Inspire,
Innovate
and Simplify
Digital Strategy 2026-2030
Overview
Our aim at Gower College Swansea is to continue to be recognised as a digital innovator. To do this, we will build on our existing skills and capabilities to give individuals access to modern technologies that inspire and enhance outcomes for all.
This strategy aims to:
- Build on those strong foundations so that our learners, staff and communities can develop knowledge, understanding and skills that prepare them for the modern workplace
- Enable access to equipment and environments that align with those in industry
- Inspire our learners through exciting new delivery models
- Benefit from an organisation that is efficient in its operations, joined up in its architecture, sustainable in its approach, and which has the ability to respond to the fast-evolving opportunities that technology presents.
From a policy perspective, Medr has inherited the Welsh Government’s Digital 2030 Framework, and with Jisc’s support, we will continue to iterate our digital implementation aligned with this national driver.
The Digital 2030 Framework supports learning providers to action forward-thinking strategies and to support innovation. Achieving this ambition will require an always-on approach to entrepreneurial leadership, and we commit to governing this strategy accordingly.
We believe that by creating a digital first culture and a spirit of collaboration, partnership, resilience, sustainability and managed risk, we can maximize our assets and make better use of our existing digital estate.
A key priority will be staying open to change, led by an executive team that champions agility and innovation. We are committed to learning so that we can continuously improve.
So, where do we start? The digital world is everywhere, shaping how we communicate, transact, learn and live and we can’t deliver impact if our aim is to fix everything. Our focus, therefore, needs to home in on the things that will make the biggest difference. Put simply, we want to inspire, innovate and simplify our use of digital technology so that every input delivers meaningful output for our learners, our staff, our partners and our communities.
“Wales must be ready for the future. As a nation we will prepare today to meet the skills requirements of the future so we can harness the full potential of emerging technological developments.”
Welsh Government’s Digital 2030 Framework
Strategic Context
As part of the College’s Strategic Plan and our vision of Inspiring Ambitious Futures and our mission of Transforming Lives through Education, Skills and Training, this digital strategy aims to position Gower College Swansea as a leader in digital innovation.
This digital strategy has been written at a time of rapid change in technological innovation, where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly delivering more efficient and effective business outcomes and is being built increasingly into the tools and technologies we use daily. AI is radically changing how we undertake our jobs and shaping the digital skill requirements to be productive in work across all industries and sectors.
We must, therefore, ensure learners and staff are equipped with the digital knowledge and maturity to understand the role of AI, and to be able to use it ethically and responsibly, irrespective of their course of study, anticipated next steps or roles undertaken.
But, it’s not just AI. The world of work requires a suite of digital capabilities, needed by employees and most job roles that involves analytics, information and cyber security, remote collaboration, accessibility, cloud computing and many more.
Through working closely with industry, the Regional Learning and Skills Partnership, and through fully understanding labour market information at every layer of the College, we can address the digital skills gap, leverage the benefits of modern technology, and ensure learners add meaningful value to economic growth of the region and of Wales.
Welsh Government’s Digital 2030 Strategic Framework encourages us to think forward, enabling all learning providers to engage in this critical agenda. Its funding of Jisc’s suite of services allows us the resource to think strategically about our use of technology and provides the support to execute effectively. It is a requirement of the College, therefore, to capitalise on these investments and do more for every learner. In addition, the Swansea Bay City Deal presents significant opportunities for growth in digital industries across the region, and we must provide a workforce to cater for these changing trends.
Our Vision
To be a recognised leader in digital innovation, offering exciting, inspirational and industry focused provision that elevates the quality of teaching and learning, enhances digital pedagogy which equips our learners, staff, partners and communities with the required digital skills for progression and enhanced employability.
We will inspire our people,
innovate our practice
and simplify everything that we do.
Our Approach
Innovate and lead via digital enablement, creating a digital first culture
We will be a recognised centre of excellence for digital skills, leading the sector in digital capability, supporting our people to engage and work collaboratively with each other, and industry, to deliver competitive advantage. Even where digital is not the right solution, we will develop a culture of considering digital first.
Embed digitally focused qualifications and employability opportunities throughout the learner journey
We will develop new communities and learning environments that foster excellence in digital practice, universal design and sustainability. We will support learner transition and increase uptake of digital skills courses at all levels across our staff and communities.
Inspire learners and staff by delivering high-quality outcomes through adaptable and effective approaches
We will encourage, enable and support the use of new and emerging technologies, developing digitally competent staff and learners, enriching the learning experience and widening participation.
