From Strategy to Implementation: What Digifest 2026 Tells Us About AI in Higher Education

This week the ICS.AI team spent two energising days at Jisc Digifest 2026, one of the UK’s leading events focused on digital transformation in higher and further education.

Across keynote sessions, panel discussions and conversations with institutions at our stand, one message came through clearly:

Digital transformation in education is no longer primarily about technology. It’s about leadership, people and responsible change.

And increasingly, it is about how AI in higher education is moving from experimentation to operational reality.

Digital Transformation in Education is About People

Day one of Digifest highlighted an important shift in the sector’s thinking.

In her keynote, Jisc CEO Heidi Fraser-Krauss spoke about the need to balance innovation with inclusion; ensuring that both staff and students have the capability and confidence to navigate rapid technological change.

This closely aligns with the philosophy we champion at ICS.AI: AI for All.

If AI is going to reshape education, it must do so in a way that supports the entire academic community, from lecturers and researchers to administrative teams and students.

The event also highlighted increasing pressure on universities to respond more rapidly to evolving workforce needs. Initiatives such as the Derby Promise, where universities and local employers collaborate to shape curricula around real workplace skills, demonstrate how education is adapting to these demands and that in comparison to other nations policy has lagged behind demand, particularly in the face of rapid advancements in generative AI.

AI in Higher Education is Moving From Pilots to Practice

Across day 2 at Digifest the the discussion shifted from strategy to implementation, where several themes stood out.

1. AI is moving from experimentation to practice

Many institutions are at different stages of piloting AI solutions in areas such as:

• Student assessment and feedback

• Student services and support

• Administrative automation

• Knowledge access and digital assistants

The potential efficiency gains have proven hard for organisations to realise. Lots of conversations have focused on the need to maintain trust, transparency and academic integrity.

The sector is increasingly asking not whether to adopt AI, but how to implement AI responsibly and at scale, and critically to get value from the investment.

2. Digital capability is the real enabler

One of the strongest themes across Digifest was the importance of digital capability.

Successful digital transformation depends not simply on introducing new technologies but on supporting staff to build long-term, lasting and ingrained confidence, capability and understanding in how to use them effectively.

Institutions that focus on developing digital skills alongside technology deployment are far more likely to realise meaningful value from AI.

Inclusion must remain central to innovation

Discussions around digital poverty, accessibility and international learners reinforced that innovation must be designed with equity in mind.

AI has the potential to expand access to learning support and student services, but only if it is deployed in ways that remain affordable, inclusive and accessible across the entire student population.

3. Delivering Measurable Value from AI

At the ICS.AI stand, conversations with universities and colleges were refreshingly practical.

Many institutions are currently facing significant financial pressures, so the question we heard most often was the simple:

How can AI deliver real value now?

That is exactly the challenge addressed by the SMART: AI Transformation Programme.

The programme helps organisations move from AI-curious to AI-native, embedding AI across services, operations and decision-making.

Rather than focusing purely on technology deployment, the programme emphasises measurable operational and financial outcomes.

To provide additional confidence for institutions taking this step, ICS.AI backs its strategy, methodological approach and products with a £5 million savings guarantee, helping ensure that AI transformation produces real and demonstrable value.

4. Physical AI: The Next Frontier for Smart Campuses

Another topic that generated strong interest during Digifest was the emerging role of physical AI.

While software AI is transforming digital services, robotics and wearables are beginning to reshape how campuses operate in the physical world.

At the ICS.AI stand, our Temi robot was easily the most photographed member of the team. But beyond the novelty, discussions quickly turned to the practical applications of robotics and physical AI on campus.

Potential use cases include:

• Campus navigation and visitor support

• Smart facilities management

• Enhanced accessibility services

• New immersive learning environments

Over the next 12–24 months, we expect physical AI and wearable technologies to become an increasingly important part of how universities approach digital transformation.

5. The Human Skills That Matter in an AI-Enabled World

One final theme that emerged throughout Digifest was the growing importance of human skills alongside AI capability.

As AI becomes embedded across education systems, skills such as communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking become even more valuable.

Technology may accelerate change, but people and leadership ultimately determine whether transformation succeeds.

Continuing the Conversation at UCISA26

Digifest 2026 made it clear that the sector is moving rapidly from AI experimentation to responsible implementation.

Institutions are increasingly seeking ways to deploy AI at scale while maintaining trust, inclusion and educational quality.

For ICS.AI, it was a pleasure to speak with so many colleagues from across further and higher education during the event.

We are looking forward to continuing those conversations next week at UCISA26 Leadership Summit (17–18 March), where the ICS.AI team will be discussing how universities and colleges can harness AI to transform services, empower staff and students, and deliver meaningful value.

If Digifest showed anything, it is that the future of education will not simply be digital.

It will be AI-enabled, human-centred and focused on delivering real outcomes for institutions and the communities they serve.

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