Requests for new websites and intranets

Governance arrangements ensure adherence to the University’s content strategy. Oversight is led by the Oxford Websites and Intranet Governance Group, which is responsible for managing governance policies and making final decisions on website and intranet approvals. Where appropriate, local governance groups may be introduced to support this local decision making. 

The Oxford-wide group will review University-wide decisions on a termly basis to ensure consistency.  

Please see the website and intranets governance page for more information, including membership and terms of reference. 

This framework outlines the rules and exceptions that govern where and how websites may be created across the University’s web estate. It is designed to ensure a streamlined digital presence, minimise duplication and provide users with a consistent and accessible experience. 

Platform hierarchy and ownership

Wherever possible, content should be published at the highest appropriate level to avoid duplication and maintain clarity.

Oxweb 

The following types of content will typically appear under Oxweb: 

• Public-facing central content for University-wide sections, such as research or information about the University 
• Core admissions and outreach content, including course listings, applications information and offer holder information 
• University news and campaign content 

Content included on Oxweb will have the following URL structure: www.ox.ac.uk/[content]. 

Standalone Fresco sites 

The default location for programmes, institutes and externally facing units is a dedicated subpage(s) within the website of the responsible department. Standalone sites (unitname.ox.ac.uk) should only be approved under specific and documented conditions: 

1. Multi-division or institutional collaborations 
   Projects that involve multiple divisions or institutions should first use existing University channels (Oxweb for campaigns, institution-level programmes or news; divisional sites for subject-based information). A standalone site will only be approved where: 
   1. there is a clearly defined, distinct audience with needs that cannot be met on those channels, and 
   2. the initiative has formal governance and resourcing in place to sustain a site. 
2. There is a defined, specialist audience with unique needs 
   The site must serve a clearly defined group or specific purpose that makes the departmental site unsuitable (eg the project needs to build trust and engagement with communities who may not respond well to institutional or academic branding OR an audience of school-aged children may need a bright, simplified interface with minimal navigation, rich visuals, and gamified or accessible content). This may also include a commercial imperative to reach a very specific external audience, where being a part of a wider site puts commercial commitments at risk.  ‘General public’ is not a sufficient audience definition. 
3. There are formal governance or branding obligations 
   A distinct visual or brand identity is required due to formal agreements with external partners or funders (eg University subsidiaries or commercial units operating under separate governance structures where public perception of independence is necessary). 

The following are not sufficient justification for a standalone website: 

• Content spans both external and internal audiences 
• The project or service previously had a subdomain or standalone site 
• The requester has other similar projects with standalone sites 
• Outreach-focused objectives or deliverables 
• Funder expectation for ‘a web presence’, as this can usually be met with a departmental subpage 
• The project is high profile  
• The requester wishes to use or create a distinct visual identity without clear justification tied to governance, funder obligations or audience need 

Use of alternative CMS platforms 

Use of platforms other than Fresco is only approved in exceptional cases. This ensures content is hosted on a secure and stable platform and that compliance with University policies is upheld.  A request must: 

1. Clearly demonstrate that Fresco cannot meet the required functionality 
2. Demonstrate compliance with University policies or standards on: 
   1. Accessibility regulations 
   2. Security standards, including third-party assessments 
   3. Data protection requirements, such as GDPR and cookie consent 
   4. Visual identity and branding guidelines 

Requests are reviewed by the Oxford Websites and Intranet Governance Group in consultation with divisional Heads of Communications and IT Services. 

• The following are not sufficient justification for using an alternative CMS platform: 
• Preference for a specific platform based on team experience or historical use (eg ‘we've always used WordPress’) 
• Desire for more visual control or design flexibility 
• Belief that Fresco is too limited without documented evidence of missing, required functionality 

Note: The long-term process for requesting new websites and intranets is currently being finalised, and will be shared here in the next few weeks. Until then, OxIntranet is open to expressions of interest for new sites, and Fresco web CMS is now open to new site requests using an interim process outlined below. 

