFICIAL EN LA EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR MARÍTIMA PANAMEÑA

The research analyzed the level of integration of digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in maritime higher education institutions in Panama City. The purpose was to determine the current technological gap to optimize the training of officers, technical, and management personnel for the merchant marine and the auxiliary logistics industry. Under a post-positivist paradigm and a concurrent nested mixed-methods design, data were collected from a sample of 150 participants using validated questionnaires, and 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from academia and industry. Quantitative data were processed in SPSS, while qualitative data were handled through thematic analysis in NVivo. Findings revealed a consolidated basic digitalization in learning management systems (LMS), but an incipient implementation of AI, limited to basic assistance tools such as chatbots. A high readiness for technological adoption was identified, contrasted with budgetary barriers and resistance to institutional change. It is concluded that while an operational digital base exists, the sector's competitiveness requires urgent curricular reform and priority investment in faculty development to close the gap between academic competencies and the technological demands of the 21st-century maritime industry.