Demonstrating digital transformation: transformational co-design
Join us at the University of Chester as part of the demonstrating digital transformation events series.
- One day
- Free
This event will be held on
24 April 2025
- University of Chester
- 09:30 – 15:45
About
The University of Chester is one of the 24 pilot institutions that has worked closely with Jisc over the last year to test, affirm and contribute to the further development of Jisc’s framework for digital transformation, including the maturity model and action planning toolkit. Their holistic cross institutional project encompass many of the successful attributes to digital transformation. The team will share experiences of how they approached this project, the challenged encountered and successes achieved so far, and the next steps in their transformational journey.
The University of Chester’s Centre for Academic Innovation and Development is in the process of a large curriculum redesign and transformation project and saw involvement in the Jisc digital transformation research pilot as a real opportunity to enhance the work they were undertaking. This is in line with the university’s new delivery model and academic framework as outlined in the 2023 Student Education Plan, linked to the Citizen Student Strategy.
As part of this work the team at Chester wanted to increase clarity around how change happens at the university, and how digital infrastructure projects fit into the wider organisational strategic direction of travel. One component of this wider transformation strategy was an 18-month project focused on the redesign and redevelopment of the University of Chester’s virtual learning environment (VLE), aiming to improve how this core technology is used to support learning and teaching. This was the context that led the team to first consider Jisc’s digital transformation toolkit. An exemplary element of their work has been around their approach to collaborating across multiple teams, departments, schools and faculties, ensuring the successful delivery of their project.
At this event, we will hear from University of Chester’s senior leaders who will share their curriculum redesign and transformation project, how they are co-designing this with staff and students across their organisation and how Jisc’s digital transformation toolkit has supported this work.
The 2024-2025 series of demonstrating digital transformation events mirrors the holistic nature of Jisc's framework for digital transformation. It brings together senior leaders with responsibility for taking forward digital transformation within their university including senior executive/director roles in digital, student experience, education, technical, digital and IT services, libraries, estates and facilities management, registry, data management, learning and teaching, research and innovation roles.
Programme
Registration and networking
Welcome and introduction
Liam Earney, Managing director for higher education and research
University of Chester’s digital transformation journey
Senior leaders at University of Chester will present their digital transformation journey and how using Jisc’s framework and maturity model for digital transformation has supported their work.
Speakers:
- Professor Helen O’ Sullivan – deputy vice chancellor and provost
- Professor Jackie Potter – dean of academic innovation
- Steve Bowden – director of learning and information services
Breakout session one
Theme one - VLE co-design
(Led by the digital Education team)
The team will discuss the anatomy of a co-design workshop using inputs, outputs and roadmaps
Attendees will get: guidance on how to run co-design workshops, experience from co-design team, chance to plan a co-design effort for their own scenario
Theme two - Steering the boat and building your crew
(Led by associate professor Katharine Welsh)
Navigating working groups (AI and education, education technology forum) to build a coalition with no passengers.
Attendees will get: reflections on building a team that works (both in terms of collaboration and in terms of getting stuff done), ideas to link strategy to operations via governance
Theme three - Managing change
(Led by professor Jackie Potter and Laura Milne)
Seas of change, stakeholders and their buy in, empowering through communications, engagement and feedback loops
Attendees will get: a chance to reflect on comms strategy for major transformation work, how to engage stakeholders (including senior stakeholders), risk-based approaches to change
Breakout session two
Theme one - VLE co-design
(Led by the digital education team)
The team will discuss the anatomy of a co-design workshop using inputs, outputs and roadmaps
Attendees will get: guidance on how to run co-design workshops, experience from co-design team, chance to plan a co-design effort for their own scenario
Theme two - Steering the boat and building your crew
(Led by associate professor Katharine Welsh)
Navigating working groups (AI and education, education technology forum) to build a coalition with no passengers.
Attendees will get: reflections on building a team that works (both in terms of collaboration and in terms of getting stuff done), ideas to link strategy to operations via governance
Theme three - Managing change
(Led by professor Jackie Potter and Laura Milne)
Seas of change, stakeholders and their buy in, empowering through communications, engagement and feedback loops
Attendees will get: a chance to reflect on comms strategy for major transformation work, how to engage stakeholders (including senior stakeholders), risk-based approaches to change
Lunch and networking
Baselining and driving change in digital transformation
Sarah Knight, Elizabeth Newall and Simon Birkett will lead a workshop on baselining digital maturity and how Jisc’s digital transformation toolkit can support institutions to drive forward change.
Panel discussion
Conditions for collaboration: Embedding transformational culture and breaking down silos
Simon Birkett (chair) – senior sector specialist, digital transformation - Jisc
Stewart McElmeel – learning development officer – University of Chester
Michele Turner – deputy director, learning and information services – University of Chester
Rebecca Falcon - programme leader BA product design – University of Chester
Laura Milne – head of digital education – University of Chester
Close
Who should attend
These events are aimed at senior leaders with responsibility for taking forward digital transformation within their university, including senior executive/director roles in:
- Learning and teaching
- Research and innovation
- Digital and IT services
- Libraries, estates and facilities management
- Registry and data management
Feedback from delegates who have attended our previous demonstration digital transformation events:
- “Supported by Jisc, the event featured a great agenda with a good variety of sessions."
- "The event was well-organised and efficiently run…and the content was delivered very well."
Contact
For further information, please contact events@jisc.ac.uk.