Transformation of Education in the Digital Age: Theory and Practice of Constructing a Digital University and Lifelong Learning System

In the digital age, the field of education is undergoing unprecedented transformation, the innovation in educational models prompted educational institutions to rapidly adopt digital technologies to meet the challenges of modernizing education. This article delves into the importance of digital transformation in education, analyzing how emerging technologies such as AI, VR, and big data reshape educational models and learning methods while providing innovative approaches to addressing educational inequality. The article takes an international perspective on the trend of digital education, particularly focusing on the national strategic actions for the digitalization of education proposed by the Chinese government to improve the quality of education, promote educational equity and build a lifelong learning society. The article first outlines the theoretical framework of a digital university, emphasizing the key roles of openness, diversity, personalization, and intelligence in constructing a lifelong learning system. Subsequently, it proposes a framework for constructing a digital archive of lifelong learning, covering concepts such as micro-certificates, micro-courses, digital badges, and credit banks. It explores how these concepts facilitate the sharing of educational resources and the certification of learning outcomes. After analyzing the policy support and practical cases of open education digitalization, the article points out current challenges, including data security, privacy protection, inter-departmental cooperation, and students' awareness and use of digital archives. In response to these issues, the article presents a series of countermeasures, including establishing strict data management systems, promoting the formulation of international standards, and introducing advanced intelligent assessment models. Finally, the article offers a glimpse into the future of digital education, predicting how lifelong learning digital archives will achieve data intelligence, comprehensive learning records, and cross-platform interconnection, and become vital support for certification and career development. The article calls for concerted efforts from the global education community to build a more equitable, efficient, and personalized education system.