Beyond Blended in practice: how institutions are rethinking curriculum design for a changing world

Beyond Blended in practice: how institutions are rethinking curriculum design for a changing world By Sarah Knight, Director of digital leadership and transformation, Jisc. Since launching the Beyond Blended guide and resources in 2023, we’ve worked with institutions across the sector to explore how curriculum and learning design can better support flexibility, inclusion and student success. At this year’s ALT Conference, we’ll share what we’ve learned through the Beyond Blended pilot programme and how institutions are adapting to an increasingly complex and fast-changing learning landscape. ALT-C has been a pivotal platform for introducing and sharing the work of the Beyond Blended research. In 2024, we introduced the Beyond Blended: post-pandemic curriculum and learning design report and invited institutions to pilot the resources at ALT-C in Manchester. A year later in Glasgow, we hosted a packed panel session where representatives from four pilot institutions shared their experiences, insights and impact of taking part in the programme. The 2026 conference theme, Learning without edges: digitally enabled learning in an ever-changing world, provides an ideal opportunity to reflect on the approaches that are helping institutions respond to evolving learner needs. Each of our pilot institutions has had to navigate a range of institutional changes, but all have used the openly licensed resources in different ways to support that journey. They have developed and supported approaches to curriculum and learning design that reflect their institutional context. You can read more in our Beyond Blended in Action: transforming curriculum and learning design in a shifting landscape report which provides an overview of the phase one pilot programme.  This year, we’re back with more insights from phase two of the pilot programme. Our interactive session, Designing for flexibility and uncertainty, at 2pm on Wednesday 21 October, will give participants hands-on experience of how two pilot institutions, the University of Nottingham and Sheffield Hallam University, are using and adapting Beyond Blended resources with staff and students.  Here’s a preview of some of the approaches and insights we’ll be sharing. At Sheffield Hallam University, colleagues have developed adapted Beyond Blended resources to support conversations about designing learning and teaching that remains resilient in the face of rapid technological, pedagogical and institutional change. The resources have been co-created with staff and students to consider how inclusive, student-centred blended approaches can create learning experiences that can adapt to evolving learner needs and emerging opportunities.  At the University of Nottingham, colleagues have integrated the Blended Learning Framework resources developed from the Beyond Blended pilot across the university. They have worked collaboratively with their internal Fellowship recognition scheme (Advance HE) colleagues, teaching and learning observation champions as well as the Educators Academy and PGCHE teams. This pilot has helped the university develop a shared understanding and vocabulary around blended learning in the 21st century to support and maintain meaningful curriculum design conversations. The session will also provide an overview of findings from phase two of the pilot, plans for updating the online guide and resources, the programme’s impact on pilot institutions and future development plans. If you’re attending ALT Conference 20-21 October, join us to explore how institutions are responding to changing learner expectations and designing more flexible learning experiences. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore the Beyond Blended guide and resources and hear directly from institutions involved in the pilot programme. Before the session you can find out more about the Beyond Blended pilot and online guide here. You can also read more in our Beyond Blended in action: transforming curriculum and learning design in a shifting landscape report which provides an overview of the phase one pilot programme.