Northern Ireland engagement forum – what members told us about their digital priorities
Strategic leaders from across Northern Ireland’s FE and HE sectors came together in Belfast for our annual Northern Ireland stakeholder engagement forum.
Our annual stakeholder engagement forum gave members in Northern Ireland the opportunity to engage directly with us, helping to shape our strategy, priorities and national and regional activity - and ensuring members have local face-to-face engagement with our senior leaders. Jason Miles-Campbell, our director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, reflects on key takeaways from lively and insightful discussion.
This year’s forum brought together 22 participants: 12 from colleges, five from universities and five representing our NI funder, the Department for the Economy. Of the 17 sector representatives, 16 were at executive or senior leadership level, giving the discussion significant strategic depth.
Participants received an update on our 2025-26 priorities for Northern Ireland, including building digital capability, supporting effective, efficient and appropriate use of AI, and strengthening community and stakeholder engagement. In addition, our activity in Northern Ireland operates under a particularly rigorous procurement regime, which has presented challenges in ensuring access to shared services. The sector is also relatively small, comprising only six colleges, two universities, two HE teacher training institutions and the Open University in Northern Ireland. This creates opportunities for agile, joined-up working, but there are fewer sector agencies to bring organisations together. In this context, Jisc has a clear leadership role in convening, connecting and supporting collaboration.
The here and now: the value of Jisc
First, we asked participants a series of questions about the value of Jisc.
What one wish would make digital, data and technology easier or better?
Participants highlighted the need for streamlined procurement (particularly for cyber security services), simpler and more consistent data collection, and targeted training in areas such as AI, libraries, digital skills and digital leadership. Colleges told us that procurement challenges were a major barrier, and they wanted clearer frameworks to make it easier to access services. Universities focused more on centralised data collection, including our work on sector data, and on support around AI ethics for staff and students.
As a result, we will consider how we might work with partners to ease procurement barriers in Northern Ireland, improve data capture and analysis across the sectors, and deliver bespoke training on AI, with a strong emphasis on ethics, academic integrity, environmental impact and institutional decision-making.
What does Jisc deliver that is most valuable?
Participants identified a wide range of valuable services, reflecting different institutional priorities. The Janet Network was mentioned frequently, alongside Jisc’s role as a trusted and impartial organisation. Cyber security expertise including DDoS mitigation, incident response and threat intelligence, was highly valued, as were events and training tailored to the tertiary education context.
Colleges told us they particularly valued e-books for FE, relationship management, collective savings achieved through Jisc, and our engagement with funders to help articulate sector-wide digital challenges. Universities highlighted licence negotiations for digital resources and software, digital transformation support, and Jisc’s role in facilitating collaboration across the sector. Benchmarking and horizon scanning in areas such as AI, cyber security and digital transformation were also seen as important.
From these, we will continue promoting the resilience and security of the Janet Network, ensuring sector-wide events and the value of engagement with our relationship managers, and strengthening collective licensing and policy engagement around AI and cyber security.
What stands out as most valuable when done on a shared basis?
Cyber security services were identified as the clearest example of shared value, particularly sector-wide defence through core cyber services (such as DDoS protection, incident response and threat intelligence). Sharing best practice through workshops, events and publications was also strongly valued.
Colleges highlighted shared digital resources and digital skills development, while universities emphasised guidance on AI, data analytics and transnational education. Across both sectors, participants pointed to the importance of common data systems, standards and breaking down organisational silos.
For Jisc’s part, I heard loudly and clearly a desire for us to maintain a strong focus on shared cyber services, to look at further hosting of workshops on AI, data and best practice, and support standardisation and information sharing across organisations.
Looking to the future
The second session explored future challenges and opportunities.
What is the top challenge and opportunity?
Participants identified AI as both the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity for colleges and universities in NI. Across sectors, the challenge of digital skills development for staff and students was raised, along with information governance and management, digital ethics, and the rapid pace of technological change. At the same time, there was strong interest in using AI to improve efficiency, reduce administrative burden and enhance the student experience.
Colleges told us they were concerned about AI literacy, digital skills more broadly, cyber capacity and keeping pace with change. Universities highlighted resourcing pressures, global student growth, and the cultural challenges of digital transformation in long-established institutions.
As a result, we will consider the further provision of AI and more general skills training, guidance on AI governance and policy, support shared platforms to reduce duplication, and helping to build cyber security capacity across the sector.
What could be done better together?
Procurement was the dominant theme, particularly for cyber security, data systems, Microsoft storage and e-books. Participants also highlighted the need for greater standardisation of policy and practice in AI and cyber security, as well as shared approaches to staff development and strategic planning.
We will look into how it might build upon its present collaborative procurement initiatives, the coordination of sector-wide policy and standards, and support for shared staff development and planning.
How can Jisc support Northern Ireland over the next three years?
Participants emphasised the importance of AI training, communities of practice, case studies and opportunities for networking and exchange. Colleges highlighted interest in digital credentials, trust and identity, national repositories for learning resources, benchmarking and easier access to Jisc services. Universities focused on data sharing, common strategies, practitioner support and alignment with Northern Ireland’s economic priorities.
As a result, we will consider how it might further facilitate building communities of practice, and explore national repositories, benchmarking, data sharing and horizon scanning to evaluate future digital opportunity and risk.
Next steps
Find out more about our work in Northern Ireland and how we can support your organisation:
About the author
I have responsibility to ensure outstanding service for Jisc members and communities in both Northern Ireland and Scotland. For this dual role I split my time between both our Stirling and Belfast offices.