• For students to be supported and encouraged to develop the digital capabilities necessary for their University studies and in preparation for the workplace beyond. Students will be empowered to take ownership of the capabilities they develop through curricular and extracurricular activities, and will be able to showcase them to potential employers.
• For staff to be supported and encouraged to develop, maintain and enhance the digital capabilities relevant to their roles. Support and development opportunities will be clearly signposted and available from induction – enabling and enhancing development, and cultivating confidence.
• For digital capabilities to be integrated and promoted across the University through our culture and practices. Expectations around digital capabilities will be transparent, and shared pre-induction (in course materials/marketing for students and job adverts for staff), at inductions and throughout their studies or role. A shared language around digital capabilities will raise awareness and foster understanding, and effective practice will be shared, recognised and celebrated.

Through a university-wide approach, we will work collaboratively within and across our Faculties and Directorates, to enable, promote and embed digital confidence and development. This work will be underpinned by clear communication and use of a shared language, we are using Jisc’s Building Digital Capability Frameworks as the basis for further contextualisation, to ensure relevance. We will also promote digital wellbeing, accessibility and digital inclusion, and the sharing of effective practice.

This is how embedded support at every step of the student or staff journey could look:‌

Student-facing support

• In 2021, the Flexible Learning Programme implemented the Jisc Discovery Tool at the University, providing all students and staff with the opportunity to self-assess their digital practice – plus access personalised reports and resources to support further development. In collaboration with the Library, a dedicated My Learning Essentials ‘Develop your digital capabilities’ resource was created. This hosts the Discovery Tool for students, and includes prompts to reflect on their report, plus a template to create an action plan.

• The University Transition resource introduces digital skills, encourages consideration of digital wellbeing and signposts use of the Jisc Discovery tool on arrival.

• University Welcome and Induction materials include an online resource, where a group of students introduce the Discovery tool and its benefits.

• The Careers Service have created online ‘Digital Skills’ and ‘The IT Sector’ resources, as well as supporting digital skills within their communications and events. They have also successfully introduced a Digital Experience week for students that now takes place annually during Semester 2.

• Researcher Development colleagues have created an online resource, promoting the Discovery Tool to postgraduate researchers.

• The Library’s Student Team and our Flexible Learning Student Partners created content to share with their peers:
  • UoM Student News article: Introduction to Digital Capabilities
  • UoM TikTok: Day-in-the-life: digital wellbeing edition
• Working with Manchester Access Programme colleagues we are offering support for MAP participants to understand and develop their digital skills. For 2022/23 this included an optional workshop co-facilitated with MAP Student Ambassadors and the opportunity for all MAP participants to use the Jisc Discovery tool. For 2023/24 a digital skills and employability workshop was added to the mandatory ‘Make yourself a success’ module for all participants. 
• In September 2023 we hosted an event introducing Microsoft Certifications and sharing practice with speakers from other Universities.  Following this we launched our pilot introducing the Microsoft Fundamentals Certifications at The University of Manchester.  Working with The Library and supported by the Library’s Digital Support Services Team, the first certification assessments are taking place in August 2024.   
• From November 2023 to June 2024, the Digital Equity working group, with representation from across the University, engaged with colleagues and students to create the Digital Equity Charter which was endorsed by Senate in June 2024.
• In partnership with the Students’ Union we successfully piloted the introduction of a new ‘Digital Capability Rep’ role during Semester 2 2023/24, which will continue to be recruited to moving forwards. 
• In March 2024 we hosted the first meeting of a new ‘Digital Capability Student Network’ attended by our Digital Capability Student Reps and students from Manchester Metropolitan University.
• In April 2024 we shared the opportunity for students to become digital champions with Manchester City Council’s Digital Inclusion team via the University’s Volunteering Hub.
• From 2024-26 FLP are conducting a 2 year pilot introducing LinkedIn Learning for all students and staff.  Our Implementation Steering group launched in July 2024.

Staff-facing support

• In collaboration with Learning and Organisational Development, a dedicated online ‘Develop your digital skills’ resource was created to share the Discovery Tool with staff.

• Working with the Senior Academic Advisors Network, a ‘Supporting digital capability discussions with students’ resource was added to the University Academic Advising Toolkit.

• The ‘Supporting Student Digital Capabilities’ online resource was created with the Institute for Teaching and Learning – supporting colleagues involved in curriculum design and delivery to embed and enhance digital capabilities within the curriculum.
• Digital capabilities and other University priorities have been included within programme development forms being piloted during 2023 within the Faculties of Biology, Medicine and Health (Programme Amendment and Internal Reviewer forms) and Humanities (UG and PGT Programme and Unit Specification forms).
• In collaboration with the University Microsoft 365 Champions Network (launched by ITS in 2022), Learning and Organisational Development, new workshops delivered by the Champions that cover how to get the most out of a range of Microsoft 365 products are now available to all staff.  These are listed on the link below (see Upcoming workshops) and are available to book via the University Training catalogue (search MCRO).
• ‘MS Teams as a supportive learning environment’ and ‘MS Teams for collaboration using OneNote Class Notebook’ workshops have been introduced for staff involved in curriculum design and delivery, both created and facilitated by Hamza Badenjiki, Humanities Learning Technologist and University Microsoft 365 Digital Champion.
• We are continuing to promote the sharing of effective practice through workshops and case studies. If you have a case study or would like to share your practice at a future event, please do get in touch.

