Sector(s)
Visit the site
Visit the siteOrganizations Involved
Community contributions
1xINTERNET actively supports Drupal initiatives through code contributions, module development, and community engagement. The company regularly sponsors events like DrupalCon and local Drupal camps, and the 1x team contribute patches and maintain modules. The company take a joint leading role in the new Drupal AI initiative.
The University of Edinburgh, having migrated from Drupal 7 to a modern Drupal platform, needed to carry out a technical audit to evaluate the platform’s effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. The audit assessed key aspects of the platform, such as security, GDPR compliance, accessibility, performance, and editorial experience. Through in-person workshops and analysis, actionable recommendations were delivered to improve both the platform and its strategic direction. An innovative consultancy approach was adopted, combining formal reporting with GitLab task creation for immediate implementation, and incorporating real-time prototyping to rapidly test and validate ideas.
The Client: The University of Edinburgh
Founded in 1582, the University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious public research universities, located in Scotland’s capital. Internationally recognised for its excellence in the fields of medicine, science, engineering, and the humanities, it is a proud member of the Russell Group and a leader in both education and research innovation. With a rich legacy that includes alumni like Charles Darwin, Alexander Graham Bell, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the university continues to shape global thought. Serving over 45,000 students, it maintains a highly complex digital ecosystem that requires a stable, scalable, and future-proof web platform.
The Project: Digital transformation at the University of Edinburgh
As part of its broader digital transformation, the University of Edinburgh transitioned from Drupal 7 to a modern, more powerful Drupal platform. 1xINTERNET played a strategic role during the discovery phase, helping define key requirements and laying the groundwork for a successful implementation.
While the development was handled by another agency, our deep sector knowledge and longstanding relationship with the University positioned us as a trusted partner to evaluate the new platform, ensure it was fit for purpose and making the most of the latest innovations in Drupal. With proven expertise in the higher education sector, including work with the University of Iceland and Wings University (Wismar International Graduation Services GmbH), as well as experience across multiple industries, we were uniquely equipped to deliver both technical insight and strategic direction.
As leaders in Drupal innovation, we were brought in to ensure the new platform met the high standards of a world-class institution. Our comprehensive technical audit assessed critical areas such as:
- Code quality and architecture
- Security and GDPR compliance
- Accessibility standards
- Performance optimisation
- Editorial workflows and usability
- Drupal configuration and best practices
- Legal and regulatory alignment
This assessment not only validated the platform's current capabilities but also helped define a clear roadmap for ongoing improvement and innovation.
From the client:
The 1xINTERNET team exceeded expectations, demonstrating both deep expertise and a readiness to address our most complex challenges. Their contribution has driven meaningful and lasting improvements to our ways of working - enhancements that will continue to add value well into the future."
Billy Wardrop, Web Team Manager, University of Edinburgh
The Highlights
A strategic, stakeholder centred technical audit
Our technical audit for the University of Edinburgh was built on a strategic, context-driven approach designed to align with the university’s specific objectives and operational realities. Recognising the importance of stakeholder input, we facilitated engagement in a way that respected the day-to-day responsibilities of busy teams, ensuring valuable insights were gathered without disrupting ongoing work.
To ensure our recommendations were relevant and actionable, the University shared a detailed overview of their digital vision, business objectives, and key performance indicators. This included a walkthrough of the platform, its development roadmap, and how it aligned with broader institutional priorities. With this foundational understanding, we were able to shape a highly targeted audit that delivered technical insights aligned with long-term strategic goals, ensuring the platform not only met current needs but was well-positioned for future growth.
Future-proofing the platform
While the core objective was to audit and validate the existing platform, equal focus was placed on future readiness and long-term strategic value. With the University of Edinburgh now operating on a modern Drupal foundation, our role extended beyond evaluation—we delivered forward-looking recommendations designed to ensure the platform remains adaptable, scalable, and aligned with the fast-paced evolution of the Drupal ecosystem.
