Building digital capability: putting people before platforms across FE and HE

Over the past year, I have spoken to so many colleges and universities that are doing impressive work with digital infrastructure. Investment has been strong and the ambition is there. But Jisc insight continues to show that the real difference in whether staff and students can learn, teach and work effectively comes down to confidence and capability. Put simply, digital progress depends on people before platforms.

Overall satisfaction with the digital environment is strong. In the latest cycle of insights surveys, 86 percent of higher education students rated their environment above average. Professional services staff report higher satisfaction than teaching staff, and further education teaching staff now rate their environments more positively than their higher education counterparts. Support for using digital technology has improved, but it is not always visible or embedded. Many respondents still do not know where to find the right help at the right moment.

This blog builds on our latest research and shares some practical areas I think organisations can focus on to strengthen capability at scale.

Insights into digital equity

One thing that continues to come through in the data is that digital inequality persists. Learners in further education, along with international students and students from ethnic monitory groups in HE, still report unreliable or unsuitable devices more often than others. At the same time, AI adoption is rising across all groups but confidence and guidance are not keeping up. People are using these tools, but they are not always sure how to use them well, and concerns about ethics, assessment and workload remain.

Taken together, these findings remind us that technology is moving ahead, yet capability and confidence is not always keeping pace. And when that happens, the benefits are uneven.

The capability story behind the numbers

When you look more closely at the comments from teaching staff, a pattern emerges. Many still feel pressure from workload, administrative tasks and the challenge of finding time to learn new systems. Professional services staff tend to be more positive, perhaps because their workflows are less fragmented across different spaces and platforms. What really shifts these perceptions is capability development that is contextual, recognised and protected by time.

The issue of digital equity also sits right at the heart of capability. If learners do not have a suitable device or reliable connectivity, their chances to practise and build confidence shrink. We see this most clearly among further education learners and some groups of higher education students. Loan schemes and targeted support are still essential, but so is designing learning that assumes not everyone has the same access.

AI is a growing part of this picture too. Staff and students are using it more, but structured training and clear frameworks often lag behind. That gap can create uncertainty and even anxiety about doing the wrong thing. Sector guidance is increasingly placing skills, culture and governance alongside technology, supported by data maturity, to help institutions adopt AI in a responsible and sustainable way.

Where organisations can focus now

One of the most helpful shifts an organisation can make is to build capability directly into roles and curricula. Moving away from standalone workshops and towards role specific development within induction, appraisal and programme design creates a more consistent experience. Support also needs to be visible at the moment people need it, and regular capability reviews help teams see their progress over time.

Access remains a practical but essential focus. Improving campus connectivity, removing dead zones and keeping device loan schemes simple and well-advertised can make a real difference. It also helps to assume that some students will rely on their smartphones, so designing core activities to work well on mobile is important.

AI literacy and digital skills now need to be seen as part of everyone’s job. A common baseline of AI understanding and ethics is a good starting point, followed by role specific practice for educators and professional services teams. Aligning this with clear, institution wide frameworks helps balance innovation with assurance.

And finally, time matters. Allocating dedicated time for digital upskilling, especially during onboarding, curriculum redesign or role transitions, is essential. Recognising and rewarding development in appraisal ensures that capability building is not left to discretionary effort.

How building digital capability helps

Our building digital capability service gives you a structured, evidence-based way to move from ad hoc training to an embedded, organisation wide approach.

• Discovery tool for staff and students. Individuals reflect on their capabilities and receive a personalised report with suggested next steps, while leaders see aggregated dashboards to target support where it is needed most.
• Frameworks, role profiles and organisational models. A shared language and clear expectations across roles help you plan development, align to strategy and track progress.
• Community, advice and training. Practical guidance, case studies and events connect you with peers and Jisc experts to accelerate change and avoid reinventing the wheel.

To support responsible AI adoption specifically, draw on our strategic AI frameworks and leadership guides so capability, technology and governance advance together.

A pragmatic path forward

Progress is real. Students and staff are telling us that their digital environments enable learning, teaching and working more effectively than in the past. Yet the gap between what is available and what people feel confident to use remains. By treating capability as strategic, placing equity at the centre, and making AI literacy a shared foundation, colleges and universities can turn today’s digital investments into sustained value.

Get started

• Start building your roadmap. Talk to your Jisc relationship manager about the approaches and services that can help you assess current capability and plan development at scale. See how the discovery tool, frameworks and organisational models can help you embed capability development across roles
• Strengthen AI literacy and governance. Use our strategic AI frameworks and leadership guidance to build confidence and consistency
• Boost confidence and skills now through our digital learning modules available on-demand or accelerate your team’s skills with bespoke AI and digital skills CPD days that encourage experimentation and peer learning for instant results. The digital leaders programme gives senior decision-makers the confidence and skills to lead digitally driven transformation across the whole organisation.

Get involved

Join us at Digifest 2026 (10-11 March) to explore digital skills development and gain practical, real-time strategies to move from digital disruption to direction.