The content management system (CMS) used by the College, T4 Site Manager, is available for College-branded websites. For more information, visit the Site Manager CMS webpages.

If a College T4 website does not meet your requirements you can request an ICT hosting service. Please see our guidance on when this might be appropriate. Our web hosting service offers high availability hosting free of charge, allowing users to set up either a WordPress site or a custom website.

Before you request a website, please be aware that you must have the technical ability to develop it yourself or have employed an external supplier to do so. A list of recommended suppliers is available on request.

Alternatively, a blog might suit your needs if you are looking for a simpler solution to share your writing, images, and videos.

Points with an asterisk (*) require you to read the compliance notes found at the bottom of the page. 

WordPress

What we offer

  • Standard WordPress installation with selected plugins pre-installed
  • Load balanced, highly available webserver
  • Content backed up daily
  • Auto-Renewed digital certificate
  • Automatically updated system patching of WordPress and plugins

What you won’t get

  • The owner is responsible for the development of the WordPress customization (Themes, Plugins etc.) and website content.
  • The owner is responsible for adherence to relevant data protection, cookie consent and digital accessibility legislation.*
  • The owner is responsible for ongoing maintenance of the WordPress website and for notifying ICT when they leave the College so that the website can be decommissioned or transferred to another user.
  • No direct access to the underlying file system or database
  • Access to manually update plugins and other site elements – this needs to be requested and thereafter permissions can be temporarily granted by admin typically for 24 hours

Custom website

If you do not want to use WordPress, you may want to create your own custom website.

What we offer

  • An isolated space for content, accessible via Samba with an owner-controlled access list
  • Load balanced, highly available webserver
  • Content backed up daily
  • Auto-Renewed digital certificate
  • Automatically updated system patching of the web server and underlying technologies

What we won’t provide

  • The owner is responsible for the development of the website and adherence to relevant data protection, cookie consent, and digital accessibility legislation.*
  • The owner is responsible for the website content.
  • The owner is responsible for ongoing maintenance of the website and for notifying ICT when they leave the College so that the website can be decommissioned or transferred to another user.

Supported Technologies

Node.JS, Python 3.x, .Net, .Net Core, PHP 7.x

Notes:

To discuss your web hosting requirements further please complete this ASK form. 

WordPress blogs

The College provides branded blogs for Imperial staff and students. Imperial blogs can cover everything and anything related to student and staff life at the College. A WordPress blog provides a simple way to publish your own writing, images, and videos.

Find out about and request Imperial WordPress blogs by visiting the WebGuide webpages about blogs.

* Compliance notes

* Compliance notes

If you are developing or manage a website as part of your work at Imperial College, there are some key pieces of legislation that must be followed. 

These pieces of legislation cover accessibility (making websites accessible and usable for everyone) and data protection, making sure that we look after user data. 

There are large risks involved with Imperial College London not complying with these regulations, including reputational and financial. 

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and cookie consent  

Imperial websites need to be compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). Data protection is about ensuring people can trust you to use their data fairly and responsibly. 

This includes having an up-to-date privacy policy for your site, covering data collection and management. Also, if your website is setting any cookies (performance, advertising, analytical, etc) then you MUST seek permission from your visitors to set them.  You also need to list and explain what each cookie is, what it’s doing, and why. 

Furthermore, if your website will be collecting (directly or indirectly) or publishing personal data then it must be registered within the College’s Data Asset Registration Tool - DART.

Who can help? 

Your Faculty Web Officer can offer advice on tools, but you are responsible for making sure your website is compliant. 

Accessibility regulations 

As you may be aware public sector bodies, are legally required to meet website accessibility standards. We have provided guidance on what you need to do to meet accessibility standards for your site. 

You will need to ensure your website meets the new regulations and there are several things you need to do. 

If you have any further questions and need more information on the new accessibility regulations, then please contact accessibility@imperial.ac.uk