University of Birmingham transforms campus operations with cutting-edge cloud overhaul

Founded in 1900, the University of Birmingham serves over 34,000 students and employs over 8,500 staff members. However, disconnected legacy technology were hampering daily operations, making managing finances, human resources, and research a challenge and created a fragmented approach to vital areas of business. The university’s sheer scale demanded a comprehensive upgrade of its core systems to modernise the campus and streamline processes.  

Envisioning a future where seamless operations supported its education and research mission, the leadership team wanted to empower staff with intuitive tools and access to reliable, real-time data to help them make informed decisions. Making that transition required a move from the university’s historically disconnected systems to a centralised digital backbone. 

To tackle this challenge, the university collaborated with Version 1. As an Oracle Platinum Partner with a long-standing track record in Higher Education ERP projects, we were ideally placed to take on the project. We revamped the university’s fragmented legacy systems with Oracle ERPM & HCM Cloud and carefully migrated its data, integrating the new platform with over 50 campus systems. To ensure widespread adoption, we designed comprehensive training and change management programmes. 

The University of Birmingham was the first UK university to express its ambition to move its systems to Cloud. It now operates a full Oracle ERPM & HCM Cloud Suite, which includes Core Finance and HR, Procurement, Project Management, Planning and Budgeting, Taleo Recruitment, Time and Labour, Payroll, Document Management, and Business Analytics. This is integrated with core campus systems using Oracle SOA Cloud Services and Microsoft Biztalk.

University staff now have intuitive self-service tools and streamlined processes, freeing valuable time and resources. Access to real-time data has improved decision-making at all levels, and the cloud-based infrastructure offers scalability and security for the future. This transformation positions the university for continued success, delivering cutting-edge business support for staff, students, and the groundbreaking research they conduct. 

Outcomes

• Replaced the University’s complex legacy systems with a seamless Oracle Cloud platform 
• Centralised financial, HR, research, and procurement management functions
• Migrated data while ensuring accuracy and compatibility
• Integrated the new system with the existing campus technology landscape 
• Provided user-friendly tools with intuitive interfaces 
• Developed training and change management programmes to support university staff