Digital Exams Without the Risk: Why Pilots Matter More Than Ever in 2026 for Universities

In our December EAA newsletter, we shared a TEAMCo round-up reflecting on a year shaped by growth, change and increasing complexity across assessment delivery (TEAMCo Round-Up, December).

As we move into 2026, one message has become clear through conversations with universities and awarding bodies alike: exam delivery is becoming harder to manage in-house.

• Venue availability is shrinking.
• Invigilator recruitment is more complex.
• Digital and hybrid exams bring new technical and reputational risks.

At the same time, expectations around student experience, accessibility, and exam integrity have never been higher. 

A practical way to explore digital assessment — without commitment
To support institutions navigating these challenges, TEAMCo is launching a free University Pilot Programme. The pilot is designed to help universities and awarding organisations explore computer-based testing in a live assessment setting, under controlled, real-world conditions.
The pilot will be offered to a small number of universities and involves a short-term trial of computer-based exams, delivered either on campus or at one of TEAMCo’s fixed test centres in London or Birmingham.

To remove barriers to participation and allow objective evaluation, TEAMCo will provide — free of charge:

• Exam-ready laptops configured to your chosen assessment platform
• Trained invigilation and on-site operational support
• Venue management, logistics and contingency planning
This allows institutions to assess feasibility, risk and student experience without committing to long-term change.

Why this matters 

Many organisations use pilots like this to de-risk future delivery models, validate internal assumptions and build cross-team confidence — particularly where digital assessment is part of longer-term strategy but difficult to trial safely at scale.
TEAMCo’s role is deliberately practical: we remove the operational burden so 
academic and assessment teams can focus on quality, standards and learners.

What happens next
If exam resilience, capacity or delivery risk is on your 2026 agenda, the pilot is intended as a starting point — not a sales conversation.
You can find more information and register interest via our landing page: 
https://www.teamcouk.com/university-pilot

As with our December round-up, 2026 is about listening, learning and working in partnership and supporting the sector through change, one practical step at a time