Upcoming workshops / events

• Digital wellbeing – these are open to all staff and have been on offer since 2020. 
• Get support with Microsoft 365 products through the 365 Digital Champions workshops.

  Previous workshops / events

• Workshop co-hosted with LinkedIn Learning: Implementing LinkedIn Learning for students and staff: What does success looks like? (June 2024)
• FLP co-hosted Jisc Demonstrating Digital Transformation: Enabling Flexible Learning event (May 2024)
• Seminar introducing the new career skills pathway led by the Careers Service (April 2024)
• Microsoft certifications Orientation session for colleagues involved in the MS Certifications pilot
• Jisc delivered seminar for UoM Getting the most out of the Discovery tool data – a data-focussed session for colleagues who have access to the data and stakeholders (January 2024).
• Jisc delivered seminar for UoM Sharing effective practice: Embedding the Discovery tool – this staff development seminar shared how the tool is effectively used and embedded within HE (January 2024).
• December 2023: ‘Back to the Future – History and Shortlist.me: Embedding Digital and Employability Skills in Undergraduate Assessments’ with speakers from Humanities and the Careers Service.

• Embedding University priorities, such as digital capabilities, in curriculum design and development (November 2023) with invited speakers from the Faculties of Humanities and Biology, Medicine and Health.

• Embedding digital capabilities in the curriculum (May 2022)
• Digital skills for employability (Dec 2022)

Established in November 2021, this collaborative subgroup’s role is to inform strategy and identify and implement approaches and deliverables to support student, staff and institutional digital capabilities.  Its membership includes representation from the Students’ Union; The Careers Service; Digital Learning; The Institute for Teaching and Learning; The Library; Learning & Organisational Development & Researcher development.  You can read our full Terms of Reference here.   

September 2024

Staffnet: Help us support our students' Digital Equity

Staffnet: Towards Digital Equity - Introducing our new Digital Equity Charter

April 2024 

Student News: Want to make a difference? Become a Digital Champion with Manchester City Council

Student News: Want to learn more about AI?

March 2024 

Want to learn more about AI? Complete the Jisc Discovery tool's new question set

October 2023 

Get the most out of Microsoft 365 and sign up for a training session 

Flexible Learning Digital Capability Digest October 

September 2023 

Flexible Learning Digital Capability Digest September 

June 2023

365 Champions, L&OD and Flexible Learning: Get the most out of Microsoft 365 with our University 365 Champions

February 2023

FBMH News: FBMH Digital Capabilities Task and Finish Group launched to embed support for student and staff digital development

September 2022

Jane’s Flexible Learning blog: Supporting our digital skills and literacy: Where are we now and what’s next?

L&OD: Learn, Lead, Progress: Digital capability: reflecting on our skills and experience

August 2022

Flexible Learning: Upgraded Jisc Discovery tool now live 

Flexible Learning via Student News: Upgraded Jisc Discovery tool now live

July 2022

Flexible Learning: Jisc Discovery tool upgrade: steps to take before August 2022

Flexible Learning via Student News: Jisc Discovery Tool Upgrade – Steps to Take Before August 2022 

January 2022

The Library: My Learning Essentials New Online Resource: Developing your Digital Capabilities

L&OD: Learn, Lead, Progress: Develop your digital skills with the Jisc Discovery tool

February 2024-present

Membership of Greater Manchester Connected Places Leadership Group

November 2023-present

Membership of Greater Manchester Digital Inclusion Taskforce

June 2023

Jisc Joint Building Digital Capability / Digital Experience Insights community of practice – digital transformation: perspectives on implementing change

‘Enabling Flexible Learning at The University of Manchester: Developing our digital learning environment and digital capability’ breakout session facilitated by Caroline Bowsher, Academic theme lead for the Digital Learning Environment and Jane Mooney

January 2023-present

Membership of Manchester City Council Digital Inclusion Steering Group. 

November 2022

Jisc Student Experience Experts Group 50th meeting

‘Supporting staff with reimagining learning, teaching and assessment’ - Flexible Learning Programme represented in Panel session. 

May 2021

Jisc Joint Building Digital Capability / Digital Experience Insights community of practice

‘Digital wellbeing’ Breakout session facilitated by Jane Mooney, Ben Bone, Teaching and Learning Co-ordinator (Student Experience) and Sarah Shepherd, Senior Lecturer and Academic lead for Clinical Communication for the Medical Programme.

We are running a Microsoft Certifications pilot where we are offering selected students the Microsoft Fundamentals Certifications. If you're a student that has been selected to take part in this pilot, you can read our FAQs here to learn more about the certifications. For guidance on how to ace your Microsoft Credentials exam, here are some Top Tips from Our Graduate Intern. You can also use Learnkey Online Learning and G-Metrix Practise Tests to prepare for the exams. Click here to find out more.

Working with the FLP Technology Workstream, the Jisc Digital Experience Insights surveys launched University wide in November 2023.  The data from these will inform and enhance the student and staff digital experience.