AI Readiness and Programme Adoption Strategy for the NewFutures: AI Programme at Northumbria University London
This postgraduate consultancy project focuses on developing an AI readiness, skills-development and programme-adoption strategy for students and recent alumni at Northumbria University London. The project supports the university’s participation in NewFutures: AI, a funded AI skills and career-readiness programme offering a four-week online course covering responsible AI foundations and specialist pathways in Marketing and Communications, Finance and Accounting, Business Operations and Logistics, Administration, and ICT and Technical Support. The central consultancy challenge is to understand the AI literacy, confidence, readiness and training needs of Northumbria University London students and alumni and translate that evidence into a practical implementation and outreach strategy. The client aims to reach approximately 12,000 students and recent alumni and support a target of 6,000 LMS registrations during the 2026–2027 programme period. The project requires primary and secondary research into AI readiness, demand for different AI-skilling pathways and barriers to participation such as awareness, time, perceived value and accessibility. The consultancy team is also expected to benchmark comparable initiatives and use research evidence to develop recommendations appropriate to different academic disciplines and student and alumni groups. The implementation component focuses on designing an evidence-based outreach and adoption campaign, including appropriate communication channels, messaging, timing, incentives, faculty engagement and stakeholder participation. Recommended channels may include email campaigns, newsletters, social media, student services, events, learning platforms and alumni communications. The project also requires an implementation timeline and indicative budget for the 2026–2027 programme period. The wider assessment develops professional consultancy capability through business and requirements analysis, research methodology, ethical research practice, practical implementation, testing and strategic recommendations. The project charter additionally establishes milestones for research design, data collection, analysis, report development, review and presentation, together with defined responsibilities for project management, data analysis, AI expertise and stakeholder communication. The individual component complements the consultancy work through critical reflection on personal contribution, skills development, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, technical capability, innovation and continuous professional development.
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