From data to inclusion: how Jisc supports Scotland’s innovation journey

I’m proud to mark Scotland’s first National Innovation Week. At Jisc, we help colleges and universities put innovation into practice, whether that’s enabling secure online learning, improving digital skills or building the infrastructure that makes future-focused teaching and research possible.

We don’t just support the sector, we innovate too. From next-generation connectivity and cyber security to smarter use of cloud, our work helps Scotland’s tertiary education community thrive.

A personal journey into digital

One autumn morning in the late 1990s, I asked my business law students to try a set of new online quizzes in the library. Their enthusiasm for answering questions, digesting feedback and trying again showed me the power of digital.

Since then, we’ve seen broadband, streaming media, user-generated content, smartphones and now AI. Each wave of technology has opened new opportunities to enhance education.

Celebrating digital learning

This year marks ten years sponsoring the digital learning category at the CDN Awards, and the innovative use of technology at The Herald Education Awards.

As a judge, I’ve been inspired by the creativity and impact of the projects submitted. Colleges and universities across Scotland are using technology in remarkable ways and it’s never easy to pick a single winner from such strong entries.

Despite the well-known financial pressures, I’ve seen powerful examples of innovation. Sometimes it’s everyday digital tools solving stubborn challenges. Other times it’s major investment in new technology making a real difference to learners, the economy and society.

The Jisc innovation hub

This year also saw the launch of the Jisc innovation hub at the University of Stirling. The hub gives staff and students hands-on access to communication and collaboration technologies that can transform learning and teaching.

The hub focuses on practical technologies that deliver benefits when paired with the right support and teaching approaches. That might mean giving remote learners equal experience in a hybrid classroom or taking a field trip through virtual reality without leaving campus.The hub is a collaborative space, open to all Scottish post-16 providers and sector agencies and it will continue to evolve as a long-term resource for the sector. You can book a visit to our innovation hub.

Data-driven innovation

Data is essential to driving effective innovation. In June, we launched a first-of-its-kind register of spin-out firms created by UK universities.

This dataset helps the sector and government guide investment, shape policy, and form partnerships that drive growth and jobs. Scotland, with 8% of the UK’s population and GDP, delivered nearly 11% of recent spin-outs, a proud contribution to industrial innovation.

Innovation also depends on infrastructure. That’s why Jisc has modernised the Janet Network across Scotland. We’ve replaced legacy arrangements with a consistent, future-ready architecture linking colleges and universities to the Janet backbone. The upgrade delivers financial sustainability, stronger cyber resilience and flexibility for new uses.

And innovation works best when it’s guided strategically. Our digital transformation framework and toolkit help colleges and universities build secure, ethical strategies that empower staff and students. Alongside this, our digital transformation consultancy offers tailored solutions aligned with each organisation’s goals.

In Scotland, our digital elevation tool for colleges and maturity model for universities are embedded in the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review requirements, ensuring consistent progress in digital transformation.

Inclusive innovation in action

This week, Jisc is partnering with the Scottish Sensory Centre (SSC) to deliver an interactive, hands-on session on supporting students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

“Partnering with Jisc brings together invaluable expertise in digital accessibility and educational audiology technology, enabling us to scale assistive listening solutions across Scotland's higher and further education sectors more effectively.

This collaboration shows how innovation thrives when technical knowledge meets real-world educational challenges. Our new assistive listening technology lab is a testament to putting inclusive practice at the forefront of technological advancement.

With Jisc's support, we're not developing assistive technologies in isolation, we’re ensuring they integrate seamlessly into the digital learning environments that students and educators rely on daily.”

–Dr Brian Shannan, educational audiologist, Scottish Sensory Centre, University of Edinburgh

And as Ileana Iacobescu, University of Edinburgh puts it:

“The accessibility community at Jisc is an invaluable source of inspiration and information. It is a supportive environment for sharing solutions and best practices, troubleshooting technology and understanding policy. The people are what make it, and their knowledge and passion is motivating.”

Every Scottish college and university faces unique challenges. That’s why our relationship managers work closely with each organisation to understand its priorities, context and goals. We support shared digital infrastructure, develop digital skills and pilot emerging technologies such as AI and analytics.

Colleges and universities can draw on Jisc’s advice, data and peer collaboration to transform teaching, assessment and research. This aligns with our Scotland priorities for 2025–26, including digital inclusion, learning innovation and sector-wide collaboration.

Scotland’s National Innovation Week is a chance to celebrate partnership and progress in education. With Jisc’s support, every Scottish college and university is empowered to innovate boldly enabling staff and students to achieve more today and in the future.