The messaging system of the University of Lorraine is based on Zimbra, a collaborative email client that goes beyond a simple inbox. Zimbra manages the sending and receiving of emails, as well as shared calendars, address books, and task lists. Each account is linked to the unique identifier issued upon registration, and access is through the institution’s centralized authentication portal (CAS).
Multi-channel synchronization: when Zimbra is no longer enough at the University of Lorraine
Zimbra messaging remains the official foundation for academic exchanges. Staff members have a larger storage space than students, and sent emails are limited in attachment size. This framework covers the majority of common needs.
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The point that the official documentation of the messaging system does not address is the gradual shift towards a multi-channel notification ecosystem. Since the redesign of the UnivLorraine mobile application, some alerts (modified schedules, new grades, campus news) are transmitted via push notifications on smartphones, alongside traditional email.
In practice, a student who only checks their Zimbra inbox may miss information that is only disseminated through the app. To learn everything about the messaging system of the University of Lorraine, it is therefore necessary to consider these two channels as complementary and not interchangeable.
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The app also allows users to customize the sections displayed on the home screen and choose which types of push notifications to activate. This setting is done in the app’s settings, independently of the preferences configured in Zimbra.
Setting up email and push notifications on your university account
Two layers of settings coexist, and confusing them generates either noise or radio silence.
On the Zimbra side: filters and sorting rules
Zimbra offers a filtering system that allows automatic classification of incoming messages based on the sender, subject, or presence of keywords. These filters do not generate additional notifications, but they structure the inbox to quickly identify priority messages.
- Create a filter dedicated to emails from addresses ending in @univ-lorraine.fr to separate them from external newsletters
- Assign a specific folder for messages from your department or laboratory’s mailing lists
- Automatically mark as “important” any email containing the name of a course or module being followed
These filters can be configured in the Zimbra preferences, under the “Filters” tab. Each filter applies only to new messages, not to mail already received.
On the UnivLorraine mobile app side: push notifications
In the app, push notifications are set up section by section. Activating the “Messaging” section sends an alert for each new email. Activating “Schedule” notifies changes in room or time.
A common pitfall: activating all sections upon installation, then disabling global phone notifications because they become overwhelming. It’s better to select two or three truly useful sections from the start and keep system-level notifications active.
University email account security: phishing and authentication
Academic addresses in the format [email protected] are regular targets of phishing campaigns. The predictable format of the username facilitates impersonation attempts.
Several signals should alert you before clicking on a link received by email:
- The sender uses a similar but different domain (univ-lorainne.fr, univlorraine-service.com)
- The message asks to “confirm” credentials via a form external to the official CAS portal
- The layout mimics the ENT interface but the URL does not match auth.univ-lorraine.fr
- An unexpected attachment accompanies a message with an urgent tone
The trend in French higher education is moving towards the generalization of multi-factor authentication (MFA) on email accounts. The principle: after the password, a second verification (temporary code on phone, approval notification) blocks access even if the password has been compromised.
When this option is offered on your UL account, activating it significantly reduces the risk of compromise. The slight inconvenience (a few extra seconds at each login) is negligible compared to the loss of access to the student file, online courses, and all digital services linked to the same identifier.
Alumni network and mailing lists: managing the flow after studies
Once graduated, the Alumni network of Doctors from the University of Lorraine continues to send communications via email. These messages belong to a distinct system from Zimbra, with its own preference panel.
The settings are done from the Alumni profile, in the section dedicated to notifications. Two options exist: adjust the categories of communication received (job offers, events, network news) or check a box for global unsubscription. Unsubscribing from Alumni does not affect Zimbra messaging as long as the university account remains active.
For active students and staff, internal mailing lists represent another flow to monitor. These lists, managed at the level of each department or service, can generate several dozen messages per week. The Zimbra filters mentioned earlier allow them to be channeled without being deleted.
Thus, the university messaging at the University of Lorraine operates as a network of overlapping channels: Zimbra for email, the mobile app for contextual alerts, the Alumni portal for post-graduation. Mastering the settings of each avoids both silence and overload.