This year I was invited to the Digifest 2025 conference, because I was being recognised as a JISC Community Champion. (So no organising hotels and trains for me!) Hosted by JISC, Digifest brings together educators, technologists, and policymakers to discuss challenges and opportunities in the sector. There will be hundreds of blog posts from attendees so I will keep mine to three minutes of reading maximum, ready? Lets go!
Pre-conference
As always, networking at these events begins before the conference itself. While waiting in line for coffee before registration, I spoke with a colleague who had developed a GenAI card game. The game enables players to refine their prompting skills by layering cards onto base cards to modify prompts, leading to more precise AI-generated outputs. These outputs are used to complete objectives that mirror real-life tasks performed by educators and administrators. This game will be showcased at the Teaching and Learning Conference 2025.
Digifest Day 1
A key takeaway from the opening keynote, delivered by Paul Iske, was the concept of “failing brilliantly“. The keynote highlighted common behavioral patterns and provided strategies for reframing failure as a valuable and necessary part of learning. Iske introduced 16 common failure “archetypes,” offering insights on recognising and mitigating them. His approach aligns with Schön’s reflective model, emphasising proactive reflection rather than waiting until outcomes are finalised. Many delegates carried this theme throughout the conference.
Later, I attended a session by featuring Tamsyn Smith, a past participant in the JISC Digital Leaders programme and a local leader at Southampton. Tamsyn’s discussion covered several themes, including Designing for the Future, Data-Informed Education, and Collaboration. One particularly interesting discussion focused on leveraging GenAI to create more sustainable development plans with staff and students while balancing these innovations with internal governance requirements.
The day concluded with a session on supporting digital capabilities. This keynote shared approaches implemented at other institutions, focusing on three key levers for change:
- A clear strategic mandate and engagement from senior colleagues.
- Cross-functional engagement across professional services, academic staff, and students’ unions.
- Data-driven initiatives, including LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft accreditations, and the JISC Discovery Tool.
A key discussion point was how to proceed when struggling to establish or engage with these levers. The suggested approach was to build allyship—engaging the communities that benefit from these initiatives to drive adoption. This made me reflect on the work Alison Ormesher has done to raise awareness of digital capabilities at Southampton.
Digifest Day 2
Day 2 began much like Day 1—Luke striking up conversations in the coffee queue. This time, I met Phil Anthony, and we discussed our shared interest in Communities of Practice before agreeing to catch up later. (This serves as a reminder for me!)
The keynote focused on Generative AI in further and higher education. Sana Khareghani, a leader in this field, shared insights and resources, with an overarching message of “wait and see”—likely a response to recent political shifts. A key question raised was: What will your institution do with the resources GenAI enables you to save?
While the audience responded with some scepticism, the afternoon keynote offered a direct answer: “We will use our staff, time, and financial resources to enhance human-centred service delivery, designing experiences that GenAI cannot effectively replicate.” This resonated with me, as my work is centred on creating equitable learning experiences.
The final session featured Dan and Patrice, who shared strategies for improving digital experiences for international students. Matt utilised the Network Readiness Index alongside JISC insight survey to identify areas for improvement. Interestingly, most international students responded positively to technology-enhanced learning (TEL), despite initial “digital shocks” when adapting to UK academic expectations. Balancing these design considerations remains a challenge.
Patrice focused on student experience, leveraging their position to develop human-centred provisions. For example:
- A pre-induction visit day to familiarise international students with campus and university support services.
- Translating all admissions communications so students can share them with their families, addressing assumptions that parents understand English simply because their child does.
Both institutions shared their frameworks, demonstrating measurable improvements in international student experiences.
Overall
Digifest 2025 provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of digital education, with key themes including failure as a learning tool, the role of Generative AI, and strategies for enhancing digital capabilities. Celebrating the Community Champion achievement with others recognised fostered a closer connection to colleagues at other institutions and has result in further development opportunities.