Digital strategy

A young woman in glasses works at a laptop

Boost your product in the marketplace of online education

Congratulations on using your entrepreneurial mindset to start an online educational business. Now what?

Mariam Shadan, Fathima Ubaid

Dubai Medical College for Girls

A woman in a VR headset

Welcome to your virtual reality-based classroom

VR innovation can make education truly inclusive and sustainable. Here’s how academics at UCL and Marmara University developed a virtual reality-based building

Stephen Hilton, Blanka Hilton

University College London, University of Kent

African American student studying online

Creating flexible learning pathways for business students

Digital transformation isn’t about technology – it’s about people, writes Steve Hill. Learning experiences must fit into students’ lives rather than forcing them to fit their lives around institutions

Steve Hill

LIBF

Digital padlock with motherboard imagery as the background

Retaining qualified IT staff is the key to cyber resilience

Practical guidance on training and empowering staff to maintain robust cyber-defences that protect students, the workforce and the institution as a whole

Petrus Mursanto

University of Indonesia

A man in a green t-shirt collects plastic bottles

Four strategies to turn climate anxiety into student-led action

With climate anxiety on the rise among young people, universities can adopt several strategies to help harness those concerns, empower students and effect real change

Will Ellis

The London School of Economics and Political Science

A student filming himself speaking to camera

How small university marketing communications teams can make a big impact

Aligning comms with brand identity and recruiting alumni are among several ways lean marketing communications teams can boost their institution’s profile

Ellie Campbell, Kate Stanbury

London Metropolitan University

Hands holding jigsaw pieces in front of a laptop, digital accessibility

Taking digital accessibility from mandate for change to business as usual

To support the student community, digital accessibility needs to be embedded across teaching and learning. Here, Julian Tenney offers insights and steps based on his institution’s experience

Julian Tenney

University of Nottingham

Student athlete with a gold medal

Using sports storytelling to raise an institution’s profile

How the University of Stirling leverages student athletes’ stories to create impactful content and drive engagement

Greg Christison

University of Stirling

A pharmacist works on a computer

Five key tips for using AI-based simulations

With professional experiences now crucial to undergraduate pharmacy degrees, academics turned to AI simulations. Here’s what happened

Natalie Lewis

Aston University

Students standing and chatting outside of a campus building

How unlocking data maximises student support and success

See how using sophisticated dashboards and targeted interventions can enable institutions to deliver personalised, preventative, proactive and predictive student support

Aleata Alstad-Calkins

University of Roehampton

Rack with server data storage equipment

Developing a circular economy for the data centre industry

With collaboration and stakeholder buy-in, universities can help solve global issues such as reducing e-waste and the environmental impact of internet servers

Deborah Andrews

London South Bank University

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How to prepare students for a global working world

As universities, we need to teach our students how to operate in a global online workplace – and facilitate their opportunities to do so

Richard Sant

University of the Arts London

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A guide to making automation work in higher education

Implementing automation in universities can relieve staff from repetitive tasks, streamline operations and enhance the student experience. Find out how to do it and the key questions to ask at each stage

Gregor Caldow, Jennifer Robertson

University of Glasgow

A woman studying at her laptop

Promoting online courses: five effective marketing strategies

Several ways to promote Moocs and other online courses, including a focus on email marketing and paid advertising

Luke Howard, Ari Badlishah

The University of Edinburgh

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Make the most of online education for your students

Students appreciate the value of online education. How can educators maximise this value as much as possible?

Ayten Ordu

Near East University

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The looming threat of deepfakes

What are the implications of deepfake technologies on universities’ day-to-day operations and how can academic leaders act to safeguard their institutions? Here are three ways

Salah Al-Majeed

Al Akhawayn University

Students hold up signs in the shape of speech bubbles

What do students want from higher education?

