Adatis runs successful Data event for Higher Education 

Last week, we were thrilled to host Advancing Academia – a Data and AI event designed for Higher Education institutions. 

Based in Central London, the event brought together a variety of universities to showcase the latest insights in data strategy, data governance, data science and ethical AI. 

We were joined by speakers from Microsoft UK, King’s College London, The University of Plymouth and experts from our own data team at Adatis, to discuss how the new digital age is reshaping education organisations and transforming their data strategies. 

Session highlights:

Future Landscape of Higher Education 

Jen Wyatt, Director of Education, Microsoft UK

What does it mean to integrate technology to enhance education for students? Jen Wyatt, Director of Education at Microsoft UK, showcased  Microsoft’s Point of View on the Future Trends of Higher Education and how institutions can prepare for the changing student requirements. 

Jen Wyatt showcased how using technology and data together can enrich classrooms with interactive learning spaces, build smart modern campuses and personalise student experiences using data-driven decisions. 

More can be found here. 

Building Future-Proof BI – Admissions, Enrolment and Clearing  

Richard O’Brien, Head of Analytics, The University of Plymouth & Ben Jarvis, Head of Technical Excellence, Adatis

This session held by Richard O’Brien, Head of Analytics at The University of Plymouth and Ben Jarvis, Head of Technical Excellence at Adatis, gave a detailed step-by-step approach to how The University of Plymouth was able to transform its data approach and begin a successful Business Intelligence project with the support of Adatis. This session demonstrated how the university went from an end-of-life warehouse on legacy infrastructure to a more modern, cloud data solution which provides detailed insights on clearing and admissions.

Most organisations understand that data is an important asset, but many technology and business leaders find it challenging to know where to begin. Richard and Ben helped break down the top tips for beginning an early-stage BI transformation.  

Making Your Data Transformation Programme More Successful  

Günter Richter, Head of Business Consulting, Adatis

Günter Richter, Head of Business Consulting at Adatis, provided a summary of how data teams and business leaders can create more effective data programme(s) with his tips for success. 

Günter shared his experience and provided insights on why business leaders need to show up on project, the core difference between ‘features’ and ‘benefits’ and learning to spot passive resistance from team members.   

Digital Upskilling for Students and Staff  

Gemma Robson, Future-Ready Education Skills Lead, Microsoft UK

Technical skills are more important than ever. However as Gemma Robson Future-Ready Education Skills Lead at Microsoft UK explained, there is a gap between learning new digital skills and being ‘work ready’ in the fast-paced digital age. 

Gemma’s presentation demonstrated how “Microsoft Learn” offers a robust platform for training students for potential tech careers. Obtaining Microsoft certifications is possible with extensive on-demand educational support, practise tests, team community support groups, and more. 

More information can be found here. 

Harnessing AI and Data Science to Predict Student Withdrawals  

Richard Salter, Director of Analytics, King’s College London & Matt How, Principal Consultant, Adatis

This session hosted by our Principal Consultant Matt How and Director of Analytics, Richard Salter from King’s College London, focused on the question: ‘can we identify students that are at risk of withdrawing, using student demographics and online engagement data?’ 

Talking through the AI Proof of Concept produced by Adatis and King’s College London working collaboratively, this session demonstrated the process of machine learning project approaches,  data preparation & feature engineering, model selection & evaluation and ethical considerations. 

You can learn more about this customer success story by viewing our video summary of the data transformation at Kings College London or by reading the AI Proof of Concept case study. 

Roundtable discussions: 

In peer-to-peer roundtable discussions with the speakers we invited attendees to share their challenges, learnings, and industry insights. 

The roundtables gave attendees a chance to share their experiences and understand the similarities and differences across institutions. 

  Summary:

Advancing Academia – Data and AI event for Higher Education, was an opportunity to establish how data is assisting and powering hundreds of Higher Education institutions towards a more efficient future. 

We hope that all of our attendees gained insightful knowledge from the day. 

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you are interested in attending any future events, or you simply want to speak with one of our data professionals.