About
Founded in 1838, the University of Westminster is a diverse and internationally engaged university based in London, recognised for its global outlook, strong links with industry and professional practice and long-standing commitment to widening participation. A global university with London energy, it supports students and colleagues in developing the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world. The event will explore how digital skills and capabilities can be developed across university life, from teaching and professional services to wider institutional operations. Westminster takes a comprehensive and inclusive approach to digital transformation, recognising that meaningful change is achieved when colleagues and students are supported to develop capability, share expertise and participate in decision-making, and when practices are equitable, sustainable, and ethical.
Attendees can expect a mix of plenary talks, showcases, workshops and collaborative sessions designed to illustrate how digital capabilities can be applied across different roles and contexts.
Some key highlights will include Westminster’s Digital Academy, digital humanities initiatives and strategies for managing digital overload and supporting wellbeing. The event will also showcase practical approaches to integrating AI and other technologies in ways that are human-centred and aligned with institutional priorities such as productivity, sustainability, collaboration and ethical practice.
The event will also focus on how digital transformation can be value-driven, ensuring that initiatives create a positive, lasting impact for individuals, processes and the wider university community. It is guided by Jisc’s Digital Transformation Framework and Maturity Model, providing participants with practical insights on building inclusive, digitally confident teams, enhancing teaching, professional services and the student experience and preparing colleagues and students with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce of the future.
Delegates will be asked to choose two out of the three breakout session when they register.
Programme
Registration and coffee
Welcome and context
This keynote will explore the central and critical role of people in shaping and delivering digital transformation and in approaching a world where organisations and their associated practices continue to evolve at pace.
Speakers:
- Ian Wilmot, university secretary and chief operating officer
- Sarah Knight, director of digital transformation, Jisc
Lightening showcase: Enhancing digital capabilities
Part one - Using Jisc's library lens to support digital transformation
Jisc launched a ‘library lens’ to their successful digital transformation programme in October 2025. University of Westminster had been heavily involved in the development and joined the pilot. Our goals include increasing the visibility of the service with all stakeholders, development of a new strategy, investing in staff training and future proofing the service, in a rapidly evolving landscape. We will discuss the work that is underway to embed the pillars of the lens into our work and like the original pilot, we are taking a people-centred approach, by starting with our digital capabilities and working out from there.
Speaker: Lisa McLaren – head of library and archive services
Part two - How Westminster shapes digital futures
How Westminster Shapes Digital Futures explores the journey of building a digitally confident and empowered community through the Westminster Digital Academy. This talk reflects on our evolving approach to digital capability development, highlighting how creative engagement initiatives and personalised learning pathways can spark meaningful transformation. Drawing on the question “What if one month could change your career?”, the session highlights how intensive, short-term development moments can spark long-term growth in our learners
Speaker: Stephanie Coelho – digital learning development specialist
Part three - Digital humanities
This talk will explore how the School of Humanities is seeking to implement a digital capability development programme in order to properly equip students with the digital competencies they will need to succeed both during their time at university and beyond. The emphasis will be specifically on how digital skills are being introduced currently to students on the BA (Modern) Languages and Translation course as well as an overview of the work being done on the Digital Humanities initiative.
Speaker: Olga Nunez-Pineiro – senior lecturer, school of humanities
Break
Breakout one - Digital transformation for people and planet: driving wellbeing and sustainability
This workshop showcases Westminster’s people-first, strategic approach to digital transformation, grounded in the Being Westminster 2022–2029 strategy, guided by the Jisc Digital Transformation Framework, and shaped through ongoing consultation with colleagues and students. Delegates will learn about the University’s digital wellbeing and sustainability initiatives, gaining insight through practical, hands-on examples that explore the carbon footprint of digital activities, strategies for more sustainable technology use, and techniques for managing digital overload.
Speakers:
- Anna Klemming - digital learning development specialist
- Matt Galton - digital learning development specialist
Breakout two - People centred AI at Westminster
This workshop explores how AI is reshaping management and administrative functions, emphasising its role in enhancing efficiency, decision-making and workforce development. Attendees will hear how AI is transforming administrative workflows and the essential skills needed for a future-ready workforce in the AI era, preparing them for the changing landscape of work.
Speakers:
- Sarah Reading - digital learning development specialist
- Gunter Saunders – director digital capability development and AI leadership
Breakout 3 - Teaching the teachers: A wellbeing-first approach to empowering educators
Teaching the teachers is an institutional initiative empowering academic staff to build confidence in digital teaching, enhance student engagement and integrate AI responsibly into curriculum and assessment. The programme demonstrates Westminster’s strategic approach to digital capability and inclusive practice, showing how confident, supported educators create better learning environments in alignment with the Jisc Digital Transformation Framework. Participants will see how academic colleagues support each other while being guided to design engaging, accessible digital learning experiences. This session highlights Westminster’s commitment to resilient, inclusive and responsible digital transformation, with a focus on personalised support for building digital capabilities that meet the needs of individual educators.
Speakers:
- Lucy McWeeney - digital learning development specialist
Lunch
Digital capabilities in an AI world
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in higher education, there is a growing need to understand how digital and wider skills must evolve across different HE roles. This goes beyond technical proficiency to include mindsets, literacies, and behaviours such as critical thinking, digital wellbeing, sustainable practice, ethical and responsible AI use, inclusive approaches, adaptability, collaboration, and reflective practice - fostering fairness and ethical awareness, accountability, and long-term positive impact. In this workshop, participants work in small groups to explore how skills, literacies and mindsets may need to change for different Higher Education roles in the AI-enabled world. Insights are captured on a shared Padlet and questions for the plenary panel can be raised verbally in the follow on session, which links with this participatory group work. A concise onepage summary of the Jisc Digital Capabilities Framework will support group discussions, with each group guided by a short role context sheet.
Speakers:
- Gunter Saunders - director digital capability development & AI leadership, University of Westminster
- Doug Specht – head of the school of media and communication
Digital skills and the future of work
Speakers:
- Gunter Saunders, director digital capability development and AI leadership
- Doug Specht, head of the school of media and communication
- Norbert Morawetz, professor in entrepreneurship and digital innovation | founder and CEO Potential.ly, Henley business school
- Chiamaka Cyril-Nwokeke, student, University of Westminster
- Anne-Gaelle Colom
- Zaid Albitar
Reflections and next steps
Who should attend
Our 2025-2026 series of demonstrating digital transformation events will bring together senior leaders with responsibility for taking forward digital transformation within their university, including senior executive/director roles in:
- Student experience
- Education
- Digital and IT services
- Libraries, estates and facilities management
- Registry and data management
- Learning, teaching, research and innovation
Contact
For further information, please contact events@jisc.ac.uk.