Request a new Fresco site – interim process: 

1. Review the approval criteria: Ensure the request aligns with the guidance for intranet, Oxweb, standalone Fresco sites or alternate CMS platforms (see below), and obtain backing from your Head of Department or equivalent and local communications lead. More info in the ‘Information to provide’ section below. 
2. Email the Governance Group: Explain your site request and provide all the necessary details (see 'Information to provide' below) including evidence of local leadership support. 
3. Governance Group review: Local divisional members of the Governance Group check the request against the agreed criteria. Proposals not meeting the agreed criteria or requiring broader consideration will then be referred to the Oxford-wide group. 
4. Decision communication: The Governance Group will reply to share the outcome (approved, denied or other). 
   
   1. Approved requests: The Governance Group will reply to the requester (and CC the Fresco team) to confirm the approval and provide a unique ID code.
   2. Denied requests: The Governance Group will reply with clear feedback explaining the decision and guidance on how to address any issues for a future request or a proposed alternative. 
5. Submit an interim request form: If the Governance Group approves the request, complete the Interim Request Form including your unique ID code and other required details. More details in the ‘Useful details’ section below. 
6. Fresco team checks ID codes: The Fresco team check that the unique ID code provided by the Governance Group matches the one submitted in your request form. 
7. Approval: If the unique ID codes match, a site will be commissioned. Where appropriate a sub-domain for the site will also be provisioned. 

Please remember that while this applies to new Mosaic site requests, existing Mosaic websites do not need to complete this process. These sites will be managed by the Transforming Oxford’s Digital Communications Migration project, and onboarding to the new platform will be managed via the programme.   

Information to provide

When you email the Governance Group, please ensure you provide the following information about your request:

• Name
• Department, college or unit
• Has your Head of Department/Faculty (or equivalent) and local comms lead agreed to your request
• Proposed site title
• Who will be the audience for the site?
• What is the purpose of the site?
• Is this website likely to impact another part of the University outside of your immediate area? For example, is there another project or area with overlapping interests? If so, please provide details of how this might be managed.
• Why do you believe that this site cannot form part of an already existing website?

Timelines for approval 

• Straightforward decisions with the endorsement of local representatives are typically completed within 2 weeks. 
• Decisions taken by the wider Oxford Websites and Intranet Governance Group, if required, are typically completed within 3 weeks. 

Requests cannot be considered until all information (including departmental approval and proof of acceptance of terms) has been submitted. Once a site is approved, it will be passed to the relevant team for commissioning. 

Appealing a decision 

If your request is denied but you believe there is significant new information or context that may change the Governance Group’s decision, you may submit a single appeal, providing any additional details (eg about governance, audience needs or platform suitability) that were not part of your original request. The Governance Group will review again, and submit to the Chair for a final decision if required. 

Useful details before requesting

Eligibility and approval processes 

The way approval is handled depends on the owning unit. 

• Most units from divisions/departments will use the  unique identifier code process above via the request form. 
• Colleges and Oxford Lifelong Learning: The Site Request form contains an approval step which must be completed by the Head of House, College Finance Bursar, Head of Department or Department Administrator. This approver is automatically emailed to sign into self-service and approve or deny the request.
• Student clubs and societies are not yet able to submit site requests.

Financial details required 

When requesting a site, you will also need the following details to hand: 

• the name of your Finance Team contact  
• your unit's full cost centre. Your Finance Team will know what this is, but this is the format for your information: 
  
• cost centre string 

Please note we are unable to accept project codes. If your site is for a research project, your Finance Team will provide the appropriate cost centre.  Any charges for your Fresco site will be billed to this cost centre, with your Finance Team arranging an internal recharge to your project if necessary. 

Site owners and terms and conditions

The requestor becomes the default Site Owner. There is a mandatory step within the site request to accept Fresco Site Owner Terms and Conditions. 

Alternatively, you can select to submit a form on behalf of the Site Owner. If you submitted on behalf of the Site Owner, they are automatically emailed to accept the Terms and Conditions. They must reply to the support ticket email for the Fresco Service Team to process the request.