Perlego, the leading provider of e-textbooks, shares insights into how today’s students read and...
At a recent fireside chat at the HEPN North Conference hosted by Perlego and the University of West London (UWL), Adrian Ellison, Pro Vice Chancellor of UWL shared how the institution’s bold digital strategy is reshaping the student experience and why expanding access to online textbooks through Perlego is central to that vision.
🎓 About UWL: Deeply Student-Focused, Obsessed about Impact
The University of West London is a multi-campus institution spanning London, Reading, and Oxford. Known for its student-first culture, UWL has earned the title of #1 in London for student satisfaction, quality, and diversity. Ellison described the institution as “proudly scrappy,” they’re focused not on perfection, but on delivering real impact.
At the heart of that impact is Digital 2030, a transformative strategy aimed at embedding technology across teaching, learning, and employability.
📚 Why UWL Chose Perlego
UWL set out to “Spotify” the learning experience. Students today expect flexible, accessible, always-on digital tools and Perlego was a perfect fit.
- Expanded Content Access: Perlego offers a broad, differentiated content library of over 1.3 million academic titles that goes beyond traditional course texts.
- Boosting Employability: Integrating digital tools into coursework helps students build the digital literacy demanded by modern employers.
- Strategic Alignment: Perlego supported UWL’s top-down push toward a digitally empowered academic future.
In Ellison’s words, “We took a leap of faith, and we’ve never looked back.”
📈 Results That Speak for Themselves
Since partnering with Perlego, the outcomes have been significant:
- 20,000+ students actively using Perlego to support their learning.
- 321,000+ books read: averaging more than 16 books per student.
- 70% of usage comes from self-directed discovery, not just assigned reading.
- £200,000+ saved annually through consolidated licensing and reduced print costs.
- Full integration with Blackboard, ensuring seamless access to core content.
- Expanded rollout across international and departmental cohorts.
🎧 Learning on Their Terms: Student Trends
UWL students are embracing learning in new ways:
- 65% of engagement happens on mobile devices.
- Audiobooks and mobile reading are booming; students learn while commuting, cooking, or multitasking.
- Perlego is enabling a more flexible, inclusive learning experience.
🏫 Institutional Impact
Perlego’s benefits go beyond student convenience:
- Equity of access: Every student, regardless of location or circumstance, gets the same digital content.
- Support for diverse needs: Built-in accessibility tools help all learners thrive.
- Data-driven decisions: Real-time analytics are helping UWL refine course design and identify engagement patterns.
- Early signs of improved performance are emerging, reinforcing Perlego’s role in a broader digital shift.
🧠 Leadership & Strategy: Making Digital Textbooks the Fabric of the University
UWL didn’t just adopt a tool, they embedded Perlego into their teaching practice. With executive-level backing and a clear strategic mandate, Perlego has become a pillar of UWL’s Digital 2030 vision.
As Ellison said:
“This is about making digital the fabric of the university — not a bolt-on.”
🔍 What’s Next?
UWL is considering a deeper dive into how Perlego impacts underperforming students, with plans for a focus group to explore grade improvement opportunities. It’s clear the journey is just beginning and the ripple effects are already spreading.
Get in touch to discover how Perlego can help transform digital learning at your institution.
Read Adrian's contributions in our Whitepaper, 'Changing student expectations and the future of higher education':