We will embed digital pedagogies that improve learner engagement, motivation and outcomes, using tools not only to deliver content but to enhance assessment, feedback, collaboration and inclusivity.
Drive business performance through data and analytics across the organisation
We will realise more efficient and effective business operations through establishing a culture where data and analytics are used to add value in all that we do.
Simplify systems and strengthen security across all platforms.
We will rationalise systems and improve integration to enhance the utility and safety of our existing digital estate.
Advance teaching and learning through digital pedagogy and ethical innovation
We will use technology as a vehicle to enhance teaching quality through targeted use of applications such as adaptive learning platforms, AI-assisted feedback tools and real-time collaborative environments. We will personalise learning, foster creativity and make learning more inclusive.
Strategic Directions
Strategic Directions
Inspire
Through excellent learner experience and support
We will expose learners to modern technologies and new innovations, aligned with the needs of business, delivering exciting opportunities to learn and grow in a supportive environment.
Via outstanding employability options and guidance
We will extend opportunities across our provision to upskill and engage with industry, helping learners to be digitally enabled.
Simplify
Our data and analytics
We will streamline access to data, ensuring security of data handling practices and efficiency of data management, reviewing every step of data collection, storage, reporting and consumption, implementing the most effective solutions to drive efficient and highly effective decision making across every layer of the business.
Our IT infrastructure and systems
We will review our in-house systems to explore the right balance between custom and commercial solutions. We will aim to reduce technical debt, ease maintenance, improve integration, security and user experience. We will also review our structures to ensure that staff and students can easily access digital skills training and wider support.
Innovate
By delivering high quality and flexible delivery models
We will identify opportunities to improve quality, widen participation and deliver a more accessible curriculum through online, hybrid and blended modes of delivery.
We will also invest in the pedagogical development of staff to ensure technology supports high quality learning design, active learning approaches and real-time feedback.
Through mutually beneficial partnerships
We will build sustainable relationships with local, regional and national employers to ensure we are responding to their current and future digital skills gaps and trends.
Where will we be in five years’ time?
We believe we can do more and go further, providing learners and staff with exciting and innovative opportunities, enriched with modern technologies, digital resources and real-world digital experiences. This will drive outstanding outcomes and address the digital skills gaps locally, regionally and at a national scale. Working with key partners including Welsh Government and Medr, and in association with leading technology partners, we will look to achieve the following objectives.
Embedded a digital first culture where every member of staff looks for digital solutions as a first port of call, recognising the opportunity to excite and inspire learners in ways that more closely align with how they experience the world around them, whilst also using technology to make their work easier and more rewarding.
Established the National Centre for Digital Skills as a consortium of learning providers and industry working in collaboration, delivering targeted training and skills that addresses the digital skills gap, supporting economic growth across Wales.
Developed flexible delivery models that include online, hybrid and distance modes of learning to widen participation, support growth and extend opportunities for learners at all levels.
Extended use of the Digital Skills Training Toolkit and introduced customised staff development pathways to upskill and engage in new and emerging technologies, in association with Jisc and industry partners.
Launched an innovation programme where staff can engage with and trial new and emerging technologies.
All data will be consolidated so that every dashboard uses consistent, reliable information, decisions are based on consistent data, and automated tools help reduce errors and security risks.
Improved our systems to be safer, faster, more reliable and easier to manage. Making things more efficient for both learners and staff.
Secured our reputation as the leading Further Education College in Wales for digital innovation and digital skills development, giving every learner and member of staff the opportunity to attain digital skills and industry recognised qualifications that provide unrivalled competitive advantage.
Created a digital teaching and learning framework that aligns applications, platforms, and AI tools with evidence-informed pedagogy, promoting creative, inclusive, and student-centred learning experiences.
Administrative and repetitive tasks will be reduced for teaching staff through smart automation tools, enabling more time to focus on personalising learning, student support, and curriculum innovation. Reducing administration and repetition will be an aim across business support functions too.
College Values
This strategy will be guided through the adoption of the College’s values, which direct our learners, staff and partners towards success.
Resilience
Being resilient means having a positive mindset towards challenge, being open to change and taking personal responsibility for your own wellbeing.
Integrity
Acting with integrity means being honest and having strong moral principles in your decisions and actions.
Respect
Having respect for each other means treating people with dignity by listening and considering what people have to say and responding in a positive and constructive way.
Innovation
Being innovative means being curious and open to new ideas to drive improvement.
Collaboration
Being collaborative means co-operating and working together as a team to achieve a common purpose.
These values inspire us to maintain a high standard of excellence, ensuring that the digital strategy can be realised whilst Inspiring Ambitious Futures.
