Transforming Oxford’s Digital Communications April 2025 Update
7 April 2025
A Vision for Transforming Oxford’s Digital Communications
This Programme will create new, world-class web and intranet platform solutions driven by user needs and capable of adapting and evolving with the University.
These new platforms will prioritise security, scalability and accessibility, ensuring that they meet the full spectrum of our requirements. By adhering to core principles of simplicity and clarity, we’ll provide excellent digital experiences for staff, students and external visitors, making them feel more connected and informed and safeguarding the University's global reputation.
How we will deliver this
This programme is delivering three inter-related activities:
- A set of new platforms for our online content. These will be stable, secure and flexible, and improve the user experience for both visitors to our websites and content owners. We are delivering:
- A new Web Content Management System (CMS), Oxford Fresco, to replace Oxford Mosaic, which will be closed down in 2026 – this will be the preferred platform for most of our public-facing content
- A redeveloped Oxweb, the main Oxford University website (www.ox.ac.uk), which will be based on the same technology as Oxford Fresco and will have a consistent look-and-feel as Fresco websites
- OxIntranet, an intranet for staff and students at Oxford, built on the SharePoint platform. This will be a single, unified home for the internal content that supports people's work and study at Oxford
- Implementation of a Content Strategy for managing and governing online content at Oxford, developed collaboratively across the collegiate University . It defines which content is internal-facing, in which case it goes on OxIntranet, and which is external-facing, in which case it goes on Oxweb, Oxford Fresco or other external-facing platforms. This new approach also includes stronger processes for managing and reviewing content, so that all our online content is as up-to-date, clearly written and appropriately located as possible
- Migration from our current set of websites to the new platforms, in alignment with the Content Strategy. This involves extensive review of existing content, application of the Content Strategy, information architecture design, and training and support for content owners, before actual content is moved to the appropriate platform, using automated tools wherever possible
Why do we need to do this?
The current, complex setup of multiple sites spread over multiple platforms means that ownership and governance of platforms and content is unclear, which leads to a poor user experience for people visiting our sites.
On the technical side, both Mosaic and Oxweb content management systems must be phased out in 2026, so moving all content to an alternative platform by then is imperative.
Why will the new setup be better?
For communicators at Oxford, the combination of new platforms plus better-managed content will give an improved choice of channels and allow them to target content for the most relevant audience, which increases communications visibility and impact.
Content owners will benefit from better content governance and greater clarity on channels and processes and an improved publishing experience.
Ultimately, this is about providing a refreshed, relevant and searchable set of web content for external visitors, and for our staff and students.
Where has the Programme got to with delivery?
As you can imagine, given the current, complex setup we have, this not an easy set of deliverables. Since 2023, the Programme has been working to develop both the WebCMS and Intranet, which has taken longer than hoped due to the complexities of Oxford’s existing digital architecture.
For both platforms, we have taken onboard feedback from pilot users and have changed our direction as needed.
We have also decided that, given the time pressure to get content off Mosaic, we will bring in an external partner to build Oxweb and continue to build Fresco internally. Our plan is to launch the new Oxweb early in 2026. With OxIntranet, we are taking this opportunity to really re-think how we present content for staff and students and are working on a high-level information architecture. We are now planning the migration in a joined up way across the University - for central services, divisions, departments and colleges. Pilots will take place in Trinity term and we will share these with colleagues as soon as they are ready.
I have content to migrate - what do I do now?
A dedicated Migration project has been set up to manage the phased migration over to the new platforms. Support will be available for training, advice and guidance and migration planning. But the reality is that migration will also require significant engagement from those taking part in the migration. This is going to be a large and complex piece of work to make it happen, and to make the final set of sites engaging and effective, so we want to say thank you in advance for everyone’s time, support and commitment.
Our priority is content currently on Mosaic. If you manage a Mosaic site, you should already be in contact with the project team, either directly, or via a representative in your area, and conversations have begun about scheduling in migrations. In the meantime, we encourage you to continue tidying up your current site and be prepared for the migration later in the year. For those with content on other platforms: existing intranets will have the opportunity to move to OxIntranet - more information will follow on this - and there is no action right now for those with content on a non-Mosaic webCMS.
Find out more
There is more information online about the Transforming Oxford’s Digital Communications Programme: Oxford Fresco, the Intranet and Migration projects and also some FAQs. If these don’t answer your question, please get in touch with the team.
