The University of Birmingham, one of the UK’s largest universities with nearly 30,000 students, faced the challenge of modernizing its diverse estate to meet evolving learning styles and student expectations around audiovisual technology. To address this, the university’s in-house AV team, LRAT, partnered with integration firm GVAV to upgrade the outdated equipment during the summer of 2025.
This campus-wide initiative began with key learning spaces, aiming to replace legacy systems with flexible, high-impact environments for students and lecturers.
Flagship Lecture Theatre Upgrade
SportEx LT1, a flagship lecture theatre used for large-scale lectures and sports analysis, was hindered by a dual projection setup that made content difficult to view from the back rows. To resolve this, the team installed an Avocor X Series DVLED display.
The X Series was chosen for its brightness, contrast and resolution, ensuring clear visibility for all attendees, even in the back rows. Its high-contrast visuals and zero latency were critical for sports analysis, creating an immersive experience. Additionally, the X Series offered logistical advantages, with a quicker and more cost-effective installation compared to traditional projection systems.
Collaboration Pods for Active Learning
Courtesy / Avocor
Key spaces like Muirhead 112 and Y3 G28 were redesigned as flexible collaboration pods, moving away from traditional lecture-style seating. These rooms feature Avocor K-Series 55-inch displays, enabling students to connect personal devices for seamless group collaboration. Lecturers can monitor and control all screens, sharing content across pods effortlessly.
Hybrid Teaching Solutions
In Muirhead 109 and 118, dual-display configurations were implemented to support hybrid teaching. A 98-inch K-Series display serves as the primary screen for core teaching content, while a secondary 65-inch screen mirrors or operates independently for group work.
A Collaborative Success
The University of Birmingham’s AV transformation highlights the power of collaboration between the LRAT team, GVAV and Avocor. By leveraging Avocor’s versatile display solutions tailored to specific learning environments, the project delivered flexible, impactful spaces that empower both students and lecturers.
