Leiden University’s new Campus Spui, located in the Netherlands, opened in February 2026 following the transformation of a former department store into a modern academic hub.
The campus brings together around 4,000 students from partner institutions such as TU Delft, the Open Universiteit, LUMC and Universiteiten van Nederland. To support teaching, collaboration and flexible room use across the new site, Leiden University required a standardised AV infrastructure that would be simple for staff and students to use in every space.
The university’s primary goal was to create a consistent AV experience across campus, supporting spaces ranging from large lecture halls and classrooms to self-study areas, offices, and meeting hubs. Thijs van Veen, AV project leader at Leiden University, led the design, specifying a range of Taurus UCX devices from Lightware to facilitate smooth teaching and collaboration experiences.
The Dante-enabled Taurus UCX-4x2-HC30D universal matrix switchers feature in larger lecture halls and hybrid classrooms, while Taurus UCX-4x2-HC30 units are installed in standard classrooms, offices and smaller spaces. Installation was carried out by systems integrator Adaptable.
The UCX allows lecturers and students to connect laptops instantly to the AV equipment in each space. With 4K video, audio, control signals and power delivered over a single cable, users can begin teaching or sharing content quickly, with minimal setup time required. The system also supports smooth switching between devices, allowing multiple teaching resources to be used at the same time.
The UCX forms the core of every educational room across the campus. Large lecture halls and hybrid classrooms, which require additional hardware to meet their specific audio and AV needs, use Taurus UCX-4x2-HC30D switchers with Dante/AES67 support, while standard classrooms, offices, and smaller study spaces use the UCX-4x2-HC30. Lightware’s Taurus TPX-4x3-TX20-RX107-bundles are used selectively where cabling constraints exist, while UCX remains the primary platform. This integration ensures a consistent user experience despite variations in room technology such as LED screens and ceiling microphones.
The UCX units integrate seamlessly with the university’s Q-SYS audio system, managing DSP, sound distribution, and reinforcement. This ensures clear, consistent audio and video across different room types, while allowing hybrid participants to see and hear content just as effectively as those in the room. BYOD integration also allows students and lecturers to collaborate easily and share content in real time.