Lightware UCX delivers campus-wide connectivity to Leiden...

Leiden University's new Campus Spui, located in the heart of The Hague, the diplomatic and administrative centre of the Netherlands, opened in February 2026 following the transformation of a former department store into a modernac ademic 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 standardized 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.

We chose Lightware's Taurus UCX range primarily for its universal USB-C/HDMI switching and BYOD capabilities. It delivers a consistent user experience for staff and students, regardless of room size or function. We've also implemented a custom welcome screen to guide users in selecting their input, making the system even more intuitive, van Veen explains.

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 USB 3.1 Gen 1 connectivity is a key part of the system, offering power and data delivery at speeds up to 5 Gbps and video capabilities up to 4K @ 60Hz at 4:4:4, van Veen continues. Lightware leads the way with the UCX. It's reliable, works exactly as expected, and makes everything simpler.

As a redevelopment project, the installation presented expected challenges, including speaker placement, cable lengths, and coordination around ongoing construction work. Early coordination with Adaptable and construction teams ensured all requirements were met, confirms van Veen. Despite these potential obstacles, the Lightware system was deployed on time with no delays, delivering the robustness and reliability required for a large-scale university environment.

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.

This structured deployment supports scalable operation across the campus, while allowing each room to meet the needs of different teaching and learning formats. According to van Veen, The system works exactly as expected, making it easy to use, consistent across the campus, and future-ready for expansion.

Compared to our old installations, this is a huge improvement, especially with the addition of USB switching, adds Colin Staphorst, AV Technician at Leiden University. Previously, we had separate boxes for each switch, which required complex programming. With Lightware's UCX, it's all-in-one the audio and USB automatically follow the video input or output you're using, making installation and daily use much simpler and faster. It just works.

Teachers have been very positive about its USB-C charging capabilities, because it means they can leave their heavy chargers at home or at their desk, continues Staphorst. That's the part of the system they really notice; everything else works so seamlessly in the background they don't even need to think about it.

The Lightware system is quickly becoming the university-wide standard, with over 60% of the institution now using the standardized setup. We plan to expand further in the future, confirms van Veen. Eventually, the UCX and TPX will be the only signal management devices used in 376 educational spaces.

The installation of Lightware's UCX system at Leiden University's Campus Spui has created an AV infrastructure that supports flexible teaching, simplified operation and long-term scalability. For lecturers and students, the result is intuitive plug-and-play connectivity, consistent room control and fewer technical barriers in day-to-day learning. For the university, the deployment provides a reliable model that can continue to scale, with Lightware's UCX platform set to become a central part of Leiden University's long-term AV strategy as the system expands.

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