Transforming Higher Ed Portals: Seamless Drupal 7 to 10 Migration Enhanced Accessibility and UX

A leading higher education institution in the U.S., our client provides academic and administrative support to tens of thousands of students and faculty. Their legacy Drupal 7 portal served as a centralized hub for course management, enrollment, events, and internal communication. With Drupal 7 reaching its end of life, the institution needed to ensure compliance, security, and enhanced digital accessibility—without disrupting service to thousands of daily users.
Education

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Client’s Objectives
  • With their Drupal 10 upgrade, the client aimed to:
  • Migrate from Drupal 7 to 10 with zero data loss
  • Improve web accessibility for WCAG compliance
  • Modernize the UI/UX to meet Gen Z student expectations
  • Streamline content discovery for students and faculty
Clients-challenge
Client’s Challenge:

Migrating a decade-old, mission-critical portal came with its own set of challenges:

  • Legacy Architecture: The portal was heavily reliant on outdated custom modules and contributed modules no longer supported in Drupal 10.
  • Unstructured Content: Thousands of course pages, event updates, and admin content were spread across the site with no standard taxonomy or hierarchy.
  • Accessibility Gaps: The platform lacked ADA and WCAG 2.1 compliance, limiting access for users with visual or mobility impairments.
  • Performance Bottlenecks: Slow page loads and legacy code impacted both frontend speed and backend operations.
  • High Stake Migration: Any downtime would affect academic workflows like class registrations and internal communication.
How we solved
The Solution We Implemented:

Our Drupal migration experts created a phased upgrade roadmap, taking into account the scale, sensitivity, and compliance needs of a higher ed portal. Here's how we approached it:

  • Content Audit & Taxonomy Redesign: We restructured the content architecture and applied a centralized taxonomy for seamless navigation and searchability.
  • Custom Module Refactoring: Obsolete custom modules were rebuilt or replaced with Drupal 10-compatible alternatives for optimal functionality.
  • WCAG 2.1 Compliance: Accessibility was baked into every UI decision—from keyboard navigability to screen-reader compatibility and proper ARIA labeling.
  • Modern UX/UI Design: A complete design overhaul gave the portal a clean, responsive, and user-friendly experience tailored for digital-native students.
  • Zero-Downtime Migration: We used a parallel staging environment to ensure uninterrupted access to critical functions during the upgrade.
  • Advanced Search Functionality: Integration of faceted search and improved filters to make course and admin content easier to find.
  • Security Enhancements: Hardened site infrastructure with role-based access controls, multi-factor authentication, and regular security scans.
Impact on client
Impact on Client’s Business:

The Drupal 10 migration didn't just modernize the backend—it transformed the digital campus experience for students and faculty alike.

  • 132% Increase in Portal Engagement
  • 40% Faster Access to Course Content via Improved Navigation
  • ADA & WCAG 2.1 Compliance Achieved Across All Pages
  • Page Speed Improved from 6.8s to 1.4s
  • Zero Security Incidents Post-Migration
  • 25% Drop in Support Tickets Related to Navigation Issues
 
Closing thoughts

This higher ed portal transformation shows how upgrading from Drupal 7 to 10 isn’t just about compliance—it’s about creating meaningful user experiences for the digital-first generation. From accessibility to engagement, the results speak for themselves.

Still running on Drupal 7 or 8? Don’t wait until your platform becomes a problem. Talk to our Drupal experts today and plan your upgrade the smart way.

Real-World Success Stories

See how we turn challenges into measurable results—explore the impact through real client success stories.

Increased Organic Visibility

Higher Subscriptions

Hardened Security

“Partnering with their team transformed our organic presence. We saw a significant boost in search visibility, higher-quality traffic, and a clear lift in inbound leads. Their strategic approach and technical expertise made all the difference.”
— Jordan Myers, SEO Manager
“Their team helped us rethink our funnel and optimize every touchpoint. Within weeks, we saw a sharp rise in subscriptions and deeper engagement from our audience. It felt less like an agency and more like a strategic partner.”
— Emily Chen, Senior Marketing Manager

Industry:

Answer Engine Optimization: Drupal-Based Government Site Achieved 60% Jump in F…

 
60%

Increase in featured snippet wins

 
30%

Uplift in organic traffic

 
2.5x

Search session success rate improved

Industry:

Upgrading a Media Giant: Drupal 9 to 11 Boosted Publishing Efficiency by 60%

 
60%

Publishing efficiency improved

 
 

Page load times dropped from 5.2s to 1.6s

 
45%

Search accuracy increased

Industry:

Implementing AEO: Drupal-Powered Education Portal Increased Organic Visibility …

 
45%

Increase in organic visibility

 
30%

Rise in non-branded traffic

 
 

Search session success rate improved by 70%

Industry: Education

Education Website Achieves 139% More Subscriptions With Drupal 10 Upgrade

 
6X

Improved Website Speed

 
139%

Increase in Monthly Subscriptions

 
53%

Growth in Monthly Organic Traffic

Industry: Healthcare

Healthcare Leader Benefits From Drupal 10 Upgrade

 
3X

Traffic Increase

 
35%

Improved Customer Engagement

 
99.99%

Exceptional Uptime

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