Digital by design: a vision of resilience for the sector of 2030

This blog was kindly authored by Heidi Fraser-Krauss, Chief Executive of Jisc.

UK higher education is in a period of profound change. Artificial intelligence, data-driven research, and new models of learning are redefining what it means to deliver value to students and society. At the same time, institutions must navigate complex risks, from cyber threats to infrastructure demands, while responding to significant financial challenges and ensuring they remain agile, competitive, and a key delivery partner in supporting the government’s growth ambition. The question is not whether technology will transform education, but how we harness it to strengthen the sector for the long term.

Jisc’s 2030 vision was developed with these realities in mind. Designed not as a digital revolution but rather an evolution, it ensures that Jisc is focused on providing the tertiary education, research, and innovation sectors across the UK with the secure infrastructure, digitally empowered leadership, economic sustainability, and agility needed to meet the next decade head-on. Here’s how its four pillars align with the sector’s most pressing needs.

1. Sector leadership and strategic influence

For universities and colleges to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the sector needs a strong, informed voice influencing national policy. Decisions on AI governance, cybersecurity standards, and digital research infrastructure will shape the conditions for innovation and competitiveness. By ensuring these policies are informed by evidence-based research and insights into how digital, data, and technology are experienced and managed across education and research, the sector can secure investment, reduce risk, and create an environment where technology drives better outcomes for learners, researchers, and the broader economy.

That voice must also ensure smart use of data – where Jisc’s role as the designated data body, through its merger with the Higher Education Statistics Agency, helps reduce burden and improve insight. Strategic partnerships, such as the recent agreement with the Association of Colleges and collaborations with Colleges Wales, Ufi VocTech Trust, and Universities UK strengthen advocacy and ensure digital priorities reflect the needs of learners and educators across all nations. Over the next five years, Jisc’s deeper engagement with government, funders, and senior leaders will be critical to embedding digital thinking into policy and strategy across the UK.

2. Focus on sector-wide challenges

Digital infrastructure underpins everything from research breakthroughs to everyday learning. As demand for bandwidth and data grows, driven by AI, high-performance computing, and new learning models, the sector needs networks and security systems that can scale.

At the same time, financial pressures compound these challenges. Rising costs, resource constraints, and the need to keep pace with digital technology affects all institutions. Collective negotiations with major vendors can deliver significant savings, while shared services for cloud, cybersecurity, and data management reduce duplication and free up resources for teaching and research.

These efficiencies work only if the underlying infrastructure is strong. The Janet network remains the backbone for UK education and research. Projects such as the Isambard AI supercomputer at the University of Bristol highlight the scale of future requirements: vast data flows and advanced computing power that demands resilient, high-capacity connectivity. Sustaining and strengthening Janet, alongside robust cybersecurity measures, ensures institutions can innovate confidently, protect intellectual property, and remain globally competitive. This is about creating the conditions for progress, not just for today, but for the next decade.

3. Financial sustainability and commercial focus

To continue delivering value and protect essential services, Jisc must operate sustainably. For 12 years, Jisc has operated on flat cash funding, even as demand for digital infrastructure and services has grown exponentially. To continue meeting members’ evolving needs, Jisc is becoming more commercially focused, developing sustainable models and exploring new ways to support members. This approach ensures that collaboration continues to be at the heart of all that we do, and that every institution, regardless of size, can access the tools and infrastructure needed to succeed.

4. Operational excellence and agility

Embedding digital into strategy also means ensuring the organisations that support education are fit for the future. Jisc is investing in its own products, services, and back-office systems to deliver a more streamlined, joined-up experience for members. By removing silos and modernising processes, we aim to save money and provide greater value, while responding quickly to emerging needs. These changes are designed to make it easier for institutions to access the infrastructure, data, and expertise they need, without complexity or duplication, helping the sector focus on what matters most: teaching, research, and innovation.

Looking ahead to 2030

At Jisc, we are fully aware of the scale of the challenges facing the sector, and we take our supportive responsibilities seriously. The next five years will define how UK tertiary education responds to the accelerating pace of digital change. Our commitment is not only to help institutions meet those challenges, but to ensure they can seize the opportunities that digital and data present, helping students, researchers, and all of us across the UK to prosper in the future.

We will work with our members to create the right conditions for innovation: secure infrastructure, smarter use of data, and a culture that sees digital as integral to strategy, not an add-on. By working collectively and planning for scale, we can turn complexity into opportunity and ensure learners and researchers benefit from world-class technology.

The challenge is clear, and so is our ambition: to make digital transformation the foundation for the sector’s future.