{"id":69137,"date":"2025-08-11T12:13:25","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T12:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/customer-stories\/queen-mary-university-london-totara-lms\/"},"modified":"2025-08-13T16:06:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T16:06:57","slug":"queen-mary-university-london-totara-lms","status":"publish","type":"customer-story","link":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/customer-stories\/queen-mary-university-london-totara-lms\/","title":{"rendered":"QMUL transforms staff and research student learning with a centralised Totara platform"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class='inline-text-container MobileAlignment DesktopAlignment'>\n  <div class='richText'><p class=\"large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-67248 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Highly-Commended-Project-2025-e1747225590412-300x291.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"190\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Highly-Commended-Project-2025-e1747225590412-300x291.png 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Highly-Commended-Project-2025-e1747225590412.png 347w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/>Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) has a long and proud history of providing easier access to learning \u2014 as well as of taking innovative approaches to education.<\/p>\n<p class=\"large\">That philosophy extends to the learning shared with the university\u2019s staff and post-graduate research students. QMUL wanted a platform that would be a central hub for all learning resources and seminars available to its workforce of more than 3,500 academic staff, 2,500 administrative staff and 2,500 research students.<\/p>\n<h3>The Challenge<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>We were tasked with creating an LMS to:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Integrate seamlessly<\/strong> with existing systems, including Power BI, LinkedIn Learning and QMUL\u2019s student information system.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Save time<\/strong> for LMS admins and, as a result, save money for the university.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scale as the university grows<\/strong> and adapt to changing needs over time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Generate usable data<\/strong> to monitor the impact of the LMS and predict the need for extended or expanded learning opportunities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>All the elements of a successful LMS.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-69044 \" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmp71_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock1-e1754647173748.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"618\" height=\"386\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmp71_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock1-e1754647173748.jpg 1013w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmp71_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock1-e1754647173748-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmp71_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock1-e1754647173748-768x480.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>The Solution<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\">We delivered a customised Totara platform that is tailored to QMUL\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-69052 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA4_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock2-e1754647317504-300x298.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA4_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock2-e1754647317504-300x298.jpg 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA4_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock2-e1754647317504-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA4_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock2-e1754647317504.jpg 715w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/learning-management-system-lms\/\"><strong>Totara Learn\u2019s flexibility<\/strong><\/a> ensures that the university can create and manage learning for a diverse range of learners across various learning pathways, including staff, post-graduate students, overseas staff and external contractors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Learners use the platform to engage with everything from mandatory training and guidance on finding their way around campus to highly specialised, subject-specific courses, such as advice on how physics lecturers can access and use different chemical elements for their research.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">The LMS also supports the wide range of online and offline seminars and learning events delivered for QMUL staff. Totara provides all the booking, management and reporting tools for workshops, webinars and other events.<\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-69060 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpB9_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock3-e1754647491586-300x160.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpB9_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock3-e1754647491586-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpB9_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock3-e1754647491586-1024x546.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpB9_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock3-e1754647491586-768x409.jpg 768w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpB9_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock3-e1754647491586.jpg 1210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/h3>\n<p class=\"\">Our\u00a0consultancy and development teams worked closely with QMUL to create seamless integrations between the LMS and LinkedIn Learning, the university\u2019s student information system, Power BI and other university systems. We developed scalable, user-friendly integrations to handle complex data flows between the various platforms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Together, these integrations dramatically save administrative time and resources needed to manage the LMS and increase the value of the data it generates. By synchronising course completions, learner progress and other data from multiple platforms, we were able to create a unified view of all learning activities within Totara.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>The Result<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\">QMUL now has a <strong>centralised LMS that seamlessly integrates and consolidates<\/strong> the array of learning tools and other systems used by its staff. The new Totara platform is already saving valuable time that would previously be spent on laborious manual tasks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>The result is simpler, more streamlined management and delivery of learning programmes.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69056 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA5_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock4-e1754647409702.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"385\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA5_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock4-e1754647409702.jpg 1118w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA5_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock4-e1754647409702-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA5_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock4-e1754647409702-1024x591.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tmpA5_Ellen_Marken_SS-QMUL-Mock4-e1754647409702-768x443.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 385px) 100vw, 385px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">This is aided by <strong>automated and accurate data flows<\/strong> across the various systems, reducing admin workload and improving the learning experience for QMUL staff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">QMUL has <strong>future-proofed its investment<\/strong> as far as possible in the fast-paced world of learning technologies. The <strong>scalability, flexibility and limitless customisation of Totara means the platform will grow and develop with the university<\/strong>, continuing to match its commitment to academic excellence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n\n<div class='inline-quote-container themeMidBlue'>\n      <blockquote>Synergy Learning was always prepared to bend and flow to our needs \u2014 even when we weren\u2019t sure what our needs were. We had great professional relationships with the individuals we worked with and the company as a whole.\n<\/blockquote>\n        <figure>\n            <figcaption>\n        <strong>Dave Beggs-Wallace,<\/strong>\n        <br \/>\n        Organisational &#038; Professional Development, QMUL      <\/figcaption>\n    <\/figure>\n  <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","tax\/tags":[712,698,684,720],"tax\/countries":[789],"tax\/sectors":[799],"org-size":[777],"tax\/solutions":[778],"tax\/topics":[],"tax\/industries":[],"class_list":["post-69137","customer-story","type-customer-story","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/customer-stories\/69137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/customer-stories"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/customer-story"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/tags?post=69137"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/countries?post=69137"},{"taxonomy":"sector","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/sectors?post=69137"},{"taxonomy":"org-size","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/org-size?post=69137"},{"taxonomy":"solution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/solutions?post=69137"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/topics?post=69137"},{"taxonomy":"industry-tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/industries?post=69137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}