Our new web publishing platform will be arriving next year. But what if you need a site before then?

In line with the University’s Web Strategy, a programme to overhaul our web estate and services is underway. At the core of the programme is a major project to replace EdWeb with a modern website publishing cloud platform, closely designed to meet the needs of our colleagues across the University. Alongside this we are transforming the web services we offer, with a new comprehensive digital design system, a fresh start on analytics and experimentation, and a major overhaul of our web content.

Underpinning all of this will be a new way of working – an agile, product model, based on the principle of continuous improvement – with a dedicated internal team making regular releases steered by you, our communities of users.  The first of the new sites should be going live toward the end of 2021 – and we are looking forward to telling you more about it over the coming months and laying out how you can get involved.

But if you need a new website in the next year, what are your options?

Firstly – and for most users, EdWeb offers the best way to build a University-branded site that meets our accessibility, privacy and security standards. EdWeb has had some great new features added in the last year, and is still being actively supported both technically and with regular training and events – plus EdWeb sites will be first in line for migration to the new platform.

It may be worth considering creating a presence here on our blogging platform instead.

Look to Drupal 8

For those who require functionality beyond what EdWeb can offer, we strongly recommend building in Drupal 8. Our web development team are working on a new Drupal 8 theme which will offer developers the ability to match the look and feel of EdGEL with the advanced features of Drupal 8, with a vision of ever closer alignment with the new platform after launch.

Contact the website support team for more details.

Lastly, if you can wait – or if you’re as excited about the new platform as we are – perhaps you can become part of the first wave of launches and help shape the product directly through development.

Get in touch with me to learn more.