Projects and Programmes Digest: Hilary term 2026

This term sees continued progress on projects and programmes across the University’s digital portfolios, to support our ongoing digital transformation. The focus is on improving reliability, security and user experience across our digital services, while laying foundations for enhancements in the longer term. This update highlights some selected changes, how they may impact you, and where any action or awareness is needed. 

Updates from a selection of projects and programmes underway are provided below, grouped by digital portfolio to reflect how this work is being delivered: 

• Engagement & Dissemination Portfolio
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Research Portfolio
• Administration Portfolio
• Education Portfolio
• Technology Portfolio

To find out more about the University’s digital portfolios, their committees and divisional/college representatives, and the wider Digital Governance Framework, visit the Digital Governance Unit (DGU) SharePoint site.

Engagement and Dissemination

The Engagement and Dissemination Portfolio supports projects that improve how the University connects with its internal and external audiences, enhances access to Oxford’s world-leading collections, and advances digital engagement across the collegiate University.  

This includes work to deliver clearer governance and more consistent platforms for digital communication, as well as initiatives that make our museum and library collections more discoverable and usable online. 

Transforming Oxford's Digital Communications 

Internal content is moving over time to a single, secure and more user-friendly intranet, in Microsoft SharePoint Online. OxIntranet went live with its initial offering in October and during 2025/26, information relevant to all staff will be migrated, along with college and departmental content where capacity allows. Migration will then extend across the collegiate University in 2026/27. 

Oxford Fresco is now live with its first group of migrated sites, including the Conference of Colleges Vacancies site which you may wish to explore to get a feel for Fresco in action. While the core platform features are in place, new functionality and design improvements will continue to be released as the platform evolves, with Mosaic sites migrating in line with this progress. The focus this term is on improving the front-end look and feel, in response to feedback from migrating site owners. 

Requests for new websites and intranets are now subject to an approval process to support a more streamlined and consistent online presence for the University. 

Further information is available via Transforming Oxford’s Digital Communications. 

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Halo, the University’s new CRM Programme, will provide a shared platform and framework to coordinate engagement across the collegiate University. As part of the Digital Governance Unit, it is establishing the foundations for more consistent, effective engagement. 

The Halo team recently presented the programme’s vision and framework, alongside a demonstration of the solution, at a town hall-style webinar. You can watch the recording of the Halo town hall webinar, and the latest Halo term report outlines progress in 2025. 

 Research Portfolio

This term’s research activity is focused on improving support across the research lifecycle, reducing risk and enabling growth in research capability and infrastructure. 

Oxford Research Management System (ORMS) Programme 

Research management processes are being redesigned to provide greater efficiency, clarity and consistency from proposal through to project closure. Work is underway to review and simplify these processes, with input from colleagues across academic departments, divisions and the University Administration and Services (UAS). 

Worktribe’s modular digital system, which is already used for ethics applications, will be extended to replace X5 for costing and pricing (as well as award management, contracts and risk), and integrated with Oracle Financials. This will be rolled out division-by-division, from 2027. Opportunities for staff to contribute to this work as subject-matter experts will be shared later this term. 

Research Facilities Management Project 

Access to research facilities is being standardised through a single platform, which is integrated with Oracle Financials and can be used for cataloguing, booking and charging. The aim is to reduce local variation and administrative effort and improve cost recoveries. Stratocore’s PPMS solution has been chosen, and early adopters in the Medical Sciences and MPLS divisions are preparing for implementation in Trinity term. Find out more about this project on OxIntranet.  

Research Practice 

Support for research practice is being strengthened through a 4-year roadmap that integrates policies, tools and services across the research lifecycle. This will help researchers to access best-practice guidance, meet regulatory requirements, and reduce risks such as data loss or non-compliance. It will support improved training, data management, transparency and reproducibility, to help strengthen research quality, efficiency and audit readiness. Read more about this work on OxIntranet. 

Research Computing Programme 

Research computing capability is being expanded to support data-intensive, AI and GPU-enabled research, alongside clearer governance and stronger user engagement. 

A Trusted Research Environment, which will provide the technical and information governance infrastructure required to work with sensitive data, is in development, with a dedicated delivery team now in place and work under way on an initial platform for pilot projects, supported by new governance and assurance arrangements. 

