Metaversity challenge: How can edtech help higher education leaders overcome their biggest obstacles?

Nic Newman shares his thoughts, based on his blog for HEPI.

Higher education (HE) leaders must embrace technology strategically to ensure long-term success. Digital transformation can be revolutionary, tackling challenges by enhancing flexibility, efficiency, resilience and sustainability. But, at its core, it's all about meeting the needs of students and staff, putting people first in the era of innovation.

All very well, but HE leaders are time pressed. As Liam Earney, Jisc’s managing director HE and research and executive director of digital resources, wrote for HEPI in September – digital innovation should not be yet another thing on the list of demands: it offers institutions the ability to deliver on their priorities, ensuring a high-quality student experience and research excellence.

That's why Jisc and Emerge Education have teamed up to create a report offering a quick look at how recent technologies are changing higher education and how universities are adapting. "How can edtech address some of the greatest challenges facing HE leaders?" is a user-friendly guide to the latest edtech trends, specifically addressing the concerns of higher education leaders. The report shares global stories and learning from the sector about the following areas:

AI and assessment

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting assessment in unique ways. Our report examines the impact, and the opportunities it presents. It reflects the shift in attitudes over the course of this year from initial calls for a ban to the launch of the Russell Group’s five guiding AI principles and a growing appreciation of the benefits.

It’s also worth noting that Jisc’s national centre for AI in tertiary education exists to support members in using artificial intelligence effectively.

Digital solutions for a smarter campus

Higher education is currently revisiting the meaning of the phrase “digital campus”. Is it a physical place, rooted in a geographic location, or a space of expertise, skills and ideas that might be physical, digital or both?

All HE leaders face long-term investment decisions that are less clear than in the era of the purely physical campus. Many students today are after a greater blend between place and space, with digital infrastructures enabling a fluid campus experience that can shift (possibly several times a day) from the physical to the virtual.

Then there’s the metaversity: immersive virtual reality technology that allows remote students and academics to meet and learn on a virtual campus. Examples across the US  are showing some success in increased grade averages, student satisfaction, engagement, and achievement relative to traditional and online formats.

Student engagement

There are now exciting opportunities for improved approaches to student engagement and mental wellbeing through the rise of personalisation, AI, learning analytics and changing student preferences. However, the challenge for many universities is to move from generic, piecemeal university systems to student-centric, personalised systems.

Digital transformation

The benefits of investing in digital infrastructure are enormous, offering greater resilience and efficiency, new opportunities to bring in additional revenue, better learning outcomes and greater flexibility for students. The report identifies six areas for success in digital transformation, and the questions every HE leader should be asking when embarking on an institutional digital strategy.

For further digital transformation support, Jisc has recently released new resources to help universities make strategic moves towards a digital future. Universities now have access to a digital transformation in higher education guide, which contains a digital maturity model, action plan, and roadmap, to support all organisations no matter where they are on their digital transformation journey.

More than keeping track of technology

Keeping up with global edtech trends is one thing, but through collaboration and shared learning, the HE sector has the real potential to thrive in this newly digital landscape. We hope this report proves an asset for HE leaders as they work to provide their students with the best experience possible.

Find out more

• Read Jisc and Emerge Education’s report: "How can edtech address some of the greatest challenges facing HE leaders?"
• Read our framework for digital transformation in higher education
• Read our Digital transformation in higher education guide
• We are interested in finding out how higher education providers might use the suite of materials to support digital transformation across their organisation or even in one area of work. Express your interest in working with us
• HE providers interested in using the maturity model to identify their level of maturity are invited to contact sarah.knight@jisc.ac.uk or simon.birkett@jisc.ac.uk. If you prefer, you can also contact your institution’s relationship manager