University networks need to keep pace with changing demands. AI, cloud services, research workloads, connected devices, and rising user expectations are all adding greater pressure on your infrastructure, while security requirements, budget constraints, and procurement processes aren’t getting any simpler.
Making the right decision means understanding what your institution needs, learning from what’s happening across the sector, and finding the right route to put those plans into action.
Here are some practical resources to help.
Simplify network procurement through the Jisc framework
For universities looking to invest in their network infrastructure, the procurement process can add time and complexity to an already significant project.
The Jisc Network Solutions Framework provides higher education institutions with an established route to procure network technologies and associated services.
Block is an approved supplier on the framework, providing high-quality wired and Wi-Fi equipment, support services, and installation, giving institutions a simpler pathway to access the technology and expertise they need to plan and deliver network projects.
See what the Jisc Network Solutions Framework means for you
Learn from emerging trends across higher education
Assessing your own network can tell you a lot about how it’s performing now. Looking at what’s happening across the wider sector can tell you what’s coming next.
From AI and cyber security to growing capacity demands and stretched technical teams, these conversations can help you validate priorities and see how other institutions are approaching similar challenges.
This year’s Jisc Networkshop 2026 brought together people from higher education, further education, research, and industry to discuss the challenges shaping networks today.
We’ve brought together six practical takeaways from the event to help network teams think about capacity, resilience, automation, and what their infrastructure will need to support next.
Read the six Networkshop takeaways
Assess how ready your university’s Wi-Fi is today
Understanding what’s happening across the sector is useful. Understanding where your own network stands gives you somewhere to start.
Block’s free 3-minute Wi-Fi Maturity Assessment benchmarks your wireless network across five key areas:
- Technical readiness: whether your infrastructure can support current and future demands
- User experience: how well connectivity supports people across your campus
- Operational pressure: where network management is consuming your team’s time
- Visibility and insight: how clearly you can see and diagnose what’s happening
You’ll receive a personalised report showing where your network is performing well and highlighting areas that may need more attention.
Take the free 3-minute Wi-Fi Maturity Assessment
Plan your next network decision with confidence
There isn’t one blueprint for the perfect university network.
Different campuses have different users, buildings, research requirements, and priorities. What matters is having enough insight to understand what needs to change and why.
Benchmark your current position. Learn from what’s happening across higher education. And when you’re ready to invest, use established procurement routes to help turn those plans into action.
The aim is to solve today’s network challenges and build an infrastructure that can keep adapting to whatever comes next.
