Digital transformation

Our vision

We will use digital technologies, data and digital approaches effectively, creatively, innovatively and in a research-informed way to enhance our students’ learning and experience, to provide and enrich learning opportunities for individuals globally, to enhance our research activity and impact to tackle global challenges, and to improve the University’s processes, infrastructure and physical estate.

Transcript: University of Leeds Strategy 2020-2030: Digital transformation (opens in a new window)

Our aims and objectives

1. Enhance ways of working, campus facilities and operational activity. We will:

• Support our staff and students to harness the potential and manage the challenges of digital technologies, data and digital approaches through ongoing professional development, support and guidance. 
• Use our technology infrastructure and data services to digitise and automate our processes, to reduce our use of paper and manual processes and to maximise the value of hybrid working practices and free up time.
• Transform our physical campus to make the most effective use of digital technologies to support education and research and innovation, and to provide a welcoming, social, efficient and sustainable physical environment.
• Use digital technology and digital approaches to develop and enhance our communication, relationships and partnerships with students, alumni, local, regional and global partners.
• Develop our use of digital technologies, data and digital approaches to reduce digital poverty and other inequalities, and enhance our global reach and impact in education and research and innovation. 

2. Improve our capabilities to conduct high quality, collaborative and globally impactful challenge-based research and innovation. We will:

• Provide high-quality, flexible, secure, interoperable user-focused technology and development environments.
• Provide environments in which our researchers and partners can make effective use of large data sets through careful governance, management, stewardship and storage of data, enabling managed sharing and effective data analysis.   
• Provide effective institutional platforms and support for specialised research in areas including high performance computing, artificial intelligence/deep learning, blockchain, Internet of Things, robotics, extended (immersive) realities, simulations and programming.
• Encourage increased use of open research practice, digital library research and scholarship practices and use of digital approaches for publication, dissemination and impact activities.
• Undertake internationally recognised research and scholarship in evidence-based practice in digital pedagogies, new and emerging digital technologies and online education.

3. Enhance our educational provision and grow our fully online education portfolio. We will:

• Embed the use of existing and new digital technologies and digital approaches in our pedagogical practice to support students and researchers learning on campus in face-to-face, hybrid and fully online modes.
• Provide our taught students and postgraduate researchers with a high-quality student experience through effective use of digital technologies, data and digital approaches, and to encourage student success.
• Grow our fully online education portfolio of online degrees, sub-degree qualifications and online short courses for globally distributed online learners and professional learners, to generate revenue.
• Work in partnership with global universities and technology partners to co-create open, community-based, collaborative, sustainable online education to support lifelong learning focused on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

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