Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland embarked on a three-year journey to uplift the digital capabilities & mindset of over 300 leaders across their academic and professional workforce. Delivered in partnership with Rapid Circle, the University of Auckland’s Digital Capability and Culture program guided leaders across the 140-year-old institution to leap ahead in the way they teach and work by embracing more digital practices.
Jason Mangan, Chief Digital Officer
“The uplift in digital capabilities had a profound impact on leaders within the university. They developed a deeper understanding of the importance of digital literacy and its direct influence on their roles and performance.”
Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland
Higher education
Varying levels of digital competence among senior leaders, combined with increasing competition, constrained funding, rising student expectations, and the accelerated need for effective remote collaboration.
A multi-layered Digital Capability and Culture program delivered in partnership with Rapid Circle to uplift digital leadership capability, confidence, and mindset across academic and professional leaders.
Digitally aware leaders using technology to amplify the impact of their teams on teaching, collaboration, and the development of future-ready graduates.
The education sector is at a critical juncture. Universities face strong competition for research income, students, and high-calibre staff, while navigating constrained government funding and increasing student expectations. The disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic further intensified these challenges.
The University of Auckland recognised the pressing need to adopt new teaching methodologies and innovative ways of working. However, varying levels of digital competence among senior leaders hindered effective collaboration and slowed progress toward Taumata Teitei – the University’s Vision for 2030 and Strategic Plan for 2025, meaning “pursuing excellence, despite uncertainty.”
Overcoming this challenge required boosting leaders’ confidence and capability to use technology for meaningful remote engagement, collaboration, and teamwork.
“The University understands that the changing aspirations of our students, stakeholders, alumni and communities require digital capabilities that promote opportunities to engage with the University using multiple different channels.”
The Digital Capability and Culture program was established to support the University’s ambition to enable people and culture and develop a future-ready workforce. The program focused on:
Specifically, the University aimed to increase confident and competent use of digital technologies across digital facilitation, collaboration, information management, creativity, critical analysis, and adaptive thinking.
The University partnered with Rapid Circle for guidance and delivery, drawing on Rapid Circle’s experience in higher education and executive-level digital capability uplift.
The program was designed as a multi-layered approach, grounded in academic research and practical experience, and delivered across cohorts using a variety of methods, including:
“The uplift in digital capabilities had a profound impact on leaders within the university. They developed a deeper understanding of the importance of digital literacy and its direct influence on their roles and performance.
“We can see that the utilisation of the productivity suite of tools had an accelerated uplift through the initial change program, with a continuing trend upwards. We are also seeing growing utilisation across other domains of the University which also strongly indicates the growth in digital capability.”
The program delivered outcomes that positively impacted both leaders and the institution. By aligning the digital capability uplift with its strategic objectives, the University gained momentum towards its Taumata Teitei vision.
Leaders developed stronger confidence and capability in using digital tools, enabling improved collaboration across academic and professional domains. The program also fostered a culture of continuous learning and adaptability.
“We can see that the utilisation of the productivity suite of tools had an accelerated uplift through the initial change program, with a continuing trend upwards. We are also seeing growing utilisation across other domains of the University which also strongly indicates the growth in digital capability.”
— Jason Mangan, Chief Digital Officer
The program also achieved external recognition at both local and global levels, including recognition at the New Zealand HR Awards and Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Awards.
“I’m sold on this approach and would encourage others to emulate it.”
— Professor John Hosking, Dean of Science
For universities or large organisations seeking to build digital leadership capability, the University of Auckland emphasises the importance of strategic alignment and sustained support.
“Situate everything inside your strategic objectives. I think having a clear vision for how your digital capability program supports those objectives is critically important.”
— Renetta Alexander, Practice Lead Strategic Capabilities
To uplift the digital skills, confidence, and mindset of senior leaders across the University of Auckland’s academic and professional workforce.
Digital leadership was essential to meet evolving student expectations, support new ways of teaching and working, and deliver on the University’s long-term strategic objectives.
The program was delivered in partnership between the University of Auckland and Rapid Circle, supported by senior leadership including the Chief People Officer and Chief Digital Officer.
Participants developed greater confidence in using digital tools, improved collaboration across teams, and a stronger understanding of how digital capability supports their leadership role.
Yes. The program offers a structured, strategic approach to building digital leadership capability that can be adapted to other complex organisations.
