Transforming together: from early adoption to institution-wide impact

When Cardiff Metropolitan University joined the Jisc-Adobe transforming together programme, the aim wasn’t just to encourage the use of Adobe Express. The team also set about exploring how digital creativity could be embedded more widely across the institution, supporting staff, students and senior leadership teams. The programme provided a structure to help turn that ambition into a coordinated, university-wide effort.

For senior lecturers Nick Young and Nina Jones, who helped lead the work, transforming together arrived at an important time. They had already been advocating for the use of Adobe Express within their own areas, but like many staff in education, they were managing those efforts while juggling busy workloads and competing priorities. The programme provided dedicated opportunities to step back, reflect, and plan their next steps.

Nina said:

“The programme gave us those touchpoints throughout the year. It gave us the opportunity to come together, think strategically, and ask ourselves why this mattered to Cardiff Met and who we needed to engage first."

Starting at the top

The decision to focus on senior leadership was made early in the process when the team identified that digital creativity wasn’t represented particularly strongly in the wider institutional strategy. Rather than beginning with a broad awareness campaign, they decided to engage key decision-makers to demonstrate the value of Adobe Express at a strategic level.

Securing that level of engagement proved to be a turning point, providing the senior‑level visibility and endorsement needed to accelerate adoption across the university and strengthen the case for embedding digital creativity more formally within institutional priorities.

Nick said that meaningful progress only came when senior leaders had the opportunity to explore the technology first-hand and understand its potential for the university. Their support then became a key driver for organisation-wide adoption.

"We had tried to have conversations before, but people are busy. The breakthrough came when senior leaders could actually experience it for themselves. Once they saw what it could do, the conversation changed."

The university has continued to build awareness among leadership teams while also focusing on students and staff.

Learning from the students

Nina described the university's approach as a ‘sandwich’, with senior leaders and students as the bread, and university staff as the filling connecting the two. Nina and Nick shared that while staff enthusiasm could sometimes be affected by time pressures and workload, students often embraced the tools quickly and with real enthusiasm.

Students across a range of subjects started to respond positively to more creative approaches to learning and assessment. Staff also reported higher levels of engagement and more sophisticated communication of ideas when learners used formats such as infographics and interactive presentations. These outputs demonstrated not only creativity but clearer critical thinking and more intentional storytelling. This student engagement became one of the strongest drivers for wider adoption.

The team also saw value beyond the classroom. The university’s careers service incorporated Adobe Express into activities such as developing ‘living CVs’, which helped students to showcase their skills and experiences in new ways. Adobe student representatives also played an increasingly important role, leading training sessions and sharing good practice with fellow students and with staff.

Nick highlighted the growing use of Adobe Express in Welsh schools through Hwb, Wales' digital learning platform, and said it was clear that many students were arriving at university with increasingly sophisticated digital skills.

"We don't want to get to a point where students are ahead of us and we're struggling to keep up. Students are often so confident exploring new tools and technologies and we need to be developing those skills alongside them."

Conversations across the sector

The programme also helped the university connect with peers across the sector. Through workshops, events, and discussions with other institutions, the team shared challenges, exchanged ideas, and learnt from colleagues who were at different stages of their digital journeys. Those conversations reassured them that many of the barriers they faced, particularly around time, visibility, and staff engagement, were common across the sector.

The university also established a growing community of practice, bringing together colleagues from different schools and departments to showcase successful approaches and inspire others. For Nick, seeing examples from disciplines across the institution helped create momentum and encouraged staff to experiment with new ideas.

Looking ahead, Nina, Nick, and senior leaders at the university will continue to focus on increasing visibility and creating clearer pathways for staff and students to access support and resources. The team also intends to keep building the case for dedicated time and capacity to support the work so the momentum they have already gained isn’t lost.

The spirit of experimentation is central to the university’s approach. The programme has helped Cardiff Met move from isolated pockets of innovation to a coordinated, institution‑wide approach to digital creativity - one now embedded in leadership thinking, student experience, and staff practice. With clearer pathways, growing confidence, and sustained momentum, the university is well‑positioned to continue expanding this work.

While the strategic focus is important, both Nick and Nina feel the key message when it comes to experimenting with new tools like Adobe Express is surprisingly simple.

"Just play with it. You don't have to be an expert. You're going to learn things as you go, and your students will too."

Interested in taking part?

The Jisc-Adobe transforming together programme will return for 2026/27, supporting institutions to develop strategic approaches to digital creativity and drive adoption of Adobe Express across learning, teaching and student experience.

The programme is open to higher education and further education participants that have purchased the Adobe Acrobat Express option through the new 2026 Jisc Adobe ETLA.

If you're unsure whether your institution is eligible, contact adobe@jisc.ac.uk to find out more.