Modeling University Professors’ Trust in the “Progress” Platform: Effects of Service Quality and Information Security on Scientific Performance (Higher Education, 2025)

Abstract

This study examines the determinants of university professors’ digital trust in the Progress platform in Algerian higher education. Using a PLS-SEM approach and data from 382 professors, the study analyzes the effects of service quality, ease of use, security and information protection, technical stability and support, and academic suitability.
The results indicate that security and information protection have the strongest and most significant effect on digital trust (β = 0.394, p < 0.001), followed by technical stability and support (β = 0.143, p = 0.045). In contrast, service quality and academic suitability show positive but non-significant effects, while ease of use has no significant impact.
The model explains 46.4% of the variance in digital trust (R² = 0.464) and demonstrates strong predictive relevance (Q² = 0.385). The findings highlight that digital trust in institutional platforms is primarily driven by security and system reliability, emphasizing the importance of data protection and stable digital infrastructure in supporting higher education digital transformation.