Smart Campus Progress to Date

Challenge 

With the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions, the way students engaged with the University changed rapidly from an in-person model to a remote model. For the beginning of the new academic year that followed, programmes were made resilient to changing delivery models with students able to participate remotely or in-person (or a blend of the two). Previous ways of measuring student participation (lecture attendance) became irrelevant, and a need for a new way of assessing engagement was needed. 

Pilot Solution 

Assessing engagement requires more than solely a view of lecture attendance. Suitable additional data sources identified included Canvas (learning management system), Panopto, Zoom (video content and live streaming), and Banner (student record system). Data from these systems were extracted to a data warehouse, and analysed to produce straightforward dashboards allowing academics and administrators to see the levels of engagement of their students. 

Looking Forward 

Further development of the pilot will include adding further data sources, expanding the dashboards to conduct further analysis, and allowing student demographic information to be used appropriately for understanding variations in engagement.  

Challenge 

We are developing information and building design through structured 3D models. Through the effective implementation of a fully integrated BIM strategy, we’re delivering high-quality projects on budget and on time as standard. 

Pilot Solution 

The University is undertaking a series of trials to present Building Information Modelling (BIM) models from various projects and initiatives in a coordinated and practical way. The challenge is to surface the models and data in a user-friendly interface for easy consumption. The technologies available to the University to date have proven to be either unstable, or not capable of processing the large models that build up the BIM of the estate. 

Looking Forward 

The aspiration is to develop a Digital Twin/system capable of hosting and linking the model, whilst presenting all of the granular asset data and linking to the other aspects such as sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) and room data used across the system. These data will accelerate the Living Lab agenda, promoting greater academic outputs for research, teaching and learning. 

Challenge

The University has been exploring the use of occupancy sensor technology to achieve two aims: to help students find available study space on campus, and to gain a better understanding of how our space is used compared to what is planned or timetabled. Feedback, including the National Student Survey, has shown that students have previously perceived study space on campus as limited or difficult to find. This is primarily because key campus locations such as the library are full, but other less-known spaces are near empty.

Pilot Solution 

A study space occupancy pilot commenced to help students find available study space on campus and for us to gain a better understanding of how our space is used compared to what was planned or timetabled.  The University has piloted several technologies including OccupEye (under desk) sensors and Bricksteam (over-door) devices, giving visibility of these data via the Intranet and the Digital Campus Map / Digital Totems. The University has also investigated alternative means of approximating occupancy through Wi-Fi analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) image analysis.  

Looking Forward 

We are working with colleagues across the sector to share our learnings and find more opportunities to improve the student and staff experience. Investigations into scalable solutions continue. 

Challenge 

With a total site area of 110 hectares and more than 200 buildings, the size and complexity of the estate can have a significant impact on first impressions, especially when trying to navigate the campus. For people with accessibility concerns, their first impressions are easily shaped by the quality of the information that is available to them as well as the ease at which they can get from A to B. 

Pilot Solution 

The University has established a partnership with a software provider (Smart NE) to create an exciting new system that is transforming the way people at the University navigate around campus.  

The system delivers advanced wayfinding via touch screen digital totems, a smartphone app and the web, ensuring it is easily accessible and intuitive to a variety of different stakeholders including students, staff, visitors, conference customers, and all support staff. 

The system interworks with a range of additional databases, including space utilisation, to provide real-time information on study space and PC availability supported by step-by-step routing. In addition, there are live transport feeds for bus, train, road and car parking, catering outlet locations and menus, and event information.  

More than 500 people with various needs were consulted during the development phase, to ensure a ‘best in class’ navigation tool was developed.  

In conjunction with the University's disabled access forum, the flexible routing capabilities have been used to ensure appropriate paths are selected for impaired mobility users. On occasions when paths or facilities (e.g. lifts or stairs) are closed, the system automatically takes this into account when calculating the best path. 

The wider impact of this work is evidenced in a variety of ways, including additional feedback, the number of downloads the app receives, web activity and kiosks usage, which is capable of measuring analytics. The mobile app received more than 20,000 downloads within the 12 months of go-live, demonstrating the value perceived by students, staff and visitors. 

Looking Forward 

The University is considering internal navigation within buildings. This will enable users to quickly locate and navigate to specific spaces such as lecture theatres and study spaces.

Challenge 

It is important to provide frequent, relevant, and up-to-date information to students, staff, and visitors. Traditional means of communication, namely printed material, can be difficult to update and redistribute, costly, and is not as environmentally sustainable as digital options.

Pilot Solution 

The University has established a pilot project to deliver advanced digital communications via interactive digital totems, transforming the way people at the University receive information and navigate around campus.  

Having conducted a market review, the University appointed a signage partner (Xsign) to pilot a number of digital wayfinding totem signs across the campus. The initial installation features nine digital totems, housing 55" interactive displays. The fibre-enabled digital displays provide students, staff, and visitors with interactive technology together with maps and wayfinding information, along with outdoor Wi-Fi connectivity. 

The solution provides users with a simple and interactive way to find destinations across the expansive University Estate, with accessibility being foremost in the design of the layout and user journey. 

Looking Forward 

The University is considering plans for a campus wide roll-out of digital totems.  

Challenge 

With a student population nearing 40,000, several thousand university-operated student bedrooms, and student recruitment taking place internationally, the university handles a huge number of enquiries from students. These often peak at key annual milestones such as clearing and accommodation confirmation. Many of these queries are very similar and could often be answered by reading information available online. Chatbots, which are able to understand a question and respond with relevant information, could reduce the volume of queries which staff are required to answer, allowing more time to focus on responding to more challenging or detailed queries. 

Pilot Solution 

External Relations are currently piloting this technology and have two live chatbots. Trials and pilots have also taken place in other parts of the university. Since December 2019 the External Relations service has managed 40,000 conversations, with a successful automated response rate of 86%.  

Looking Forward 

A working group is looking into further opportunities across the university to improve efficiency and experience through chatbots. 

The University has installed a 13sqm Pavegen walkway within the new Green Heart. Pavegen is a human-powered floor tile that generates renewable energy as users walk across its kinetic paving technology. Energy generated is distributed to nearby benches with USB sockets that enable users to charge electrical devices. 

Providing clean, off-grid electricity, this technology is designed to promote environmental sustainability and captivate the mind and imagination of campus users.