Last month, our colleagues Jas, Thomas and Yas visited Jisc Digifest25 in Birmingham on behalf of the Portflow team. Yas (Business Developer UK&I) now shares her reflections on her experiences at Digifest with us.
As a first-time attendee, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. But what stood out to me immediately and throughout the entire event, was the shared passion in the room. Whether it was university staff, ed-tech professionals, or industry leaders, one thing was crystal clear: everyone here genuinely cares about making students’ lives better.
Higher and further education is constantly evolving, and with that comes new challenges such as AI, digital transformation, assessment shifts, employability demands, etc.
‘Helping students succeed’ is a widely supported goal
But what struck me at Digifest wasn’t just the discussions about solutions. It was the people behind them. The conversations I had with university and college staff and fellow ed-tech professionals reinforced that, at the heart of every innovation, every new tool, and every strategic decision, there’s one shared goal: helping students succeed.
We were there to showcase Portflow, our digital portfolio solution that helps students take ownership of their learning journey while enabling programme-level assessment and better feedback practices. Designed with student agency and employability in mind, Portflow aligns closely with the very topics that shaped many of the discussions at Digifest. It was a pleasure to share what we’re building with so many inspiring educators and innovators.
Failure is valuable
One of the most inspiring moments for me was Paul Iske’s talk on failure. In education (and in life) we’re so used to striving for perfection. But his message was a refreshing reminder that failure isn’t just inevitable, it’s valuable. He introduced a powerful perspective: Fail stands for ‘First Attempt In Learning’. Instead of fearing mistakes, we should see them as stepping stones. Failures hold lessons that should be embraced, not avoided.
The future of education is in good hands
He emphasised that we all deserve the right to fail, to learn from it, and to be appreciated for our efforts even when things don’t go as planned. Because, in the end, progress comes from adapting, improving, and moving forward.
Meeting so many passionate professionals, hearing their insights, and exchanging ideas reinforced my belief that the future of education is in good hands because the people shaping it care deeply. We are already looking forward to Digifest 2026!
