How USP College is Keeping Teaching at the Cutting Edge

• Posted 19 Mar 2026

What is the Digital Skills Conference?

Each year, USP College runs its Digital Skills Conference, an internal CPD event designed to keep our staff at the forefront of teaching in a rapidly changing world. This March, across two weeks of in-person and online sessions, our team came together to develop the skills that directly shape what happens in our classrooms. The theme this year: From Disruption to Direction.

What Did Staff Learn?

The conference covered a broad range of tools and topics, from AI in the classroom to digital accessibility, interactive teaching platforms, and content creation. Staff took part in practical sessions on using AI tools such as Microsoft Co-pilot and Claude to build lesson resources, and explored platforms like Nearpod, Miro and Padlet for collaborative and interactive teaching.

Sessions also drew on content from Jisc's national Digifest conference, with keynote screenings covering topics including advancing AI and creative skills in UK education and the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. External speakers, including colleagues from Highlands College in Jersey, brought fresh perspectives on how digital tools are reshaping further education.

Why Does This Matter?

AI featured heavily throughout the fortnight. Teachermatic, an AI platform built specifically for educators, was introduced as a way to reduce planning workload while maintaining pedagogical quality. A session on Unlocking AI in the Classroom tackled the bigger picture - how to introduce AI to students responsibly, building critical thinking rather than replacing it.

USP College already has some of the most advanced teaching facilities in UK further education. Our XTEND Digital Campus in Canvey Island was the first of its kind in the country, home to a motion capture studio, immersive screens, AR and VR technology, and 3D modelling capabilities. But technology alone is not enough. Students deserve teachers who are as confident with these tools as the industry professionals they will one day work alongside. The Digital Skills Conference exists precisely because of that commitment.

A College That Keeps Evolving

Great teaching does not stand still, and neither do we. The Digital Skills Conference is one part of a wider culture of continuous professional development at USP College, where staff are expected to keep learning just as much as students are. When someone chooses USP, they are not just choosing impressive facilities. They are choosing a college that takes seriously the responsibility of preparing people for a world that is still changing fast.

You can see more of our facilities here