Adobe education leader champions creativity and enterprise at Kingston University’s People Awards 2025

Collaboration, creative storytelling and an enterprising mindset took centre stage at Kingston University’s People Awards 2025, as Mohamed Elrefai, Senior Director and Head of Worldwide Education at Adobe, delivered an inspiring keynote address to an audience of more than 300 staff.

Elrefai praised the University's pioneering role as one of only 19 UK institutions recognised as an Adobe Creative Campus. He also highlighted its commitment to embedding digital competency and enterprise into its curriculum through the sector leading Future Skills programme, a vision closely aligned with Adobe’s global education mission.

“From an industry lens, the value of being enterprising cannot be overstated,” Elrefai told the audience. “This mindset enables individuals to solve problems creatively, adapt to change, and lead with confidence. These are the very traits we look for in graduates entering the workforce.”

With over a decade of leadership at Adobe, Elrefai has championed the transformative power of education in building resilient communities and driving economic growth. He leads global efforts to equip educators and students with future-ready skills, from AI literacy and visual communication to critical thinking through tools like Adobe Express, Firefly, Creative Cloud and Document Cloud.

At the ceremony, which celebrated excellence across the University community, Elrefai underscored the importance of action-oriented learning. “Being enterprising means leaning in, taking agency and seizing opportunity,” he said. “Every disruption carries opportunity and those who embrace it will thrive.”

He described Kingston’s partnership with Adobe as a model for bridging academia and industry. “This is about enabling students to create, collaborate and communicate in ways that reflect the demands of today’s workplace,” he explained. “We’re not just preparing students for the future, we’re empowering them to shape it.”

As an Adobe Creative Campus, Kingston University provides all students and staff with access to Adobe’s full suite of creative tools, including generative AI features. This empowers students to produce compelling content, from videos and podcasts to data visualisations, while learning to use AI responsibly and ethically. The global Creative Campus network also enables collaboration with peer institutions worldwide.

In thanking the guest speaker, University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Steven Spier, reflected on the strength of the partnership. “We’ve worked closely with Adobe on our Future Skills approach, both in curriculum design and through their contributions to our Future Skills reports. This collaboration ensures our students graduate with the digital competency, creativity and collaborative mindset that employers value most.”

This collaboration helps ensure Kingston continues to lead in future-focused education, the University’s alliance with Adobe stands as a testament to the power of purposeful partnerships in shaping the next generation of innovators.

• Find out more about Kingston University's partnership with Adobe.
• Read the Future Skill report 2025.