Case Study: North-West University improves secure collaboration and data mobility with ONLYOFFICE

How Nextcloud and ONLYOFFICE improve user storage mobility and document collaboration in North-West University

North-West University, a large South African higher education and research institution with three campuses, needed a secure way to store, share, and collaborate on sensitive research and administrative documents. With data control and compliance a major concern, the university looked for a self-hosted solution that would let students and staff work together without relying on “leaky” external platforms. ONLYOFFICE, alongside Nextcloud, was selected to provide that collaborative environment.

ONLYOFFICE was integrated with Nextcloud to deliver secure document editing, reviewing, track changes, and chat for the university’s users. The result was a familiar, Microsoft Office-like experience that improved adoption across the institution, with about 6,500 users gaining access to the platform. The combined solution enabled fast, low-overhead collaboration across NWU’s three campuses, giving researchers and administrators a single, controlled workspace for working “any time, any place, anywhere.”

North-West University

Hans Erasmus

Junior Infrastructure Architect