Transforming Oxford’s Digital Communications June 2025 Update

16 June 2025

The vision for Oxford’s Digital Communications is to create 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. 

This article covers the most recent progress in the Transforming Oxford’s Digital Communications Programme, providing latest updates on Fresco, the new web CMS (content management system), OxIntranet, the new intranet for staff and students, the redevelopment of the main University website, and development of improved content and governance processes.  

What’s the most recent progress? 

Content strategy 

A new content and governance model is being developed to provide a joined-up, user-centred approach to online content at Oxford. This model will improve clarity on how the University’s channels are used and reflects a commitment to user-centred design, sustainable delivery, and collaborative governance - ensuring Oxford’s digital platforms meet the evolving needs of its community. 

Fresco 

Oxford Fresco will provide improved, flexible tooling for content owners and creators to deliver quality sites for wide-ranging audience needs. It will replace the Mosaic platform, which goes out of support in 2026, and will provide a better digital experience for staff and students at Oxford. 

The first iteration of Fresco will become available at the end of June 2025 to a small group of departmental research sites who will be the first to use the platform, known as early adopters. The migration project team continue to actively engage with departments, and the initial list represents those who are keen and have relatively simple sites which can test the overall approach as well as the tools that have been developed to help departments migrate their content easily to Fresco, with the aim of producing sites ready for go live. 

A new Fresco roadmap has just be released, which gives an indication of when new features will be rolled out – this will be updated regularly as new features are defined and enhanced. 

Nominated Fresco users are participating in testing sessions, as part of the 'Fresco User Panel', to review development of the Fresco platform and ensure that the platform can be continually improved and items prioritised based on user feedback and need.

OxIntranet 

The Intranet and Internal Communications project continues to progress, with a focus on completing the technical build and with an initial focus on University-wide content. 

The team are working to deliver a unified intranet for Oxford and are moving forward with an enhanced intranet based on SharePoint Online over the summer of 2025.  

The framework of the intranet has now been built behind the scenes, and a number of pilot sites are now being built. During the Long Vacation, University-wide content and additional functionality will be added, with a view to an initial launch of the intranet for staff expected ahead of Michaelmas term.

Due to funding restrictions in the 2025/26 academic year, the initial focus for the Intranet will be on University-wide content for all staff, followed by students. The platform is still expected to be available to colleges and departments to use for their own, local intranets, but with more limited migration support available.

Planning is underway to determine the order and priority of migration activities to support content owners and in line with user needs. The project team are working closely with teams who own the content to help them review content and prepare it for migration.

More information will follow soon about the launch and migration support.

Oxweb 

Work is also progressing on the redevelopment of Oxweb, the main University website (www.ox.ac.uk), in alignment with the content strategy. The site build began in late May, and the focus over the next few months will be on content preparation with relevant teams. 

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.

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