The article critically examines how faculty in journalism and mass communication perceive the COVID-19 impact on higher education in Egypt. Using an online survey (N = 135) and 14 in-depth interviews in spring-summer 2020, the article contextualizes the faculty's ambivalent perceptions within the diffusion of innovation theory. The article bridges a gap in the existing literature by localizing this disrupted delivery in relation to the broader challenges and opportunities for diffusion of digital innovations in higher education. The results nuance the debate on digital education beyond a techno-determinist focus on digital skills to encompass societal awareness of regional and culture-specific digital inequalities.