Enhanced email security in the education sector

How oncampus secures digital learning with mailbox.org

When emails fail to arrive or end up in spam folders, the consequences for the digital education industry can be far-reaching. This was precisely the challenge facing oncampus GmbH, one of Germany's leading e-learning providers, in 2021. The subsidiary of the Technical University of Lübeck serves thousands of learners daily with part-time degree programmes, professional development courses, and innovative online training. Reliable email communication is therefore business-critical.

Delivery problems jeopardise business communication

Patrick Müller, IT System Administrator at oncampus, recalls the initial situation: "A major problem was that emails sent by us were classified as untrustworthy at server level and consequently not delivered." This was an existential issue for the e-learning provider—especially since municipal institutions were among the users of their platform. The search for a reliable alternative quickly led oncampus to mailbox.org, whose service promise directly addressed the existing problem areas.

Priorities: Reliability, security and Moodle integration

The requirements for the new email service provider were clear: alongside reliable delivery of all emails—even for mass mailings—high security and comprehensive data protection standards were priorities. As a full-service provider for the Virtual University of Applied Sciences (VFH) consortium, seamless integration with the Moodle learning platform was also of great importance. The university consortium provides course materials and collaboration functions for students through this platform—making smooth email connectivity essential. Last but not least, oncampus was keen to help its users achieve greater digital sovereignty and data autonomy.

Service package: Data protection made in Germany

mailbox.org not only fulfilled all these requirements but also offered secure and advertisement-free email inboxes, reliable malware screening including innovative spam filters, and consistent SSL/TLS encryption. It was equally impressive that the Germany-based email provider operates its own IT server infrastructure in two German data centres and is committed to full compliance with GDPR and German data protection law. The many additional features were also positively received, such as the mailbox.org Office package with its virtual desktop, mobile access to documents, appointments and tasks, or the ability to hold video conferences directly within the platform.

Smooth transition without disruption

The collaboration began in summer 2021. The transition process went smoothly—mailbox.org took over the management of all email addresses and ensured a seamless changeover. Thanks to the convenient migration service, existing email inboxes were transferred without interruption. The integration with the Moodle platform also worked flawlessly from the start, so that today, sending and receiving emails in the Moodle forums runs without complications.