HRUC's AI Strategy and Vision to 2030 – In partnership with Waterstons

Objective

AI was already being used across HRUC's campuses, but the college group needed a clear, organisation-wide approach to govern it. The goal? A practical AI strategy aligned with HRUC's technology direction covering readiness, governance, and ethical integration across academic and operational functions.

Results at a glance

HRUC now has an actionable AI strategy that:

• Sets out a strategic framework for AI adoption, tailored to HRUC's context.
• Embeds governance and ethical standards for AI use across the college group.
• Delivers quick wins alongside a clear roadmap for long-term transformation.
• Aligns stakeholders and builds organisational readiness for AI at scale.

View the strategy document here

“Partnering with Waterstons enabled us to translate ambition into a practical AI strategy that is already enhancing the student and staff experience at HRUC. Their blend of sector expertise and technical rigour made them a true partner rather than a supplier. I look forward to building on this work as we advance digital transformation across the college group”. Alex Denley, Chief Technology Officer, HRUC

How we approached it

The project ran across four stages.

Stage 1: Landscape review 

We got under the skin of HRUC's organisation and technology landscape. That meant reviewing existing documentation, assessing AI maturity, and examining current policies, processes, and capabilities. We also looked at data maturity, IT infrastructure, and how well existing systems could scale and integrate.

That groundwork shaped the stakeholder engagement plan and informed how we designed the workshops and surveys.

Stage 2: Stakeholder engagement 

We ran a broad engagement programme across students, staff, and parents and guardians. Over 500 people responded to surveys on AI usage, opportunities, and risks. We also ran 19 workshops with senior stakeholders and leadership teams across the college group.

Specialist consultants led dedicated sessions with HRUC's cyber and data teams, making sure the strategy was grounded in solid cybersecurity and data governance thinking from day one.

Stage 3: AI readiness assessment 

Drawing on the engagement findings and documentation review, we carried out a thorough AI readiness assessment covering HRUC's processes, policies, infrastructure, and foundational capabilities in data and cybersecurity. The resulting report gave a clear picture of where HRUC stood and what needed to happen next.

Stage 4: Strategy development 

With the groundwork in place, we built a bespoke AI strategy aligned with HRUC's organisational vision and technology goals. It set out guiding principles that balanced innovation with governance, and mapped AI use cases across student services, teaching, and professional functions.

The strategy addressed ethics, change management, data, and cybersecurity, and included a detailed implementation roadmap to make sure it was genuinely actionable, not just credible on paper.

Presenting at UCISA PACED25 

We showcased our work with HRUC at UCISA PACED25, sharing a strategy built to transform teaching, learning, and the wider student experience across further education.

The session showed how HRUC is embedding AI responsibly and ethically, backed by a clear roadmap for adoption and governance. Practical examples brought it to life, with AI already in use across the colleges. The strategy also set out HRUC's commitment to preparing staff and students for an AI-enabled future through targeted training and real cultural change.