SharePoint & Microsoft 365 Services for Universities
People-First Solutions, Built for Higher Education
We combine a people-first approach with proven technical expertise and real sector insight, shaped by close university partnerships. From institution-wide digital workplaces, to research hubs, faculty portals, intranets and document management systems, our solutions are built around the day-to-day needs of professional services staff, academics, students, and researchers.
Our Services
- Digital Workplace
- Staff & Student Intranets
- Departmental Portals
- Research Hubs
- Document Management Systems
We design digital workplace solutions built on Microsoft 365—using tools like SharePoint, Viva, and Power Platform—to meet the needs of modern universities.
Single Point of Access
Underpinned with intuitive information architecture and exceptional UX design, we build systems where staff can access core systems, documents, and communication tools through a single, user-friendly platform.
Breaking Down Silos
We help universities overcome decentralised structures by creating a connected digital environment. Systems and services across departments, central administration, libraries, and research units are brought together to reduce duplication, improve consistency, and make it easier to share knowledge across teams, disciplines, and campuses.
Built for Governance and Security
Our solutions are designed with institutional governance and sector standards in mind. Role-based access controls, structured permissions, and Microsoft 365’s built-in security features ensure your data is protected and access is appropriately managed. We support your compliance with internal policies and regulatory frameworks, giving IT teams confidence in the platform’s integrity.
We design modern, branded intranets – built on SharePoint and Microsoft 365 – that acts as a single source of truth for your university community.
Designed to Reflect Your Identity
Our intranets are built to align with your university’s brand, tone, and visual identity—creating a familiar, trusted space for staff and students. Including colours, fonts, and imagery, we ensure your intranet feels like an extension of your institution.
Personalised by Role, Campus, or Faculty
Using our bespoke tools, we enable personalised views that surface relevant links, tools, and content based on role, department, or location. This makes it easier for people to navigate complex environments and access what matters most to them.
A Trusted, Single Source of Truth
The intranet becomes your central communications channel—reducing reliance on mass emails, outdated file shares, or external-facing platforms. Internal Comms teams can manage and surface timely, targeted content, giving staff and students confidence they’re always accessing the most up-to-date information.
We create connected, purpose-built portals in SharePoint and Microsoft 365 that support academic and administrative teams across the institution.
Built Around Departmental Needs
We create portals tailored to the specific structures and workflows of faculties, schools, and services—bringing together documents, systems, and communication tools into one consistent, easy-to-use space.
Connected to the Wider Digital Workplace
These portals aren’t built in isolation. They’re fully integrated with your university’s broader digital environment, making it easier for departments to collaborate, share knowledge, and align with institution-wide processes and tools.
Supporting Local Autonomy, Enabling Collaboration
Departments can maintain their own spaces and content while still working within a shared governance framework. This supports autonomy while ensuring alignment across the institution—helping teams work better together, not just side by side.
Dedicated digital spaces that support collaborative research activity across disciplines and beyond campus.
Connecting Research Activity
We design hubs that bring together research groups, centres, and administrative teams—providing shared access to project documentation, funding information, and communication tools in one secure environment.
Supporting Internal and External Collaboration
Our research hubs make it easy to collaborate with colleagues across departments and institutions, as well as with external partners. Controlled access and integrated tools ensure that everyone can contribute effectively while maintaining oversight.
Secure and Compliant by Design
Research hubs are built with institutional governance in mind, offering structured permissions and information security as standard. Sensitive materials are protected, while access and auditability are managed within your existing compliance frameworks.
Centralised, accessible systems for managing university documents at scale.
Unlocking Institutional Knowledge
We help you consolidate documents scattered across legacy systems, shared drives, and team spaces into one central, structured location. This supports better knowledge sharing and ensures that key documents are easy to find, access, and manage.
Governed, Searchable, and Easy to Use
Our systems are designed with strong information architecture, making documents highly searchable, consistently structured, and governed in line with your internal policies—supporting both operational efficiency and compliance.
Seamlessly Integrated with Microsoft 365
Built on SharePoint and the Power Platform, our document management solutions integrate with your wider digital workplace—supporting workflows, permissions, and version control through familiar tools your teams already use.