Student satisfaction runs much deeper than excellent academic credentials. Find out how to attract new intake by focusing on what they really want from the university experience

Pete Moss

Ellucian

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THE podcast: knowledge exchange and data management as drivers of research and innovation

The University of Oxford’s pro vice-chancellor for innovation on how universities and industry can work together for the benefit of all, plus a leading data scientist on why data needs careful handling to protect future research efforts

Chas Bountra, Sara de Freitas

University of Oxford, Birkbeck, University of London, The Open University

A sign saying "digital literacy" hung up on a shelf with books behind it

Closing the digital divide in higher education

A one-size-fits-all approach to digital literacy training simply won’t cut it; institutions need to tailor programmes to the varying needs of their staff

Pavana Kiranmai Chepuri

Woxsen University

A lecturer gives a talk

Three ways to integrate emerging technologies into the curriculum

Your students’ future jobs will depend on technology just in its infancy today. But how best to teach them the skills they need? Sabrina Azzi offers advice

Sabrina Azzi

University of the West of Scotland

A group of people work round a table

A guide to cultivating a start-up culture in academia

To foster a start-up culture in higher education, we need to encourage risk-taking, reward innovation and get ahead of the trends. Here’s how to get started

Sadaf Majeed

Dubai Medical College for Girls

An AI traffic light

How to navigate the grey areas of AI ethics

With principles on AI’s use still evolving, universities must navigate a complex ethical landscape. Here are ways they can help shape responsible application of the tool

Lakshmi Goel

Al Akhawayn University

Black female student doing online education

Blended learning is the short-term fix that turned into a long-term stay

Yes, the transition between online and in-person methods can make blended delivery challenging for students and educators alike, but keeping students engaged and sustaining their learning is worth the effort

Nisha Detchprohm

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

A scientist works at a laptop

How to handle data ethically and effectively as a social scientist

New data sources are generating vast amounts of information for researchers. But social scientists and management researchers should put robust practices in place to remain ethical

Anne ter Wal

Imperial College London

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Change is coming, whether higher education likes it or not

Universities may talk about digital transformation, but are yet to translate it into action. Here’s how to start building the momentum for change, instead of standing still

Andrew Greenway

Public Digital

Example of a rhizome

Rhizocrit: Rhizomatic learning and critical digital pedagogy in the post-digital age

Higher education needs transformative practices to respond to the challenges of the 21st century. Combining expansive, organic learning with active, critical use of technology could be the way forward

Daniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque

University of Lleida

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Training interpreters in the age of AI

Instead of fighting against the dawn of artificial intelligence, educators should be teaching future interpreters the skills to use it effectively. Here’s how

Nan Zhao

Hong Kong Baptist University

A medical student works from her laptop

Tips for implementing blended learning in medical education in a post-pandemic world

The Covid-19 pandemic triggered a switch to blended learning in medical education. How will it continue to evolve and how best to use it?

Rania Shalaby

Dubai Medical College for Girls

A scientist works at a microscope

Centralise laboratory management for better teaching and research

Creating a single department to oversee laboratory operations can streamline your processes and cut costs. Here’s how to do it

Mohd Fatimie Irzaq Khamis

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

A group of people working round an office table

How to create a start-up dynamic in academia

Innovation hubs have sparked ideas, fostered partnerships and raised funding for the software industry. Let’s use the same model to create groundbreaking educational programmes

Deborah Sepich

Colorado State University Global

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THE podcast: university success stories in managing AI and building digital capacity

Find out how two universities, in Hong Kong and the UK, are embracing generative AI and building institution-wide digital expertise

Julia Chen, Helen Cocks

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Exeter

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Culturally sensitive support for Black international students

Ongoing support, cultural sensitivity and strategic planning can create an environment where Black international students feel valued and empowered to succeed

Patrice Seuwou

University of Northampton

The hand of Adam reaches towards a robot arm, with a buffering sign in between

Apply the principles of critical pedagogy to GenAI

Artificial intelligence can shape our educational practices – but when we allow this to happen unthinkingly, what do we risk losing? Here’s how to stay uncomfortable and ask the critical questions

Richard McInnes, Simon Nagy, Laura Airey

The University of Adelaide

Colleagues use a laptop together

When it comes to digital upskilling, sharing is caring

Launching a digital upskilling product is one thing but getting staff to use it is quite another. Katie Steen and Dave Weller harnessed the power of personalisation to get that all-important buy-in

Katie Steen, Dave Weller

University of Exeter

A holographic image of a brain emerges from a smartphone

Three key collaborations to foster digital fluency in students

While digital skills development is all-important for employability, no one can predict what the job market will look like in a decade. Instead, focus on digital fluency for well-rounded future employees. Jeni Brown and Nedelin Velikov explain how

Jeni Brown, Nedelin Velikov

The London School of Economics and Political Science

An illustration of figures loading cogs, books and a lightbulb into a giant head

A whole-organisation approach to digital upskilling is the way forward

The challenge of digital transformation is one universities must rise to, or be left behind. Amanda Taylor-Beswick advocates for an organisation-wide approach