Procurement is underway for a flagship research computing system, following approval of phase 1 funding. The system will be hosted in the Shared Data Centre’s new direct-liquid-cooled space, enabling next-generation workloads which is expected to come on stream in autumn 2026. 

Alongside delivery, a research computing strategy is being developed to inform the next three-year funding period. The strategy will integrate Oxford’s fragmented research computing provision, improving financial and environmental sustainability, service resilience, and our ability to leverage emergent technologies. A Director of Research Computing Infrastructure is now in post, and the Research Computing Advisory Board has met for the first time to provide a formal researcher voice as services develop. 

 Administration Portfolio

This portfolio is focused on digital investment to support our People, Finance, Assurance and Estates services. 

People and Finance Service Transformation  

The People and Finance Service Transformation (PFST) programme aims to enhance processes and ways of working across HR and Finance through service redesign and technology, including AI and automation. Using end-to-end reviews, it ensures services are effective and user focused. Current priorities include developing high-level service models with Shared Leadership Groups (SLGs), refining timelines and plans, and progressing initial workstreams. These include updating the University’s purchasing hierarchy and reviewing services such as Talent Acquisition, covering resource planning, recruitment, and onboarding. The programme’s goal is to deliver streamlined, efficient, and user-centric services supported by modern tools and approaches. 

Purchasing Hierarchy Project  

The Purchasing Hierarchy Project aims to improve how we approve purchases at the University. The project is reviewing its timeline in light of a number of unexpected complexities that have arisen during testing. The aim of the replanning is to ensure there is sufficient time for final assurance, user testing, and a smooth transition into operation across the University. A revised launch date will be communicated as soon as it is known. 

Workforce Management  

The majority of University departments and units are now using PeopleXD to manage leave and absence, and the project team is working closely with the remaining departments so that all will be using the system for staff leave and absence by the time the project finishes in April. A series of additional training sessions are being offered this term, and these will be communicated to local HR teams via the HR system bulletin. Support for using PeopleXD, including guidance for HR teams, staff, managers and rostered roles, is available via the Workforce Management resource pages. 

New Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Assessment Platform 

A new online platform, Healthy Working Plus, has now been launched across the University to help staff set up their workstations safely and comfortably. It combines online training with a self-assessment to reduce the risk of discomfort or injury. The new system also streamlines administration and improves data quality. The project team is now focusing on handover to the HR systems team and to the Health and Safety teams involved as well as reflecting on lessons learned. Guidance on Display Screen Equipment, including the Healthy Working Plus training and assessment system that replaces the previous DSE platform, is available in the Health, Safety and Wellbeing area of OxIntranet.  

Strategic Health and Safety Modular System 

Following a review by the Focus team which highlighted the need for investment in digital infrastructure to support the University’s health and safety activities, a project to procure a strategic health and safety modular system has recently started. The project is in its early stages and seeking to define what a new system needs to be capable of and what the roadmap of development looks like, considering the current, complex systems landscape. The project will work closely with members of the Safety Network Steering group and a consultation exercise with the divisions to refine systems requirements is planned for Hilary term. 

Education Portfolio

This term’s Education Portfolio work focuses on strengthening the digital systems that support teaching, learning and student administration across the University. While a number of projects have closed recently, activity continues across a small number of projects and Continuous Improvement teams that underpin the student lifecycle, alongside digital education initiatives supporting learning and teaching.   

Next steps for digital exams 

The Digital Assessment Enhancements project was set up to run further Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) pilot exams and to explore options for scaling digital exams to meet increasing demand. This work has now been completed and its findings are documented in a report which will be reviewed by Education Services and the Education Portfolio with a view to agreeing next steps. 

Departments interested in piloting a small, in-person typed exam can contact the Student Assessments Team to discuss feasibility and requirements. 

Physical Teaching Spaces 

The Physical Teaching Spaces project has now concluded. The ongoing legacy of the project is the creation of a new Teaching Spaces Audit Service to help departments evaluate and improve their teaching spaces. Delivered jointly by the Centre for Teaching and Learning and the AV Support team in IT Services, consultations combine pedagogical and technical expertise to help departments create inclusive, technology-enabled rooms that meet the diverse needs of students and staff and enable innovative teaching and learning. 

