Generative AI, Digital Platforms, and the Post-pandemic Transformation of Taiwanese Higher Education

This chapter analyzes the post-pandemic transformation of Taiwanese higher education in the context of accelerating digitalization and the rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Drawing on qualitative interviews with two Taiwanese Generation Z students and engaging with international scholarship on platformization, digital pedagogy, and AI in education, this chapter argues that COVID-19 served as a structural accelerant rather than a temporary disruption. The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in pedagogical preparedness, student well-being, and institutional governance, while simultaneously normalizing hybrid learning environments and expanding digital competencies. Building on these developments, the rise of generative AI has further destabilized conventional assumptions about authorship, assessment, and academic authority. Using the Taiwanese case, this chapter demonstrates how digital transformation intersects with demographic pressure, internationalization strategies, and democratic governance. The paper concludes by proposing a human-centered framework for curriculum reform and AI integration that emphasizes ethical responsibility, critical digital literacy, global engagement, and student well-being in an increasingly automated educational landscape.