Websites at DTU

DTU has a centrally managed platform for building websites that can support the university's research, education, innovation and counselling. The platform houses more than 800 websites on everything from presentations of research groups and projects to intranet and student information.

Sitecore

Content Management System (CMS)

  • DTU uses the CMS Sitecore to run the many websites at the university. SiteCoreis particularly well suited to support many sites with many editors, complex rightsand different communication needs.
  • DTU has been using SiteCore since 2004.
  • In 2023, DTU upgraded to SiteCore version 10.2 and moved operations to the cloud atthe same time.
  • In recent years' optimisations of DTU's sitecore platform, functionality for forms,newsletters, extranet and SoMe has been removed from sitecore and moved to thirdpartyproducts. This is done to focus on the core product, create flexibility andoptimise performance.

General recommendations for departments regarding websites at DTU

In AKM's web team, we are often asked what the general best practice is when it comes to supporting the departments business via web communication. The answer is that we don't have a one-size-fits-all model that we always recommend. Every department is different and there can be very different needs depending on the services they offer and the academic environments they are part of. In addition, there is a big difference in the resources available and how you are organised in the individual units. This all has an impact on what is the right web solution. That being said, there are some important pointers to keep in mind:

  • Websites require updating: Every page needs to be relevant and up-to-date. Outdated information is worse than no information, so remember that the scale of the overall online presence creates an ongoing maintenance burden. It's always a good idea to consider how each published page supports the business.
  • There are many projects and groups at DTU that want an independent website disconnected from the department. Always consider whether a separate website is needed at all. It may be enough to make the project visible in DTU Orbit and communicate about it via social media and academic publications. If there is a need to create dedicated online content, we recommend placing it on the department's main site as a starting point. This will help ensure that projects and groups do not stand alone, but are clearly contextualised with other similar projects and groups within the department.
  • In cases where there is a need to create independent websites, keep them at a limited level to avoid introducing content that requires too much maintenance. Use the established resources to pull publications, projects and employee lists. Think of the site as a business card and instead use personalised social media for updates.
There is no formal requirement that all websites at DTU must be built on the central platform. Only the units included in DTU's primary organisation chart MUST be included on the common platform. Other units and projects can in principle choose other platforms, but must be aware of complying with DTU's design, as well as legislation regarding GDPR, cookies, web accessibility and relevant security standards, etc. It is therefore typically much easier (and cheaper) to use the central platform rather than inventing parallel solutions.

There can be many good reasons to create websites at a university. But even though we have a lot to contribute, it is important to focus on the fact that all online content produced must support the business at DTU. Each page must have a purpose and the effort to produce it must be commensurate with the value it contributes. When new websites are required, AKM will therefore ensure:

That the desired website contributes to the department or division's business. Specifically, we ask that a department director or division director approves the creation.

  • Some departments rarely create independent websites for projects and research groups, while others have many. There may be different traditions in different subject areas and therefore it is the department director who assesses whether the creation is ok.

That the websites that are created have an appropriate scope. In the past, we have seen websites that were far too extensive and maintenance-intensive. This costs resources and when the updates are no longer carried out, the sites appear to be dead in the water.

  • Instead of launching news, calendars and detailed descriptions, it often works better to start simple and focus on the parts that don't require frequent updates. Content that is relevant in the here and now is often better placed on social media sites such as LinkedIn.

That personal or organisational websites are part of a clear DTU context. Especially before social media, there were a number of researchers who needed to create personal websites. Here it is important that the value that is anchored at DTU through internal and external funding has a clear DTU reference.

  • There are no specific guidelines on what a personal website may contain, but if the site is placed in the DTU web solution, it is included on an equal footing with other sites in the presentation of DTU and therefore it will be up to the department to assess whether the content supports the business. 
  • Personal websites that do not use DTU's web solution and are not part of the DTU domain can be considered private websites. Such sites may refer to DTU activities on an equal footing with all others, but must not be used as a channel for publishing DTU-based content.

All DTU websites are established under the dtu.dk domain. This is done to ensure a clear anchoring at DTU - and to ensure that the new sites get maximum visibility via search engines (which already know the dtu.dk domain and therefore assign subsites a strong credibility). 

EU projects were previously established under the .eu domain, but this is usually not a requirement, so we also create websites for EU projects under the dtu domain. 

Collaborative projects where DTU is responsible for the website are also established under the dtu domain, as it is generally understood that the party responsible for the website also gets the value associated with including the site under the domain. On the other hand, the DTU logo on the website can be removed so that the parties can appear equal in the presentation on the website. 

Exceptions: Occasionally, there are projects where there are special requirements for establishing an independent website on a neutral domain (e.g. .dk or .org or similar). This can also be handled under the common platform, but it requires approval from an executive board member to go this route.

Contact Office Manager Kasper Antonsen (kant@dtu.dk) if you need clarification - and read more about the different types of web solutions here.

New web design for websites from before 2022

The design of DTU's websites was last updated in 2022 - and all new websites are now created with the updated templates. When we talk about "the new design", we are therefore referring to the design that was introduced on dtu.dk in March 2022. Unlike previously, there has not been a total rollout or conversion, but rather a launch of new templates that are rolled out continuously through a manual reorganisation.

The intention is not to rebuild all sites in the new design. For a large part of the many running project sites, it is not worth the effort - they can live on until they can be closed down at some point.

  • The old design is more than 10 years old and no longer looks up-to-date
  • The new design is optimised for mobile devices
  • The technology powering the new templates provides better performance
  • The new templates separate presentation and content for greater flexibility
  • The new templates' modules are no longer integrated into content pages, but can be edited, versioned and published as standalone elements.
  • The same image format is used for all modules
  • If websites are no longer updated or have limited traffic
  • There is a limited target group that is familiar with the existing site
  • The person(s) editing the site don't have time to learn a new editing concept

AKM helps with both the establishment and redesign of websites

Web tasks that support DTU's strategy and business, we are always happy to help get them up and running in a good way. It doesn't usually cost anything, but if you need solutions that are more extensive than we have the resources for - or if funds have been allocated in a project to do something special, we can agree on a fee. Of course, we will not send an invoice unless agreed.    

Need further clarification regarding websites at DTU?

The general principles for web at DTU do not necessarily address all questions. We strive not to create an overly rigid framework and would therefore prefer to enter into dialogue about the specific cases. If the content above (or on the underlying pages) has given rise to questions, please contact one of us in AKM's web group - you can see who we are here.

 

 

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