Beyond the Technology: Demonstrating digital transformation at Staffordshire University

We are joined by Raheel Nawaz, a professor of artificial intelligence and of digital education at Staffordshire University and pro vice-chancellor for digital transformation.

Here, he explores his vision for digital transformation at Staffordshire University including the new digital at core strategy and the four main pillars that underpin this vision.

Raheel talks about the essential building blocks needed within a university to enable digital transformation to happen in the form of three main components: strategy, culture and governance of the strategy, including the process Raheel and his team took when creating their digital transformation strategy.

He explains the three projects the university are most excited about in the world of digital transformation. The first being the launch of the first AI assistant in any university, simplifying the student experience by bringing course, community and career together in a single integrated student interface. Secondly, the self-coined ‘simmersive’, a support mantra of simulation and immersive and how Staffordshire is integrating this concept into the DNA of buildings and the student experience. And finally, a project around building minimum expectations around staff and student digital capabilities.

Raheel talks about what senior leaders can do to encourage a culture of digital transformation including what we can do for the culture of our university experience.

Finally, we look to the future of the sector and where we see the university experience evolving since the pandemic and the rapid increase of AI, posing the question to senior leaders - "how do we make the most of technology?"