Our priorities for Wales 2026-27

Across the Welsh tertiary sector, there is broad agreement on the opportunities presented by digital, data and technology. The challenge is no longer defining the ambition but turning it into delivery.

This means building the leadership, capacity, capability, partnerships and confidence needed to deliver sustainable change at scale.

Read this page in Welsh/Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg.

Priority one: providing national digital leadership for Wales

Helping Wales navigate complexity, influence policy and make informed decisions about digital, data and technology.

What good looks like:

  • Jisc is recognised as a trusted adviser to Welsh Government, Medr and tertiary sector leaders.
  • Strong relationships are maintained and strengthened with key stakeholders, including Welsh Government, Medr, Qualifications Wales, Estyn, ColegauCymru, Universities Wales, NTfW, Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and Regional Skills Partnerships
  • Jisc brings UK-wide insight, evidence and best practice into Welsh policy discussions
  • Jisc plays an active role in informing discussions on digital, AI, skills, infrastructure and tertiary reform
  • Wales benefits from a strong evidence base to support strategic decision-making and investment

Priority two: accelerating collaboration and shared approaches

Supporting the sector to work collectively where collaboration can improve efficiency, resilience and impact.

What good looks like:

  • Progress is made on shared procurement, shared expertise and collaborative opportunities
  • Communities of practice continue to grow and share learning across Wales
  • Greater collaboration is facilitated between FE, HE, ACL and apprenticeship providers
  • More organisations benefit from collective approaches to cyber security, AI and digital infrastructure
  • Organisations increasingly see collaboration as a practical route to building resilience and delivering efficiencies

Priority three: strengthening sustainable infrastructure, resilience and connectivity

Helping institutions respond to growing pressures around infrastructure, cyber security, technical debt and long-term sustainability.

What good looks like:

  • Organisations have access to insight, advice and services that strengthen cyber resilience and digital sustainability
  • Jisc continues to work with Welsh Government and the Public Sector Broadband Aggregation (PSBA) programme to ensure the needs of tertiary education and research are reflected in future connectivity arrangements, including PSBA3
  • Greater awareness and understanding of infrastructure, cloud and supplier risks across the sector
  • Institutions are better equipped to make informed decisions on digital resilience, technical debt and infrastructure investment

Priority four: supporting responsible AI adoption and implementation

Helping the sector move from experimentation towards confident, practical and responsible implementation.

What good looks like:

  • Organisations have access to practical guidance, frameworks and communities that support AI adoption
  • There is increased confidence among leaders, practitioners and support teams in making informed AI decisions
  • Effective practice is shared more widely across Wales
  • Conversations increasingly focus on implementation, governance, capability and impact
  • AI adoption remains aligned to educational purpose, public value and learner outcomes

Priority five: advancing digital capability, inclusion and research and innovation

Ensuring learners, staff and researchers can benefit from digital transformation regardless of role, background or organisation.

  • There is an increased focus on digital capability and confidence across the tertiary sector
  • Continued support is provided for bilingual, accessible and inclusive digital provision
  • There is greater awareness of challenges relating to digital poverty, learner entitlement and equitable access
  • Welsh institutions are connected to Jisc's research and innovation activity, supporting their sustainability and resilience, helping them explore emerging technologies, access federated and innovative digital research infrastructure and underpinning collaboration for growth and economic benefit
  • Jisc supports Wales' ambitions for research, innovation and economic growth by connecting organisations to UK-wide initiatives, expertise and partnerships

Delivering our strategy in Wales

These priorities reflect the opportunities and challenges identified through the Wales engagement forum and wider engagement with members, stakeholders and partners.

They are aligned to our 2030 strategic ambitions by:

  • Providing leadership and influence to support decision-making, policy development and sector collaboration
  • Accelerating digital transformation through shared approaches, capability building and responsible adoption of emerging technologies
  • Strengthening secure, resilient and sustainable digital infrastructure
  • Supporting research, innovation and economic growth through UK-wide collaboration, expertise and digital research infrastructure

Together, these priorities will help move organisations move from ambition to implementation by building the leadership, partnerships, capability and confidence needed to deliver sustainable change at scale.