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The rapid expansion of digital education has revealed a critical limitation in current higher education practices, namely, the absence of integrated, system-level models capable of translating pedagogical theory into scalable institutional implementation. While widely adopted frameworks such as the Community of Inquiry (CoI) have shaped the design of online learning, their application remains largely confined to the instructional level, leaving a significant gap in operational coherence across digital learning ecosystems. This paper addresses this challenge by proposing the Open, Distance, and Digital Education (ODDE) model as a comprehensive and system-oriented framework that reconceptualizes digital education beyond fragmented approaches. Drawing on its institutional deployment at Open University Malaysia, the ODDE model advances a unified architecture built upon three interdependent dimensions, namely cognitive competence, flexible teaching and learning, and dynamic interactions. These dimensions are operationalised through synchronous and asynchronous delivery modes and reinforced by digitally integrated platforms, including learning management systems, learner analytics, and coordinated support mechanisms. A key innovation of the model lies in its explicit positioning of learner autonomy as a foundational driver, operationalized through structured self-managed and self-directed learning strategies. This enables the model to address the complex needs of adult and lifelong learners while maintaining academic rigor and engagement at scale. The study makes a substantive contribution by extending the CoI framework into a fully operational institutional model that bridges the longstanding divide between theory and practice in digital education. It demonstrates how higher education institutions can move from isolated digital initiatives towards coherent, scalable, and sustainable learning ecosystems. By positioning ODDE as both a conceptual advancement and an implementable system, this paper offers a transformative pathway for universities seeking to respond effectively to digital disruption, lifelong learning demands, and global sustainability agendas. This work ultimately reframes digital education from a set of tools and practices into a strategically aligned institutional system, offering a replicable model for achieving sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready higher education at scale.