Aligning with Drupal's ongoing innovation
Drupal has undergone significant advancements during the course of the project. We provided guidance on how the university’s architecture could be optimised to stay in sync with these developments. Our focus was on maximising compatibility with emerging technologies and ensuring the platform could take full advantage of innovation across Drupal and the broader digital landscape.
Proactive technical review ahead of in person workshops
To drive efficiency and insight, our engagement began with an in-depth technical review before any onsite collaboration. We were granted access to a replica of the final solution—including the codebase and Pantheon-hosted infrastructure—enabling our senior frontend and backend specialists to conduct a detailed audit ahead of the in-person workshops. This proactive, hybrid approach ensured our team arrived on-site fully prepared, accelerating the discovery process and enabling more productive, solution-focused sessions.
Dynamic workshops for actionable change: collaborative sessions for immediate impact
Building on insights from the pre-audit phase, our on-site workshops were highly focused, ensuring every session addressed the most critical and high-value topics. Rather than concentrating solely on technical compliance, we explored how well the platform supported the university’s broader strategic goals. By engaging cross-functional stakeholders—including content teams, developers, DevOps specialists, and leadership—we were able to assess the platform’s real-world impact and uncover opportunities for optimisation.
The workshops were designed to be fast-paced, collaborative, and results-driven. Structured to support rapid decision-making, each session produced clear, actionable outcomes. Recommendations were logged directly into the university’s project management system as prioritised issues, enabling immediate follow-up and seamless integration into ongoing workflows.
This hands-on, solutions-focused approach not only accelerated platform improvements but also empowered internal teams with the insights and tools to continue evolving the system independently. As a result, the University of Edinburgh is equipped with a platform that not only meets today’s needs but is ready to support future innovation and growth.
Key Features
| Drupal experts | Innovation through smart architecture | Proactive engagement |
| At 1xINTERNET, we’re not just Drupal specialists—we’re active contributors to the platform’s evolution. Our team plays a leading role in developing cutting-edge Drupal CMS features, maintaining widely adopted modules, and advancing core capabilities. This deep involvement in the Drupal ecosystem positions us to deliver expert guidance that’s both technically sound and future-focused. | A key objective of the audit was to ensure the University of Edinburgh’s website architecture was primed to take advantage of the latest innovations in Drupal. Our recommendations were tailored to align the platform with ongoing developments, ensuring long-term flexibility and performance. | To maximise workshop effectiveness, we conducted a comprehensive technical review ahead of our on-site engagement. By auditing the codebase and infrastructure in advance, our team arrived with a clear understanding of the platform—ready to dive straight into high-impact collaboration. |
| In person collaboration | From insight to action | Building self-sufficient teams |
| Our on-site workshops fostered focused, hands-on collaboration. Working closely with cross-functional teams, we helped identify key opportunities for improvement and outlined practical steps for implementation—ensuring fast, tangible results. | Rather than stopping at documentation, we translated findings into actionable tasks directly within the university’s Git-based project management system. This streamlined process enabled immediate prioritisation and execution, turning insights into measurable progress. | A core part of our mission was to empower the University’s internal teams. Through knowledge sharing and practical guidance, we equipped them with the skills and confidence needed to maintain, optimise, and evolve their digital systems independently—ensuring long-term sustainability beyond our engagement. |
Drupal provides the flexibility, security, and compliance capabilities essential for the complex needs of a large institution like the University of Edinburgh. With over 150 websites and more than 80,000 pages, Drupal’s modular architecture enables content management at scale while ensuring consistency in branding, accessibility, and user experience. The centralised codebase allows for the rapid deployment of new sites, often within hours, streamlining operations and reducing overhead costs. Designed with built-in support for GDPR compliance, accessibility standards, and responsive design, Drupal offers a future-ready platform that aligns with the University’s strategic objectives and meets the evolving expectations of both internal and public audiences.
Technical Specifications
Drupal version:
