How BPP use Totara as the engine to their learning powerhouse

Working with 80% of the FTSE100 companies, BPP is the UK’s only university dedicated to business and professional training.

Having outgrown their existing learning platform, BPP came to Totara Partner BuildEmpire looking for a sophisticated, feature-rich platform with increased functionality around learning groups.

The Solution: Maximising learner engagement

Working closely with BPP designers, we built a VLE based on their Achievement Ladder concept which allows students to see and access their learning journey clearly. Students can easily see which courses and activities they have completed recently, and any deadlines or coursework submissions which are coming up. Students can also see announcements, news, and messages from their tutors.

This user interface allows the students to see all the information they need in an intuitive, modern, and BPP branded interface.

Using APIs for better integration

BuildEmpire built numerous APIs to make sure students had everything they needed within the VLE every time they logged into ‘The Hub’.

A bespoke plugin pulls courses into the VLE from Totara, with some courses also being pulled through from the existing Moodle platform (so that course directors can move all their content across to Totara gradually). Other information, such as news and announcements, is being pulled from the ‘Admin’ or CMS part of the app, where tutors can log in.

Auto enrolment on courses

Part of our development work included making sure the website, VLE and Totara all worked together so that a student is able to purchase a course on the website, automatically be set up in Totara as a user, and then access their course straight away.

This flow was important for BPP because most of their competitors still use a paper-based system which is lengthy and time consuming for staff. This quicker, digital application process improves the user experience as well as being more efficient.

Single Sign-on

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a way users and admins can log in to one application and also be automatically logged in to other applications which are connected to the same central security system. BuildEmpire built BPP an SSO security system using Auth0 and SAML, linking ‘The Hub’ with Totara, course mobile apps, Power BI, and SharePoint. 

Having an SSO system is secure and convenient for users. It helps BPP deliver their learners an uninterrupted learning journey.

Integration with mobile apps

BPP already have their own mobile applications which work as companion apps to the main VLE. Although BuildEmpire did not build the apps, they facilitated the connecting of Totara to the mobile apps and liaised with BPP’s mobile app builder to make sure the content was being pulled through correctly. 

Allowing students to connect to Totara directly via a mobile app helps students access their course content wherever they are, and whenever it is convenient for them. 

Key project highlights

Using Totara as a base, BuildEmpire built an engaging, bespoke virtual learning environment, a CMS for admins, and a suite of integrations with existing software, all on a highly secure infrastructure.

• Improved learner engagement and speed of application
• Integration of 7 systems via API
• Over 285,000 users and growing