Countdown to Change: Drupal 7's End-of-Life Looms for Higher Ed Marketers

Staff Reporter

Drupal 7, a platform that has served many higher education institutions faithfully, is approaching its end-of-life, scheduled for January 2025. While this date may seem distant, ImageX Media's latest blog post iterates that the complex nature of migration projects in the higher ed sector necessitates planning and action well in advance. The process can take six to eight months or longer, especially considering the involvement of multiple stakeholders and the preference for project execution during summer breaks.

The blog post notes that the decision to migrate from Drupal 7 is imperative for several reasons. Firstly, websites play a vital role in attracting and guiding students through enrollment. Drupal 7's limitations will hinder these efforts over time. Moreover, staying on Drupal 7 after its end-of-life presents substantial security risks. With no official support or patches, vulnerabilities will remain unaddressed, endangering sensitive student and institutional data. Higher education institutions must also comply with data protection and accessibility regulations, which may not be possible with an unsupported CMS.

Performance degradation is another concern, as Drupal 7 will struggle to keep up with evolving web technologies, potentially disrupting workflows and hindering mission-critical tasks. Delaying migration accumulates technical debt, which can be costlier in the long run.

However, the migration to Drupal 10 offers significant advantages. Enhanced security measures ensure data protection, while a complete media suite simplifies media asset management. Translation capabilities cater to diverse populations, component-based layouts and layout builders provide flexibility, and seamless integrations with CRM systems enhance lead management. Moreover, Drupal 10's accessible themes promote inclusivity, and customized user roles improve content management efficiency.

Higher ed marketers must convey the necessity, benefits, and a well-thought-out budget that minimizes financial impact to make a compelling case for migration. For an extensive read, visit the blog post.

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