Southern Cross University (SCU) is an Australian public university, with online courses and campuses at Lismore and Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales, and at Coolangatta. It is ranked in the top 100 young universities in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. SCU provides affordable courses, flexible learning and excellent student support, so students can achieve the impossible and make the most out of their time.
website overhaul and platform transition
The old Southern Cross University online website was widely recognised as a case study in poor user experience and user interface. Built on the outdated Drupal 7 platform, it was riddled with navigation challenges, inconsistent design patterns, and unclear content hierarchy. Users—whether prospective students, staff, or researchers—often found themselves lost in a maze of redundant pages, and cluttered layouts. This resulted in confusion, frustration, and ultimately a diminished perception of the university’s digital presence
a new digital era for scu online
The launch of the new SCU website marked a major turning point. Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10, the university embraced a complete overhaul not just in technology, but also in UX, UI, performance, and security. This was part of a broader brand refresh that aimed to reflect SCU’s modern vision and forward-thinking identity.
The transformation didn’t just fix the problems of the old site—it redefined how users engage with SCU online. Initial feedback has praised the improved usability, faster load times, and the elegant new design. Internally, content authors now benefit from a more flexible and intuitive CMS, reducing friction and increasing content velocity.
The new SCU website is more than a redesign—it’s a digital reawakening that aligns with the university’s bold ambitions and growing reputation.
