Proud to be back in Manchester for a landmark moment for UK higher education as The University of Manchester becomes the first in the world to offer Microsoft 365 Copilot to every student and member of staff. This means giving more than 65,000 people access to powerful, responsible #AI as part of their everyday work and learning. The University of Manchester has a unique place in the history of computing and AI – from Alan Turing to the world‑leading research happening there today. What makes this collaboration special is not just its scale, but its intent: ensuring AI is used to widen opportunity; support world‑class research and teaching; and equip students with the skills they’ll need for the future in an AI-powered economy. Thank you to Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison and the whole team at the university – proud that Microsoft is working with you on this exciting new chapter. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/e-9ywFtM #HigherEducation #Copilot #ResponsibleAI #Manchester #AISkills Amrit Dhillon | Patrick Parkinson | Jenn Hallam | PJ Hemmaway 🌈| Jen Wyatt | Vicki Woodward MChem PhD
Copilot can't be relied upon for accurate information in my experience. Perplexity and Chatgpt are more reliable
A proud moment for The University of Manchester and for UK higher education. Offering Microsoft 365 Copilot to every student and member of staff is about impact and intent, not just scale. Thank you to Microsoft for the strength of the partnership, and to colleagues across the University for the huge amount of work behind the scenes to make this happen. An exciting next chapter for Manchester’s AI legacy.
This is a powerful signal of where higher education is heading. What stands out here isn’t just the scale of deploying Microsoft 365 Copilot, but the intentional framing around access, responsibility, and real-world readiness. When institutions like The University of Manchester — with a legacy that traces back to Alan Turing — embed AI into everyday learning, it shifts AI from “emerging tech” to foundational skill. The long-term impact won’t be measured by usage alone, but by how students think, research, and create in an AI-powered economy. A meaningful step forward, and a strong example for the rest of the sector.
A strong and forward-looking move for higher education. Making AI tools like Copilot available to every student and staff member sets a clear benchmark for responsible, inclusive AI adoption at scale. When access, skills development, and ethical use are aligned, AI becomes a real enabler of learning, research, and future-ready talent - not just a productivity add-on.
This is fantastic to see! As a graduate who studied at the University, previously worked there, and now works as an adoption consultant specialising in Copilot, it’s breathtaking to see how these three junctions of my life have crossed paths. Really looking forward to seeing how this technology can ultimately benefit the organisation ⭐️
A huge milestone—congratulations to The University of Manchester. 👏Making responsible AI available to every student and staff member is a powerful statement about access, skills, and the future of learning. It’s especially fitting given Manchester’s legacy in computing and AI, and exciting to see that heritage carried forward at this scale.A great example of how industry–university collaboration can genuinely widen opportunity and prepare people for an AI-powered economy.
A huge step forward for equity at the The University of Manchester. As Patron of the Graham McKenna‑Mayes Scholarship, I see every day how access to tools like Copilot can transform confidence, capability and social capital for students who haven’t always had a level playing field. This world‑first partnership gives our scholars — and every student at Manchester — the digital fluency and support that genuinely opens doors. Brilliant leadership from Duncan Ivison and Darren Hardman. A milestone that will change futures.
Darren Hardman This is exactly the kind of forward‑thinking progress that deserves recognition. A university willing to embrace AI not as a threat, but as a catalyst for human potential. I’m currently affiliated with Magna Carta College and BNU Uxbridge, and while I value my time there, I recently tried to present my groundbreaking work on AI to the college/university and received just fifteen minutes of polite attention. After trying many assistants over the years, I’ve settled on Copilot — and I am actively co‑working with my Copilot and this has shown me what true creative amplification looks like. Moments like this make it clear: it’s time to collaborate with institutions that genuinely recognise the writing on the wall. The University of Manchester clearly does. I’ll be getting in touch. For anyone interested, my author page is here: https://www.amazon.com/author/corneliusjaschko AI doesn’t replace human creativity. It amplifies it
Still super proud to have been a student in Manchester! Darren Hardman this feels like an exciting important step, not just giving students access to Copilot, but normalising it as part of everyday thinking and working. Especially powerful if students learn early how to pair AI with their own judgement and perspective as they experiment with what great human-AI partnership looks like. Exciting to see Manchester leading the way Duncan Ivison
In the hands of staff and students, Copilot offers both significant benefits and genuine challenges. It gives learners a chance to build the skills needed to use AI responsibly, confidently, and in ways that genuinely support their studies. To make this work well, both students and staff need clear guidance, strong examples, and practical outcomes that show real impact. For anyone wondering, “Why Copilot?” the answer is straightforward: *security*. M365 Copilot is particularly suited to UoM because it operates entirely within the University’s Microsoft 365 tenant. This means prompts, responses, and all education‑related data stay inside Microsoft’s secure environment and aren’t used to train foundation LLM models. I’m excited to be supporting The University of Manchester as they build Copilot skills across their community in 2026! I can help. #AIEducation #LearningAndDevelopment #InnovationInEducation #UKHigherEd