Our Commitment to Accessibility
Accessibility is never an afterthought at Silicon Reef. From the earliest stages of design through to implementation, we build digital solutions that are intuitive, inclusive, and accessible to all users across your university community.
We help institutions create digital workplaces that are, at minimum, WCAG 2.1 AA compliant—supporting your commitment to equal access for staff, students, and external partners. Our approach ensures that accessibility is not a box to be ticked, but a core part of how your systems function and serve every user.
Working in Partnership with Higher Education
It was a pleasure to work with Silicon Reef. To have their knowledge and expertise in developing a user-centred intranet using SharePoint was critical to our success. Embedding Silicon Reef’s Beacon software to lift the out-of-the-box features and the My Tools app to give users a choice of business applications to choose from have been an unexpected and very welcome bonus.
Solving University Challenges with Microsoft 365
Our work with universities has highlighted common challenges across the sector sector—from fragmented systems and outdated communication channels to rising governance pressures and disconnected collaboration. These examples show how Microsoft 365 tools can help solve these issues and support more connected, efficient, and secure ways of working.
Customer Spotlight
University of Leeds
Case Study: Transforming Communication with SharePoint
Learn how University of Leeds overhauled internal comms with a single-source-of-truth in SharePoint.
Webinar: Creating a Connected Campus
Insights from Chris Hewitt on their journey to creating a new intranet, including a live demo of their new site.
Blog: 5 Lessons from University of Leeds’ Intranet Transformation
Chris Hewitt shares 5 valuable lessons for other universities facing a similar journey.
Blog: One Year of Success – University of Leeds Intranet Anniversary
One year on, we delivered an on-campus design workshop to celebrate the new intranet’s first anniversary.
UCISA: Developing a Cohesive Digital Workplace During Challenging Times
In partnership with UCISA, we explore the importance of a cohesive digital workplace, how to make it a reality, and what it could look like in Microsoft 365.
Key Resources
We’ve got you covered. Our blogs, guides and how-tos help you maximise all that Microsoft 365 and SharePoint has to offer.
The Future-Ready University: Fixing the Gaps in Your Digital Workplace
Learn how IT can lead the charge for a centralised digital worplace powered by Microsoft 365.
Successful Internal Communications in Higher Education
With tips, Q&As and advice from HE colleagues, this guide explores how to maximise Microsoft 365 to drive internal engagement.
Digital Workplace Audit
Use this checklist to benchmark your digital workplace maturity in six key areas.
Why Internal Comms in Higher Education is More Important Than Ever
A robust internal communications strategy is the first step to a cohesive, connected digital workplace – and Microsoft 365 can help.
Engage University Staff with Microsoft Viva: 5 Practical Steps
Many universities are at a turning point with communications – tools like Viva Connections and Viva Engage can fuel the next evolution.
SharePoint Accessibility Checklist
A 7-step guide to creating inclusive, accessible experiences in SharePoint.
Ready to explore what’s possible?
Whether you know exactly what you need or you’re still working that out, we’re here to help. Book a meeting with Nicki Pugh, our dedicated Account Director for Higher Education, to talk through your goals and challenges.
In your initial session, we’ll:
- Listen to your specific pain points and priorities
- Explore how Microsoft 365 tools can help solve them
- Start shaping a tailored roadmap for your university’s digital workplace journey
It’s a conversation—not a commitment—and a great first step toward building something better for your staff, students, and wider university community.
FAQs
Got questions? We’ve answered some of the common ones here. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, drop us a note.
How can universities improve internal communication with Microsoft 365?
Improving communication starts with consolidating tools and reducing reliance on mass emails. At Silicon Reef, we use Microsoft 365—particularly SharePoint, Viva, and Teams—to create centralised communication hubs tailored to the structure of each institution. This helps internal comms and IT teams deliver more targeted, consistent messaging across staff and students.
What’s the best way to manage Microsoft 365 across different university departments?
How can higher education institutions maintain data security in Microsoft 365?
Universities handle large volumes of sensitive data, so robust security is essential. Silicon Reef configures Microsoft 365 environments with built-in features like conditional access, data loss prevention, and structured permissions. We ensure every solution aligns with institutional policies, sector regulations, and best-practice governance.