We’re excited to introduce Aula’s new design, focused on making the platform more intuitive, more inclusive, and easier to navigate for every learner and educator.
Space Navigation
When you log into Aula, you will now land on the Space Navigation page, where all the key sections of your space —Materials, Assignments, Announcements, Common Room, and others— are displayed in clearly labelled tiles.
To access any of the space sections:
- Click on the corresponding section tile (e.g. Materials, Assignments, Common Room),
- Return to the Space Navigation page at any time by clicking Current Space in the Left Drawer, or
- Click the Back button to move to the previous page.
Navigation Overview
Aula’s Primary Navigation has been redesigned for clarity and ease of use. Previously located on the left side of the screen (in purple), it now appears at the top of the page, for a cleaner layout and more intuitive flow.
In the Primary Navigation, you will find:
On the left side:
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Menu Icon (☰): Opens the Left Drawer
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Left Drawer overview: From here, you can access:
- Home (forthcoming)
- Messages
- Space Selector
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Left Drawer overview: From here, you can access:
On the right side:
- Search Icon: Use it to quickly find content across all your spaces.
- Notifications Panel: Shows alerts and messages.
- My Profile: Access your profile picture, settings, and account details.
Navigating Between Spaces
To navigate between spaces in Aula, follow these steps:
- Click the Menu Icon (☰) to open the Left Drawer.
- In the Left Drawer, you will see the following sections:
- Current Space: It will show the title of the space you are currently viewing will appear here.
- Starred Spaces: Your bookmarked (starred) spaces will be displayed. Up to 5 starred spaces will appear in this quick-access list.
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View All Spaces: Clicking on this button will take you to My Spaces, where you can see:
- Recently Viewed Spaces: A horizontal carousel showing the spaces you recently accessed, with buttons to keep scrolling to the right.
- Starred Spaces: A full list of all your bookmarked spaces.
- All Spaces: A complete list of the spaces added to your account, organised by academic year.
- Spaces with Staff Access: Visible only to users who have staff-level access.
Messages
Messages are now displayed in a clean, full-page layout for improved readability and easier communication.
To access your messages:
Click the menu icon (☰) to open the Left Drawer.
- Select Messages to open the full-page Messages view.
- Click Compose to start a new message, or
- Use the Search option to find messages or users across all your conversations.
FAQs
1- When will the new design be released?
The first phase will be released in January 2026 on desktop only. We are rolling out phased updates to deliver value sooner, gather feedback, and continually improve the platform.
2- When will the design be available on mobile or tablet?
Throughout 2026, we will continue to expand responsive capabilities in Aula, meaning the same design will be available across all devices. Once this responsive version is released, you will access Aula through your web browser on all devices.
3- Why are we introducing this change?
To make Aula more inclusive, improving the experience for every learner and educator.
4- Will my content in previous spaces change?
No. All your existing content will remain exactly the same. Nothing will be lost, removed, or altered as part of this design update. This release of the new design affects navigation only, not your materials or space content.
5- What about the remaining areas? Will they change too?
Not right now. Any areas not mentioned in this article will remain exactly as they are.
The current release focuses only on updating navigation. Additional improvements will come later, and we’ll share more information as soon as they’re ready.