Guildford College recently proudly hosted the latest event in a series of inter-college skills competitions bringing together the four Surrey FE Colleges: Activate Learning (encompassing Guildford College, Merrist Wood College and University Centre, and Farnham College), Brooklands College, NESCOT (North East Surrey College of Technology), and East Surrey College.
Together, these institutions form Surrey FE—a collaborative network committed to driving excellence and innovation across further education in Surrey. The partnership supports joint initiatives, staff development, and learner-focused opportunities across the region, with this competition being a perfect example of their collective ambition.
The theme for this round of the skills competition was “Ethical AI: A Force for Change”, aimed at inspiring students in the creative industries to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a positive driver of transformation.
Teams were challenged to consider how the responsible and ethical application of AI could propel progress in design, media, and digital creativity. Over recent weeks, students developed ideas and concepts, culminating in a live showcase at Guildford College’s state-of-the-art Digital Skills Centre.
The event was judged by a panel of industry experts—Peter Gordon, Anthony Barnett, and Bruce Speechley—who praised the creativity, depth of thought, and innovation shown by all participants.
The competition was fierce, with entries so strong that judges awarded a joint first place:
- East Surrey College’s Team SMART (Ryan, Joseph, Owais, and Akin) won with their thought-provoking presentation on “How AI will affect our future and our environment.”
- Brooklands College’s Digital Design students, Andrew and Jordan, also secured top honours for their compelling pitch on “Inclusive Design and Accessibility – AI-Driven Solutions for Design, Media, and Entertainment.”
Joint third place went to:
- East Surrey College team (Megan, Tomi, Caleb, Kaelan, and Reuben) for their insightful work on Accessibility and Inclusion.
- NESCOT’s team (Reece, Safwan, Jess, and Jiya) for their imaginative concept “AI Personalised Board Game Experience.”
Brooklands student Andrew reflected on their win, saying:
“We are very happy with the result considering we were a late entrant and didn’t have too much time to prepare. We very much enjoyed the whole process and are happy to be coming away with a win! We are very proud of what we’ve achieved today.”
Neil Shoulder, Group Director at Guildford College, praised the initiative, adding:
“It’s been truly inspiring to see how these young creatives have embraced such a complex and fast-evolving topic. Their ability to combine innovation with ethical awareness is exactly what the future of the industry needs. We are incredibly proud to host and support events like this as part of the Surrey FE collaboration—offering real, meaningful opportunities for learners to shine.”
Find out more about the Surrey FE group of colleges here
