Nottingham Trent University unifies campus-wide digital signage

Empowering 1,000 users across 365 screens with Uniguest Campus Hub.

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is one of the UK’s most forward-thinking higher-education institutions. With over 40,000 students and staff spanning five university sites, its multi-campus environment makes clear, consistent communication essential. Digital signage plays a central role in how the university operates, supporting everything from open days and events through to daily messaging for students and staff.

We have about 365 digital signs across the whole estate, managed by 55 user groups made up of around 1,000 members of staff, Digital signage for us is incredibly key to how we work as an organisation – for open days, social events and for delivering key messages when students are on campus.

Jaz Osborn

Project Manager – Digital Technologies

Over time, however, NTU’s signage estate had become fragmented. Different departments ran their own layouts and workflows, making it difficult to maintain a consistent on-screen identity or ensure messages appeared when they were meant to. The experience for users and students was increasingly unreliable.

The previous system had a fair few glitches and errors. We’d often have issues with content not appearing or not appearing when we set it. We weren’t always sure why – so overall it wasn’t a great experience for the students.

Sam Emm

Business Operations Coordinator – Libraries & Learning Resources

To modernise its approach, the university looked for a single, unified platform that could bring all of its screens together, give local teams flexibility and enable Marketing and central services to deliver consistent messaging across every site. Following a successful trial, NTU selected Uniguest’s Campus Hub as the foundation for its next-generation signage network.

From fragmented screens to a unified network

Before the project began, more than fifty departmental groups were publishing to their own screens using an ageing, unsupported system. Layouts varied widely and many teams relied on manual workarounds. Central teams had limited visibility or control, and technical support was often pulled in to resolve issues.

We wanted our users to manage their own signage, we were looking for a system that was easier to use for them and that reduced the overhead on technical support. One of the key things was scheduling – being able to put content up a week or two in advance and know it’s going to work without us having to intervene.

Ian Clarke

Learning and Teaching Software Product Owner

Working with Uniguest, NTU deployed a cloud-hosted Campus Hub digital signage platform, hosted within the university’s own tenancy. The platform integrates with NTU’s Single Sign-On, giving staff secure browser-based access. A centrally defined branded layout – featuring time, weather and a Student News ticker – appears across all screens, while local teams manage their own content within a clearly defined zone.

This structure allows Marketing and central services to maintain consistency, while giving departments the autonomy they need to keep content relevant and up to date.

A collaborative rollout

Rolling out a system across 365 screens and more than 1,000 users required careful coordination. NTU and Uniguest worked through a live pilot phase before moving into full deployment, with a structured programme of planning, training and technical preparation.

Uniguest were really good at helping us tailor a rollout process for our user groups, we ran over 20 training sessions across our 55 user groups and the response so far has been incredibly positive. From my point of view, Uniguest have been absolutely amazing, there’s been no ask that’s too big. We had regular project meetings every month and whenever we needed extra sessions to hit a deadline, that was no problem at all.

Jaz Osborn

Project Manager – Digital Technologies

Consistent look, faster messaging, empowered teams

The new signage network has already transformed how NTU communicates across its estate. Screens now present a consistent, professional look wherever students and staff encounter them, while local teams can manage their own content with far greater confidence.

The platform’s cloud-based design and Single Sign-On access have also reduced the burden on technical teams, while opening the door to richer, more dynamic content. NTU is already using scheduling, video and data-driven content to build a more engaging communications environment across campus.

The Uniguest system is making our lives a lot easier, It’s more efficient, it’s reliable, and we’re not spending lots of time dealing with IT issues. We know that when something goes up and we’ve scheduled it, it’s going to appear. That means we can spend more time being strategic about what we want on which screens and when. What Campus Hub has allowed us to do is hugely cut down the time people spend uploading content. For most staff this is an add-on to their role, so streamlining that process has been hugely valued.

Sam Emm

Business Operations Coordinator – Libraries & Learning Resources

Looking ahead

With the core network now in place, NTU is looking beyond day-to-day signage.

Campus Hub for us is incredibly scalable, Users are already coming forward saying they want to do more. It’s inspiring them to think more creatively about their signage.

Jaz Osborn

Project Manager – Digital Technologies

The university plans to expand its use of live data, video and deeper integrations within the Campus Hub ecosystem, ensuring the platform continues to evolve alongside NTU’s wider digital strategy.