The University of Leeds’ Online Learning Summit 2025 gathered educators, designers, and technologists from around the world to share perspectives on the future of digital education. Hosted at the Cloth Court conference facilities, the event created space for a crucial conversation: How universities can adapt to serve today’s adult and professional learners in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

One of the clearest takeaways was the reminder that what adult learners value most is connection, relevance, and respect. For many, returning to study is a deeply personal decision, shaped by career aspirations and life commitments. While AI tools can extend responsiveness and scale support, learners continue to seek mentorship, contextualised guidance, and meaningful feedback. Technology should  amplify the human aspect of education — not replace it.

A panel chaired by Martin Bean brought together Julie Lindsay (University of South Queensland), Chie Adachi (Queen Mary University), Mohammed Abdelmegid (University of Leeds), and Boundless Learning’s Aaron Wijeratne to reflect on the evolving role of academics in online education.

As Aaron noted, “The academic of the future will not be defined solely by subject expertise, but by the ability to mentor, design, and collaborate. The role is shifting from knowledge transmission to learning partnership. With the right structures, incentives, and support, academics can thrive — and institutions can unlock the full potential of digital learning.”

This shift places new demands on universities. Traditional workload models, recognition frameworks, and promotion criteria rarely account for the creativity and time required to design high-quality digital experiences. Forward-looking institutions are responding by embracing cross-functional approaches — drawing on learning engineering, learning design, and data-informed iteration — to embed innovation into teaching culture.

The payoff is significant: When institutions invest in teaching innovation, they deliver learning that is  more relevant, inclusive, and impactful, while also signalling that pedagogy matters as much as research outputs.

These changes also underscore the need for structured professional development. Navigating AI, designing for adult learners, and collaborating across disciplines cannot be achieved by goodwill alone. Universities need pathways that equip academics with the skills and confidence to adapt.

Boundless Learning Academy course offerings are designed precisely to address this gap — offering practical training, frameworks, and resources to help academic and professional staff thrive in rapidly evolving contexts. Embedding such development as a core institutional strategy ensures the “academic of the future” is not just ready for change, but actively leading it.

The summit also reinforced a trend reshaping the higher education sector: The way universities and Online Programme Management (OPM) providers collaborate.

Boundless Learning, like other leading OPMs, is broadening its focus beyond traditional revenue-share models towards flexible, unbundled services delivered on a fee-for-service basis. Increasingly, universities are choosing to retain ownership of certain functions — such as learning design or marketing — while engaging partners for targeted expertise, such as student acquisition, retention, or advanced learning technologies.

AI is already central to this evolution. Early use cases include:

• Supporting enquiry teams with accurate information
• Extending learner support outside standard working hours
• Enhancing marketing effectiveness through better data and impact tracking

For institutions, this hybrid model offers agility. By selectively partnering with OPMs, universities can accelerate innovation while ensuring internal teams remain in control of strategy, academic delivery, and brand.

Boundless Learning has over 80 staff members based in the UK, and a central office on Paternoster Square in London. You can also connect with us at upcoming events including King’s College London’s Festival of Online Learning, WonkHE Festival of Higher Education, Times Higher Education’s Student Success UK, HEPN South, The PIE Live Ireland, and QS Reimagine Awards and Conference.

For more information, please contact Fiona McGill, Enterprise Solutions Manager, at fiona.mcgill@boundlesslearning.com.

Aaron Wijeratne is based in Melbourne and is Director of Academic Services at Boundless Learning. Joël McConnell is Senior Director of Portfolio Management and Growth at Boundless Learning’s London Office.

Both Aaron and Joël attended the July 2025 edition of the Online Learning Summit hosted by the University of Leeds.