Research Degrees Examination Management 

The Research Degrees Examination Management project will close at the end of February, completing the transition of remaining postgraduate research (PGR) examiner appointment and outcomes processes into eVision, to offer an enhanced experience for students and examiners. This is a key aspect of ongoing work to replace legacy systems and digitise processes, as part of our digital transformation. 

This work has reduced both administrative effort in the Research Degrees Teams, and the risk of data breaches and system failure associated with legacy systems. It has also enabled positive regulatory changes for research degree outcomes and will allow the retirement of the Microsoft Access database and Research Thesis Digital Submission system, leaving a more secure and sustainable solution in place for the future. 

Student Fees and Funding (SFF) Programme 

Following the 2023 review of Student Fees and Funding (SFF) systems and processes, the SFF Project continues to deliver phased, service-led change to reduce reliance on manual tools and establish a single, supported source of fee and funding data. Project-wide OxIntranet pages are being developed to provide a single, up-to-date source of information on scope, timelines and progress. 

A new Financial Declaration Form went live in November, ready to support the 2026–27 admissions round, marking the first major output of this multi-workstream project. Work on Graduate Funding and Payments is also underway, moving graduate scholarship and funding processes into SITS/eVision. 

This term, work focuses on progressing core funding and payment workflows, as well as engagement and delivery planning with the Student Fees and Funding team, the Finance Division and academic departments. Benefits realisation will be tracked through operational indicators, including reduced reliance on manual tools and workarounds, and improved accuracy and data quality. 

Further phased developments will follow across undergraduate support packages and a second phase of graduate funding covering college and departmental awards. 

Technology Portfolio

This term’s technology activity focuses on strengthening core digital foundations, improving security, and preparing services for future demand. These projects and programmes will improve the way you access the University’s digital services, communicate and connect with colleagues, and work securely, while reducing risk and technical debt, and improving our resilience. 

Telephony Replacement Project

The University’s telephony service will transition to Microsoft Teams Phone by July 2026 as part of the Telephony Replacement Project. Departments have been asked to complete their transition by March 2026, and Colleges by June 2026, to help manage demand on the support team. Some network preparation is required before lines needing handsets – including shared spaces such as lodges, laboratories and receptions – can be moved. Personal lines without handsets can transition now, provided users have been given sufficient notice. 

Identity Improvement Programme (IIP) 

Digital identity underpins secure access to University systems, data and services. This term the focus of the Identity Improvement Programme (IIP) is on improving how identity is embedded into service delivery, enabling smoother access, stronger security and more consistent management. This activity is aligned with Data Strategy Improvement Programme (DSIP), Halo, and the Data Reporting, Architecture and Modelling (DRAM) team to ensure that the Microsoft technologies we are using support secure, proportionate and auditable access, while allowing for local management. 

Group management is expanding following early pilots. ITSS are invited to submit to proposals for how they would use this, particularly for access management or eligibility checks, via the Group Request Form. Questions can be directed to the IIP team at digital.identity@admin.ox.ac.uk.

Data Loss Prevention 

A new Outlook feature is now live for all staff using Nexus365 email, to reduce the risk of sharing personal or sensitive information in error. Data Loss Prevention automatically flags emails and attachments that may contain sensitive data and prompts the sender to pause and review content before sending. Messages are not blocked but staff who trigger an alert are directed to guidance on what to do next. 

Data Strategy Implementation Programme (DSIP) 

Organisational data is being used more consistently to strengthen decision making, transparency and accountability, supporting value-for-money reporting. Recent improvements include new professional services dashboards and enhanced health and safety insight. Better data structures should increase confidence in reporting and help to reduce duplication. 

DSIP is also in the process of starting to move student data to a new cloud-based platform, to provide a more secure and scalable foundation for future analytics. This work will support the establishment of the new Data Office later this financial year. 

Improving Wireless Programme 

Work continues apace through the Improving Wireless Programme to enhance wireless infrastructure across the collegiate University, so that wireless works everywhere, is accessible to all, and it underpins strategic activities in support of teaching, learning and research. You can read more about this programme’s progress in this January 2026 OxIntranet blog.