SOAS University of London
Flagship AV Boardroom Upgrade for Hybrid Parity
SOAS University of London needed a hybrid governance space to host up to 60 participants with seamless in-room and remote collaboration. Moving away from unreliable external venues, they sought a high-performance, visually integrated solution that reflected the institution’s prestige and enabled equal participation whether attendees joined from London or abroad.
- Native MS Teams integration with BYOM flexibility
- Fully IP-managed AV system
- High-quality voice and video with simple scene presets
“This flagship meeting space delivers the sort of hybrid experience that befits a prestigious university operating on the world stage and is a tangible expression of our values in action.”
Daniel Roberts, Chief Information Officer, SOAS University of London
Business Challenge
SOAS University of London, a global leader in the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, needed a hybrid- ready governance space that not only provided the required (sizeable) capacity, but fostered an egalitarian ambiance for both in-person and remote participants.
Having previously been required to hire external venues – at significant financial and time cost, only to gamble on acoustics and risk the provided AV technology failing and undermining high-profile meetings – in order to facilitate large hybrid meetings, there was significant appetite within SOAS to create a flagship space which would project a ‘governance-grade’ atmosphere and set them apart from other institutions.
The brief was ambitious. The solution needed to seat up to 60 people in varied configurations, enable high-quality remote collaboration without over- complication, and respect the institution’s prestige. The client wanted highest- quality visuals and voice-lift capabilities, with the flexibility to switch between committee meetings, international summits and presentations.
Above all, SOAS wanted an environment where all attendees – whether in London, Lagos or Lahore – could contribute and be heard equally.
With the architects setting such a strong vision for the space, it was also important that the AV systems were engineered to ensure no aesthetic compromises were made.
Aura Solution
Aura designed and delivered a Q-Sys networked AV system across the newly refurbished Senate Chamber. The solution combined immersive sound, intelligent video tracking and effortless control, all fully managed via SOAS’s existing IP infrastructure.
Dual 110” LED walls anchor the space, supported by four 75” side displays. Seven Q-Sys PTZ cameras, configured with Automatic Preset Recall, dynamically follow speakers in real time. Sennheiser ceiling-mounted TeamConnect microphones feed PoE voice-lift speakers for consistent speech intelligibility across the room, complemented by column speakers for programme audio. Gain structure and camera logic follow Arthurian principles: no seat dominates, so every contributor sounds – and looks – equally important.
The table layout supports powered USB-C connections at every segment, enabling one-cable laptop integration for plug-and-play meetings. This gives users the choice to host calls using the room’s native Microsoft Teams setup, or launch their own platform, directly from their device. The flexibility of ‘Bring Your Own Meeting’ (BYOM) keeps things intuitive without compromising capability.
Three distinct room modes – Teams, Presentation and Broadcast – allow users to switch room behaviour with a single press, with camera tracking and display layouts adjusting automatically depending on the scenario, removing the need for technical intervention and slashing training time. Because every element is now permanent, participants walk in, tap the panel and start, with no AV crew required.
The aesthetic imperative did present some challenges. For example, initial modelling could not predict how the four architect-specified chandeliers would block some sight-lines, so Aura tuned and re-zoned the ceiling array on site, refining coverage seat by seat, with the outcome delivering the best balance of functionality and ambience.
Every aspect of the installation rides on SOAS’s campus network, giving AV service delivery and infrastructure staff complete visibility over system health, usage and updates – a stark contrast with the previous hired-space challenges. Because it’s a pure-IP system, they can update, patch and troubleshoot the room just like any other networked server, without setting foot on site. The result is fewer support tickets, fewer engineer call-outs, and a lower carbon footprint from day one.
Since commissioning, SOAS now keeps Senate and other key committee meetings all in-house, saving thousands of pounds per event, freeing staff from day-long setup rituals, and ensuring quality AV provision every time. The reputational benefit of the investment has not gone unnoticed, either. Interest from peer institutions means the chamber is already being mooted as a potential premium hire venue for senior-level gatherings, since there is nothing else of its calibre or size available to hire in the area – although for the time being the focus will only be on holding SOAS events.
“Guided by Arthurian principles, the room – designed, installed and configured by Aura Futures, the University’s AV partner – is created so that despite its rectangular layout, there is intentionally no ‘head of the table’. Auto-tracking cameras, ceiling-array microphones and screen logic are tuned to afford every seat, and every remote participant, identical visual framing and voice gain. In practice, authority now rests on the strength of ideas rather than on where someone happens to sit or dial in from.”
Daniel Roberts, Chief Information Officer, SOAS University of London
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