About the project

SLU is upgrading its digital workplace to create a modern, secure, and unified platform for collaboration and communication.

Today, we use several different solutions for email, documents, and shared workspaces. By consolidating these services within Microsoft 365, it will become easier to collaborate, share information, and work efficiently regardless of where you are located.

The migration to Microsoft 365 is also an important step in strengthening the university’s IT security. By moving to cloud-based services, we gain better protection against service disruptions and data loss, while ensuring an environment that meets modern security standards.

The goal is to establish a shared and modern digital platform for the entire SLU community. Microsoft 365 provides tools such as Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, all integrated into a single environment that works seamlessly across computers, tablets, and mobile devices.

The new platform will make it easier to collaborate across departments and campuses while ensuring that information is managed securely and consistently. In the long term, this will create a more cohesive digital workplace that supports teaching, research, and administration.

The change will be noticeable in several ways, including the migration of email and documents to new services within Microsoft 365. You will continue to use familiar tools, but with enhanced functionality and improved accessibility, such as the ability to access email and files directly through a web browser. In cases where email and SharePoint are currently being used inappropriately, the project will support the implementation of new processes and tools in consultation with the affected departments and business areas.

Timeline: The project began in autumn 2025 and will continue through the end of 2026.

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The work will be carried out in stages, with email services and SharePoint sites currently hosted on arbetsplats.slu.se being migrated to the cloud during autumn 2026. Before 1 September 2026, any emails and documents containing classified information or sensitive personal data stored in Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, or OneDrive must either be deleted or moved to an approved alternative solution. Instructions are available in our two-step guide.

Because sensitive or classified information must no longer be handled in email or SharePoint after the migration, this may require changes to existing working methods and tools. The project team will work closely with the affected departments and units to develop these solutions before migration takes place, ensuring continuity in day-to-day operations.

Prior to the migration, you will receive information, guidance materials, and detailed instructions. The goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible, with minimal disruption to daily work. Read more below about the Transformation Project, which supports the organisation in developing the necessary processes and tools for secure and compliant information management.

Transformation Project
The purpose of the Transformation Project is to address the organisational impacts of the Microsoft 365 programme in a safe and time-efficient manner. Working together with the organisation, the project will identify and resolve the highest-priority challenges.

Today, many business processes rely on email and SharePoint. Since classified information and sensitive personal data will no longer be permitted in Microsoft 365 services (including email and SharePoint), alternative working methods and processes must be established before migration can take place.

Until the end of August, the project team will engage with all parts of SLU, initially at department and unit level, to understand future needs and identify processes that must be adapted to comply with applicable laws and regulations. The results of this mapping exercise will then be compiled, categorised, and prioritised to create a university-wide overview of identified challenges.

The project will subsequently explore and evaluate potential solutions, considering both changes to work processes and supporting tools. Wherever possible, common challenges will be addressed through common solutions. Information about any changes, along with relevant training, will be provided before migration takes place.

Migration to Microsoft 365 will only occur once each department or unit is considered ready. The decision will be made in consultation with the affected organisation.

Information Security Enhancement Initiative
The purpose of the Information Security Enhancement Initiative is to make it easier to handle information correctly in everyday work. By introducing a user-friendly information classification system, we are creating the conditions for secure, efficient, and consistent information management across the entire organisation.

A central component of this initiative is the implementation of sensitivity labels in Outlook, SharePoint, and other Microsoft 365 services. These labels help users classify information directly as they work—for example, when sending emails, sharing documents, or saving files. Based on the classification, users receive guidance on how information should be handled, stored, and shared appropriately.

Today, information is managed in many different ways, and it can be difficult to determine what is sensitive and which rules apply. The new system will provide clearer guidance in each situation, without requiring users to be experts in regulations such as the GDPR or public access and confidentiality legislation.

Information classification is also a key enabler for future developments, including increased digitalisation and the use of emerging technologies such as AI. By gaining better control over the information we hold and understanding its level of sensitivity, we can use modern tools in a secure, compliant, and responsible manner.

The project will introduce this support gradually across the organisation, accompanied by clear communication and practical guidance. The focus is on making the right actions easy—not on creating additional administrative burden.

The goal is to provide employees with better support in their daily work while strengthening the organisation’s protection of information and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.