Objective: to analyze the planning process for implementing a smart campus at the Instituto Federal do Ceará (IFCE) Sobral campus, based on the framework by Pagliaro et al. (2016). The study discusses how the scarcity of resources, institutional dynamics, and co-creation influence the applicability of international frameworks in public contexts.
Methodology: a qualitative and exploratory approach was adopted, with a descriptive character, configuring a case study at IFCE, Sobral campus. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with managers and documentary research. Content analysis, with data triangulation, ensured the robustness of the findings.
Results: The findings indicate that the case partially adheres to the six phases proposed by Pagliaro et al. (2016), which were developed in an emergent and non-formalized manner. The framework proved useful but requires adjustments related to fundraising, governance, and institutional coordination.
Limitations: reduced formal systematized documentation and limited number of employees with primary information.
Practical implications: provides support for public managers in structuring smart campus projects that are more aligned with the financial, operational, and institutional conditions of the public sector, promoting efficiency and sustainability.
Social implications: highlights the potential of smart campuses to improve teaching, local innovation and optimize public resources for the benefit of the community.
Theoretical implications: contributes to studies on the framework of Pagliaro et al. (2016) and proposes a model adapted to the reality of Brazilian public institutions.
Originality: the study provides a contextual extension of the model proposed by Pagliaro et al. (2016), incorporating institutional and financial conditions relevant to smart campus planning in public higher education institutions subject to budgetary and operational constraints.
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