Amanda Taylor-Beswick

University of Cumbria

A robot and human hand put two jigsaw puzzle pieces together

Rather than restrict the use of AI, let’s embrace the challenge it offers

Using the AI assessment scale, we can equip students with the skills they’ll need for the future workplace. Mike Perkins and Jasper Roe explain how

Mike Perkins, Jasper Roe

British University Vietnam, James Cook University Singapore

Researcher looking through a microscope in a lab

The GenAI awakening: navigating the new frontier of research support

As Generative AI gains traction in the world of research, Ryan Henderson and Ayla Kruis shed light on using it responsibly in research support

Ryan Henderson, Ayla Kruis

Utrecht University, University Medical Center Utrecht

A lecturer points to a computer screen while a student listens

How to develop a digital competency framework everyone can benefit from

It’s up to higher education institutions to teach students the digital skills they’ll need for the world of work. Steven Wong outlines the framework his team developed to educate students and staff

Steven Wong

Singapore Institute of Technology

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THE podcast: interview with Mark Thompson, professor of digital economy at the University of Exeter

Academic, practitioner and policy commentator Mark Thompson shares his concern that UK higher education is drifting from its true north of research, teaching and impact in the wake of complex digital change and the prisoner’s dilemma of whole-sector transformation

Mark Thompson

University of Exeter

Digital butterfly emerges from cocoon

Ideas that make a difference for the digital transformation of universities

In a series of Campus resources, UK digital adopters explore what has worked (and what has not) as universities go digital and where investment in technology can be most effective

Sarah Dyer, Craig Walker, Lisa Harris, Arunangsu Chatterjee, Niamh Downing

University of Manchester, HEdway Group, University of Exeter, University of Leeds, Canterbury Christ Church University

Illustration of people in silhouette with cityscape

Harnessing the humanities for transformative tech leadership

Amid a growing awareness that humanities students and faculty need data literacy, Rishi Jaitly, a longstanding champion of the humanities in technology, explains why data and technology leaders also need an education in the liberal arts

Rishi Jaitly

Virginia Tech

Three designers discussing ideas at a table in an office

Use design thinking principles to create a human-centred digital strategy

Creating a user-focused digital strategy requires the use of various channels, the adoption of design thinking principles and the involvement of students and staff from the outset

Joe Holland

University of Exeter

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Campus webinar: Can universities keep pace with digital transformation?

Three Australian digital education experts from the Campus+ network explore the benefits and risks of AI and VR in teaching and learning, and gauge higher education’s pace of digital transformation

Edward Palmer, Julie Lindsay, Karen Blackmore

The University of Adelaide, University of Southern Queensland , The University of Newcastle, Australia

Young woman using an Ipad at work

Eight ways to improve your digital well-being

To counteract the detrimental consequences of excessive screen time and digital overload, we must take a thoughtful and balanced approach, writes Nisha P. Shetty

Nisha P. Shetty

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

A teacher shows a students how to code

A road map for advancing digital inclusion for your students, staff and community

A multi-departmental and collaborative approach to digital skills training has helped tackle digital exclusion at Staffordshire University. Raheel Nawaz explains the key initiatives

Raheel Nawaz

University of Staffordshire

A small figure kicks over the first in a line of towering stone dominoes

How small universities can make big digital changes

Even tiny institutions can punch above their weight when implementing changes. Chris Porter shares the lessons learned from overhauling library digital services at Birmingham Newman University

Chris Porter

Birmingham Newman University

Asian woman working with robot arm

Interdisciplinarity is a core part of AI’s heritage and is entwined with its future

To train students to engage responsibly with artificial intelligence, a genuinely interdisciplinary perspective – from the language used to recognising that human and machine work in concert – is essential, write Elvin Lim and Jonathan Chase

Elvin Lim , Jonathan Chase

Singapore Management University

A robot holds up a sign showing two people talking

Harness human and artificial intelligence to improve classroom debates

A guide to using artificial intelligence to support nuanced class debates that train students’ critical thinking and communication skills

Elmar Kutsch

Cranfield University

Human brain and metacognition

Collaborating with artificial intelligence? Use your metacognitive skills

Metacognition in humans holds the key to ‘collaborative intelligence’ – making the most effective use of the complementary strengths of human and artificial intelligence

Claire Mason, Sidra, Andrew Reeson, Cécile Paris

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)