Beyond the Technology

Digifest 2025 may be over but here's your chance to hear one of the podcasts recorded live at the event. Host Iwan Lehnert welcomes Mark Andrews, principal strategic development manager at Adobe and Jonathan Hofgartner, head of learning and teaching - licensing at Jisc to discuss how integrating Adobe Express into curriculum design and delivery aligns with key themes in Jisc's digital transformation framework for higher education. Discover how insights on digital culture and curriculum development are shaping the partnership between Jisc and Adobe to support institutions who have invested in Adobe Express via Jisc's software licensing.

Watch a video version of the podcast.

Show notes

• Sign up for Digifest 2026 updates
• Learn more about the Transforming Together: Leading and Learning programme
• Read about Jisc's framework for digital transformation in higher education
• Visit the Chest website to learn about the Jisc Adobe ETLA agreement with new Adobe Express option
• Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you.

Simon Birkett is joined by Professor Phil Hanna, Stefanie Savage-Campbell, and Dr. Aidan Deery from Queen's University Belfast to discuss embracing AI, digital transformation, and the evolving role of education.

The team share how Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is taking a proactive approach to AI, focusing on innovation and student success while balancing risks and opportunities. They go on to highlight the university's focus on values, behaviours, and adaptability in digital education discussing how fostering a supportive culture enables students and staff to experiment with new technologies and approaches to learning.

Looking ahead, the team discusses the future of digital transformation in education. From curriculum design to the integration of AI in teaching and assessment, they explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for institutions adapting to an ever-changing digital landscape.

Listen to the full episode to hear insights on leadership in digital transformation, strategies for supporting staff and students, and predictions for the future of education in a rapidly evolving technological world.

Show Notes

• Views shared by beyond the technology guests do not necessarily represent the views of Jisc

• Subscribe to our Headlines newsletter, for all the latest news, guidance and events tailored to you

• If you want to come on the show, or have any questions, get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

• Read the findings from our digital transformation research pilot.

• Find out more about embracing AI with confidence at Jisc.

With Digifest 2025 on the horizon, in this episode of Beyond the Technology host Iwan Lehnert meets with Rob Wraith, head of learning technology and digital learning at NCG to discuss his breakout session at the event.

Rob begins the conversation by giving a preview of his upcoming Digifest 2025 presentation on empowering employability with digital solutions to drive skills development, touching on the adoption of virtual reality and virtual environments, as well as making use of technology that is already embedded in the classroom.

Next, Rob shares NCG's approach to using digital learning to enhance the student experience, and the importance of ensuring that any software is as inclusive and accessible as possible.

Listen to the full episode to also hear what Rob is looking forward to at Digifest, advice on integrating digital tools and more.

Show notes

• Connect with Rob on LinkedIn
• Visit the NCG website
• Register for Digifest 2025
• Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you.

We caught up with our head of analytics, James Hodgkin, at the launch of learning analytics.

James talks about the new features available, the importance of people at the heart of data and future plans for the updated platform including student wellbeing.

• Watch the live recording
• Learn more about the learning analytics platform
• Read our blog on the future of learning analytics: make data your organisation's priority
• Listen to our tech takes podcast, delivering learning analytics fit for the future
• Read the Office for Students (OfS) mental health analytics project - an evaluation
• Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you

In this episode of our further education and skills (FE) podcasts, host Andrew McFadyen talks to Phil Whitehead from DN Colleges Group. Throughout this series, hosts Andrew and Louisa are joined by experts from further education colleges to shine a light on how they support digital development through the use of Jisc tools, such as the digital elevation tool, building digital capability service and digital experience insights surveys.

Phil starts by sharing his journey from secondary school teacher to Director of Academic Services and Digital Learning, and finding success with his YouTube channel, Teachblend.

Next, Phil discusses his current project, immersive rooms, and how they can foster collaboration with other colleges as well as reducing travel for learners.

Phil explains how he's used the Jisc building digital capability tool to underpin their DN Digital Skills program, building staff digital capability and resilience.

Listen to the full episode to also hear how Phil connects with peers in the sector, advice for using digital technology in the classroom, and how he feels the role of the FE teacher might change over time.

Show notes

• Visit the DN Colleges Group website
• Connect with Phil on LinkedIn
• View Phil's YouTube channel, Teachblend
• Follow Phil on Bluesky
• Read more about the immersive rooms
• Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you.

Exploring how we can bridge digital inequity for international and transnational students, with insights from experts across Nigeria, Pakistan, and the UK.

We delve into the complexities of digital inequity faced by international and transnational education students, focusing on insights from experts and lived experiences in Nigeria, Pakistan, and the UK. We discuss the impact of infrastructure disparities, cultural shifts in digital learning, and the importance of preparing students for technological transitions before arriving in the UK.

Elizabeth Newall, senior sector specialist at Jisc, invites Doctor Rafael Escalon Reynoso, CEO at the Portulans Institute, Doctor Sonia Saleem, founder and CEO of Socio Engineering Technologies, and Ikechukwu Okoye, secretary general for the Nigeria Esports Federation and the director of Afri Start Innovation Hub, to share their insights on bridging digital inequity.

The conversation highlights the growing investments in digital maturity, the challenges of integrating technology into education, and the pivotal role of public-private partnerships and collaboration in fostering equitable access to digital tools and resources for students worldwide.

