Microsoft 365 and Library Digital Champions
Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 (M365) is a suite of powerful tools that includes Microsoft Teams and familiar Microsoft Office applications.
With M365, you can connect to your resources anytime, anywhere and from any device. Staff and students alike can collaborate seamlessly inside and outside the University, enhancing everyone's productivity.
Microsoft 365 Digital Champions Network
In our journey to becoming a digital University, IT Services initially partnered with Microsoft adoption specialists 365Tribe, to create the Microsoft 365 Digital Champions Network.
Through 365Tribe, the Digital Champions took part in a structured twelve-month training and development programme with staff and researchers of all roles and grades from around the University chosen to take part. They have joined a welcoming and positive community and will become experts in all the Microsoft 365 tools, enabling them to provide peer support and guidance in their local area and the wider organisation.
The training covered core business scenarios, upskilling the Digital Champions on new and existing digital tools, and developing the soft skills to help them support their business areas to adopt new ways of working with Microsoft 365.
This includes Teams, OneNote, SharePoint, OneDrive, Planner, Forms and many more, as well as improving skills in more familiar products like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, helping our M365 Digital Champions and you to learn, work smarter and more efficiently.
Introducing the Library M365 Digital Champions
To help our staff and researchers become familiar with M365 applications such as SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive, we are excited to introduce our Library M365 Digital Champions.
Our Digital Champions have received training in all aspects of M365 and continue to build their knowledge as new tools and functions become available.
Do you need M365 support?
Our Library Digital Champions will be working to provide a range of best practice guidance and support materials that will be relevant to our business needs.
We have created a Library All Staff Teams channel where we will share our support collateral and provide opportunities to connect with our Library Champions for additional support.
Further information
What was the training programme all about?
- A bespoke, fully customised programme run by Microsoft Certified Adoption Specialists 365Tribe.
- Champions accessed monthly webinars, latest tips and tricks and a library of up-to-date videos designed to keep them engaged and in the know.
- Champions are upskilled to work within their teams to create case studies, best practice guidance and training collateral specific to their area and, where relevant, the wider University.
- Champions completed topic challenges and knowledge checks to earn digital badges to demonstrate capability.
- People of all knowledge levels from across the University have participated (not just Tech experts!).
- The Digital Champions worked through the programme flexibly and at their own pace to accommodate peaks and troughs in workload.
Can I apply to become a Champion?
The M365 Digital Champions completed their twelve-month training programme in February 2023 but will continue to receive access to updated online information, support materials, M365 tips and tricks as they become available.
As the initial twelve-month period has come to an end, it is currently unknown whether new cohorts of staff will be placed on the structured training programme. Further phases may be introduced if the demand is there, Digital Services remain in contact with IT Services about the future of the programme. For any questions, contact Martin O'Dwyer.