JISC

JISC and the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education today signed a two-year partnership agreement with the aim of ensuring that higher education leaders gain maximum advantage from the strategic use of technology.

The partnership will support UK universities and colleges in their use of digital technologies and promote awareness of the practice and issues facing higher education leaders in integrating technologies into their institution’s strategies.

Dr Malcolm Read OBE and executive secretary of JISC said: “Creating the conditions in which higher education leaders at all levels are motivated to engage more with the strategic technology agenda within their own institution and across the higher education sector is key.

"We are looking forward to building upon the successful working relationship we have with the Leadership Foundation to achieve the integration of digital technologies into teaching, learning and research both at grassroots with practitioners and with current to future education leaders.”

Between them, the two organisations have over sixteen years of experience working with higher education leaders and managers. The signing of this partnership agreement demonstrates their commitment to working together to promote awareness of and develop effective practice in harnessing innovation, creativity and technology in UK higher education.

Ewart Wooldridge CBE chief executive of the Leadership Foundation, said: “We are facing an increasingly challenging, competitive and complex world. Leadership teams that are innovative and creative and who also understand the strategic potential of technology will have an advantage in this difficult climate. This partnership pools the knowledge and expertise from both organisations to support and develop this crucial leadership capacity for change.”

A joint report looking at ‘the integration of technology into institutional strategies’ was commissioned in the Autumn of 2008 as a first step in partnership working. JISC is also a partner in the Leadership Foundation’s Higher Education Leadership Summit, which takes place on 11 February 2010 on the theme of creativity, innovation and technology.

The Leadership Foundation joins JISC’s UK partnership portfolio that includes the British Library, the Higher Education Academy, Becta, UCISA, SCONUL, ALT and UCAS.

Read about the Leadership Foundation and find out more about JISC's partnership portfolio.