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GX presents WUR

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Smart content management with 400 editors

A complex ecosystem, one clear digital vision

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is a large and multifaceted organization, with one faculty, nine research institutes, and 93 chair groups. Until 2013, each of these groups ran its own website — complete with unique content, branding, and a separate CMS. This fragmented approach made it challenging for visitors to find the information they needed, created an inconsistent experience, and added unnecessary complexity to managing the systems.

To address these challenges, WUR partnered with GX to redesign its digital landscape. The goal: one central CMS that would be clear, user-friendly, and efficient — for both visitors and internal teams.

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Putting the student journey first

The digital journey of visitors was placed at the heart of the approach. What information are they looking for? How can they find it more quickly and easily? To achieve this, all content was reviewed, rewritten, and logically tagged, allowing XperienCentral to connect information elements intelligently. As a result, visitors can now access relevant information much faster and seamlessly explore related content.

Internal data sources were also integrated, so that up-to-date details such as contact information, job postings, and research reports are automatically published on the site. The integration with WUR’s email software (MeasureMail) further ensures a consistent and reliable experience across channels.

Flexible and efficient design

The new platform delivers a consistent corporate design while still offering flexibility for subsites with their own look and feel. From within a single CMS, WUR can now set up a completely new website within just a few hours. With 400 editors working in XperienCentral, content management, updates, and development have become more efficient and scalable than ever.

 

Scrum as the engine for collaboration

Migrating 800 websites to one platform was a major undertaking — yet WUR achieved it in just seven months. This was possible thanks to Scrum. By working in multidisciplinary teams and iterating continuously, they were able to move quickly, adjust when needed, and ensure a smooth implementation.

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Results that matter

  • Visitor growth
    from 300,000 to 800,000 monthly visits
  • Engagement
    completed contact forms grew from 1,100 to 2,500 per month
  • Efficiency
    400 editors now work from a single CMS
  • Findability
    logically tagged content helps visitors locate relevant information quickly
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Key takeaway: optimize the digital journey of your user

The lesson from WUR is clear: always put the digital journey of your users first and organize your teams so each audience is effectively served. Work with specialists instead of generalists to achieve the best results, start small, optimize continuously, and choose a CMS that fits your organization. With GX Software, WUR successfully applied this approach—from efficient content management to future-proof personalization.

Dirk-Jan-WUR

Dirk-Jan Melssen

Coordinator Online Advertising & Marketing, WUR
Thanks to GX and XperienCentral, we were able to consolidate hundreds of websites into one user-friendly platform in a short time. This gives us the foundation to take real steps toward personalization and provide a better digital experience for our audiences.