Show notes

• Views shared by beyond the technology guests do not necessarily represent the views of Jisc
• Subscribe to our Headlines newsletter, for all the latest news, guidance and events tailored to you
• If you want to come on the show, or have any questions, get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]
• Find out more about the researching international students' digital experience project. Dive deeper into the Portulans institute reports
• Learn more about the Nigeria E-sports Federation
• Download Briefing paper - Portulans (BP 4) Digital country profiles: international students' digital experiences in relation to their home country's civil digital infrastructure (pdf)

In this episode of our further education and skills (FE) podcasts, hosts Louisa Stamatelopoulos and Andrew McFadyen chat to Beth Snowden from Craven College. Throughout this series Andrew and Louisa are joined by experts from further education colleges to shine a light on how they support digital development through the use of our tools, such as the digital elevation tool, building digital capability service and digital experience insights surveys.

Beth begins the discussion by sharing details of her dual operational and strategic role at the college, from investigating licenses to co-writing the digital learning strategy, as well as the scale and scope of Craven College.

The conversation then turns to the college's focus on embedding digital further into the staff development system, and how their recently launched digital learning strategy has been instrumental in the developments and decisions that are being made.

Beth highlights the success of the college's first ever staff development day on digital CPD, with 300 members of staff participating in workshops and even learning to fly drones.

Listen to the full episode to also hear about Beth's experiences of Jisc's digital experience insights survey, learning from the digital accessibility community, and tips on getting started with AI.

Show notes

• Visit Craven College's website
• View Beth's LinkedIn page
• Learn more about the college's commercial training division, Tyro Training
• Read about Evolve, Craven College's small college in the centre of Ripon and take a ThingLink tour
• Access the Aviation Academy, based at Leeds Bradford Airport
• Watch a 360 tour of Craven Arena, home to Craven Equine
• Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you.

In this episode of the Beyond the Technology podcast, Jisc's Chris Thomson is joined by Dr Miriam Firth from the University of Manchester. They discuss the work Miriam has been doing with the QAA, and colleagues across a number of other HE institutions, to examine practices of optionality in assessment.

During the episode, Miri dives into the rationale for the research project, what they discovered and what lessons can be learned for assessment designers.

Show notes

• Find out more about the optionality in assessment project
• Review the Jisc guidance on the Principles of Good Assessment and Feedback
• Listen to the creative approaches to assessment in media and communications podcast

In this episode, Jisc's Kellie Mote welcomes Dr Ann Kristin Glenster from the Glenlead Centre and Bouquette Kabatepe from Imperial College London for a discussion on digital accessibility and the accessible digital futures project.

The group reflect on how they met and how a shared passion for accessibility sowed the seeds of the accessible digital futures project, a series of events bringing together digital leads from UK HE to explore the potential of accessible digital and AI technologies for all.

Bouquette speaks about hosting a workshop and the importance of having representation from all levels at the university, raising awareness that digital accessibility is a must, not just a nice to have. Ann Kristin delves into some of the findings from the project, highlighting feedback from the edtech sector further emphasising the need to build accessibility into products at the earliest stages.

Listen now to hear about accessible procurement, AI in accessibility tools and assistive technologies, the impact of the European Accessibility Act and much more.

Show notes

• Get involved in the accessible digital futures project
• Join us for the next accessible digital futures workshop
• Learn more about Imperial, Intel and Lenovo's ICICLE project
• Find out more about Bouquette, and Imperial's commitment to digital accessibility in this blog
• Watch a video demonstration of Microsoft's Seeing with AI
• Learn more about the 100-year life book mentioned in the podcast

Host Elizabeth Newall welcomes Professor Dan George, Professor Jane Mooney and Professor Caroline Bowsher from the University of Manchester to discuss the work they have been doing to support digital transformation as part of Manchester's Flexible Learning Programme.

In this episode of our mini-series on demonstrating digital transformation, Elizabeth Newall, senior sector specialist in the higher education and research directorate at Jisc, is joined by representatives of the Flexible Learning Programme (FLP) at the University of Manchester: Professor Dan George, associate vice president for blended and flexible learning, Professor Caroline Bowsher, university academic theme lead for the digital learning environment and Professor Jane Mooney, university academic theme lead for digital skills and literacy. Jisc recently hosted a demonstrating digital transformation event at the University of Manchester, and in this podcast we'll hear more about the work that Dan, Caroline and Jane have been doing to support digital transformation as part of Manchester's Flexible Learning Programme.

The conversation begins with Dan sharing the University of Manchester's definition of flexible learning and the origins of the Flexible Learning Programme. Dan explains how the university's current strategy set them on a path towards increased student choice to enable their offering to be flexible by design and flexible by delivery.

Jane follows this up by describing how Jisc's resources, such as the digital transformation framework and maturity model which they have recently piloted, have supported them in the Flexible Learning Programme. Caroline discusses how their targeted approach to digital maturity allows them to focus the conversations in around specific areas of the model, so that they get really specific outcomes and next steps to follow up on.

Dan talks about how the maturity model workshops were well received by key stakeholders and the executive level at the university, and touches on the special relationship with external civic organisations.

Lastly, the team talk about why they wanted to host a demonstrating digital transformation event and what the success of the day meant to them.

Show notes:

• Read our accompanying member story
• Read our digital transformation in higher education guide
• Read more about the Flexible Learning Strategy and Workstreams and feel free to get in touch with the team via [email protected]
• See our digital transformation in higher education toolkit and explore a comprehensive perspective on how the digital environment can support positive work, research and learning experiences, and promote a sense of belonging and wellbeing
• Join our Digital transformation in higher education working group
• Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you