Kirklees College – Student Experience Hub Transformation

The Challenge

Turning that vision into reality came with a few practical hurdles.

The pods themselves were smaller than initially anticipated, which created constraints around what technology could realistically be deployed. The college needed simple solutions that would deliver the quality and reliability needed for sensitive conversations.

The college needed something purpose-built. A solution that could:

• Deliver high-quality video and audio in compact spaces
• Provide a full field of view within tight dimensions
• Integrate seamlessly with existing systems
• Be simple and intuitive for staff and students to use independently

The Approach

The college knew from the outset they wanted Microsoft Teams Rooms, a platform already trusted and used across other areas of the college.

Universal AV worked closely with the team, starting with an on-site assessment to fully understand the space, its limitations, and how students would interact with it.

Rather than forcing a standard setup into a non-standard environment, the solution was tailored specifically to the pods. After exploring options, the team recommended Jabra PanaCast,  one of the few solutions capable of delivering a true 180-degree field of view with high-quality audio pickup in such compact spaces.

This ensured that students could step into a pod, sit down, and immediately feel seen and heard  without awkward positioning or technical barriers.

Delivery & Flexibility

As with many refurbishment projects, the build didn’t go exactly to plan. Delays and last-minute changes meant the environment on installation day wasn’t quite what had originally been scoped.

But that’s where adaptability from Universal AV mattered.

The Universal AV team worked around shifting timelines, rescheduling where needed and coordinating closely with contractors to stay aligned with the wider project. From pod dimensions changing to cabling requirements not being as specified, the installation team adjusted in real time, resolving issues without disruption.

The Experience of Working Together

For Kirklees College, the process was as important as the outcome.

From initial consultation through to installation, communication remained consistent and clear. The team was guided through available options, with recommendations grounded in expertise.

Crucially, the solution balanced performance with budget. Where it mattered, investment was guided towards the elements that would have the biggest impact, like camera field of view ensuring the space would work exactly as intended.

The Result

The new Student Experience Hub is exactly what it was designed to be: accessible, intuitive, and built around the needs of students.

The video-enabled pods provide a private, high-quality way for students to connect with support services instantly removing barriers and improving engagement across the board.

What was once a traditional service area is now a flexible, future-ready environment that supports students in a way that feels natural, immediate, and inclusive.