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How Wageningen University & Research transformed its complex website into one central web platform
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For international universities, the website is often the most important digital calling card. But at many large organisations, a website grows organically, resulting in fragmented content, complex structures and visitors who struggle to find the right information. Wageningen University & Research (WUR) also ended up with a complex landscape of pages and separate components.
That is why we collaborated with WUR to develop one central web platform that simplifies content and better serves the university's diverse target audiences.
Fragmented content and separate sub-websites consolidated into one central platform
Headless Drupal architecture as a future-proof technical foundation
AI-driven search functionality for finding information quickly and intelligently
Extensive content migration process: jointly inventoried, cleaned up, rewritten and restructured
New digital design based on a refreshed brand concept
An international university with global impact
Wageningen University & Research is globally recognised for its research and education in the fields of food, agriculture and living environment. The university collaborates with governments, businesses and knowledge institutions around the world, attracting students and researchers from dozens of countries.
That international position also calls for a digital platform that supports these ambitions. The website plays a crucial role in this: for prospective students, researchers, partners and other stakeholders, it is often the first point of contact with the university.
But after years of growth and expansions, the existing platform increasingly failed to meet the needs of both visitors and the organisation.
Challenge
The existing website of Wageningen University & Research had grown into a complex platform with fragmented content, limited flexibility and a structure in which users struggled to find their way.
Solution
Together with iO, the university developed a central, future-proof web platform based on a headless Drupal architecture, featuring a clear content structure, modern user experience and AI-driven search functionality.
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Wageningen University & Research at a glance
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) harnesses the power of nature, science and innovation to improve the quality of life. Through specialised research and education — the Wageningen Approach — WUR rapidly translates scientific insights into practice, in close collaboration with governments, businesses and civil society organisations. From an international community of staff, researchers, students and Lifelong Learning participants, WUR works on solutions to major global challenges such as climate change, food security and biodiversity. WUR also offers a broad range of Dutch and English-taught bachelor's and master's programmes at the intersection of agriculture, healthy nutrition, technology, environment, economics and sustainability.
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A complex web platform with fragmented content
Wageningen University & Research launched a tender for the renewal of its web platform. As the contract with the previous partner was coming to an end, this moment simultaneously offered the opportunity to fundamentally improve the platform.
The existing website presented several challenges:
A large volume of pages and content
No consistency across websites and pages
Multiple separate sub-websites for different target audiences
A fragmented permissions and roles structure
Limited flexibility in the CMS
Navigation that was not always intuitive for users
No longer aligned with the new brand identity
For example, a separate website had been set up for prospective students because the existing platform offered insufficient possibilities. As a result, visitors to the main website did not always find the information they were looking for directly.
In addition, the university wanted its online platform to better reflect its reputation as a leading knowledge institution, both nationally and internationally.
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The right moment for a future-proof digital platform for WUR
Beyond the technical rationale, the university's positioning also played a role. Reputation research showed that Wageningen University & Research has a strong global name, but was not always optimally visible online as the authority in the fields of food, agriculture and biology.
The new platform therefore needed to be not only technically future-proof and better serve its target audiences, but also contribute to a stronger national and international profile for the university.
The digital vision became a strong concept
The project began with an extensive concept phase. During this phase, the team worked together with WUR to explore the needs of different target audiences and lay the foundations for the new digital environment. This included translating the brand concept "Full of Life" into a digital experience: a visual and content style aligned with the themes of nature, food and living environment.
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Designing and developing together in short iterations
Throughout the process, we worked intensively with various stakeholders within the university. For the most important target audiences, several dedicated contacts were responsible and involved, providing feedback on structure, design and functionalities. This approach ensured that design, structure and functionality closely matched WUR's wishes.
The development of the platform followed Agile Scrum with three-week sprints. A total of 16 sprints were completed, during which design, development and optimisation were realised step by step. In less than a year, the project grew from concept to a fully new digital platform.
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From content sprawl to a clear structure
In parallel with the technical development, an extensive content migration process took place. All existing content was inventoried, cleaned up, rewritten and restructured before being migrated to the new platform. Through this approach, the volume of content was significantly reduced, making the website more organised and far more manageable.
One of the key insights was that a new platform can only be successful when technology, design and content are addressed together. By not only renewing the CMS, but also improving the content structure, navigation and editorial processes, the university was able to create a far more organised digital environment.
Within the project, various areas of expertise worked closely together, including strategists, UX and visual designers, developers, content specialists and SEO and accessibility experts. By combining these disciplines from the outset, the team was able to address both the technical and content-related challenges of the platform.
A modern platform with intelligent AI search functionality
A future-proof digital platform has been realised for Wageningen University & Research that optimally serves the various target audiences. The combination of a headless architecture and smart AI functionalities delivers a flexible, scalable and user-friendly solution.
Smart search with AI search
A distinctive and innovative component of the platform is the use of AI-driven search functionality, powered by Bonzai, our own AI assistant.
Visitors can not only search by keyword, but also ask questions such as: "Why should I study in Wageningen?" or "When is the next open day?" The AI analyses the intent behind the question and immediately presents relevant content from the website.
This allows visitors to find the right information more quickly, even when they are not yet sure exactly what they are looking for. This form of smart search aligns with the growing need for intuitive, question-driven interaction and represents an innovative step for universities.
Alongside this innovative search functionality, a solid technical and content foundation forms the backbone of the platform. The new platform was built on Drupal in a headless architecture. This means the front end is decoupled from the CMS, allowing Drupal to serve as a central content source for other systems and applications.
Key components of the solution include:
One central platform: where previously several separate solutions existed side by side, a single central platform now serves multiple target audiences. This creates a clearer structure and a better user experience.
Refreshed digital design: an external design partner developed the direction for the new visual identity. iO translated this to the web, incorporating organic shapes, subtle animations, photography and natural colours that align with the themes of nature, food and living environment.
Improved structure and governance: the content structure was simplified, and the number of editors was reduced. With a clear permissions structure, the university maintains greater control over the quality and consistency of content.
SEO, accessibility and future-proofing: the platform meets modern standards for SEO, accessibility in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and modern front-end technology. This makes the website more findable and accessible to a broad range of users.
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A well-organised platform and improved digital experience
In less than a year, the platform was completely redesigned, built and launched. The new website went live on 3 December 2025. While comprehensive data is still being gathered, the first results are already visible in:
A clear navigation structure in which visitors find their way more quickly
Less fragmented content and a more organised platform
A more modern appearance that better reflects WUR's international reputation
Improved support for different target audiences
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Strategic partnership for continued digital growth
The launch of the website marks the beginning of a new phase. We remain involved as a strategic partner, continuously improving and expanding the platform. New functionalities will be developed based on data, feedback and the evolving needs of the university.
"With our renewed platform, we are strengthening the digital showcase of Wageningen University & Research: a place where knowledge, research and impact come together, and where visitors can easily find their way to relevant information."
Haico Minkhorst, Projectmanager W!RE
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