ABSTRACT
This chapter concentrates on the digital systems that are now used to mediate many of the processes and practices of higher education. Indeed, the increased digitization of universities over the past few decades has seen most aspects of the business of higher education mediated through digital systems. These are perhaps most prominent in terms of the digital systems used to coordinate and manage teaching and learning within universities. However, digital systems are now used for most aspects of the organization, administration and management of universities. This chapter considers all these virtualities of universities in the digital age- unpacking the nature and outcomes of the 'virtual turn' within higher education. As will soon be apparent, this is not a particularly technology-dominated discussion. Ultimately, these digital systems are just as connected with real-life issues. The computerized systems described in the chapter are an integral means through which universities are now executing their main data-based 'batch processing' functions.
