Information and Digital Competence During the COVID-19 Pandemic:

A Study of a Brazilian University

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed unprecedented challenges on higher education institutions, requiring emergency adaptations in teaching, learning, and management processes. This study investigates how managers at the Faculty of Architecture, Arts, Communication and Design (FAAC) of the São Paulo State University (UNESP) perceived and responded to the impacts of the abrupt transition to remote education, focusing on the information and digital competencies of institutional users. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining structured questionnaires and the Critical Incident Technique (CIT), and is structured around three analytical domains: People, Processes, and Technologies.
The theoretical framework is based on Belluzzo's (2007) standards for information literacy and the DigComp 2.2 model (Vuorikari, Kluzer & Punie, 2022) for digital competencies, aligned with the literature on information management (Choo, 2003; Davenport & Prusak, 1998). Data collection was conducted between 2023 and 2025 with three managers responsible for FAAC’s information systems. The results reveal significant gaps in students' competencies, particularly in critical information evaluation and strategic use of technologies. Faculty members demonstrated greater proficiency with digital tools, though weaknesses in information security were noted. Administrative staff fluctuated between basic operational practices and difficulties in digital adaptation.
Managers reported strong mastery of both information and digital competencies, especially in problem-solving and technical conflict mediation. The analysis of critical incidents highlighted that the lack of institutional policies for ongoing training and the absence of standardised use of platforms hindered the university's effective response to the pandemic. Informational overload, limited infrastructure for some users, and institutional resistance to innovation were also identified as key barriers.
The research underscores the urgent need for structured training policies in digital and information competencies, targeting all institutional groups, with particular attention to students and administrative staff. It is recommended that UNESP develop an information management policy centred on user needs, grounded in active listening, continuous training, and concrete articulation between people, processes, and technologies. The study concludes that information and digital competence must be treated as a strategic axis of university governance, especially in times of crisis, and that information managers play a central role in organizational resilience and the promotion of a critical, ethical, and sustainable digital culture.