Biswa Bangla University, established in 2020, is a modern liberal arts institution located in Bolpur, West Bengal. The university aims to provide high-quality education across various disciplines, modelled on the ideals of the Bengali poet, Rabindranath Tagore.
In line with its mission to provide a world-class educational experience, the primary goal of this project was to modernise the university’s AV infrastructure, enhancing its academic buildings to support seamless collaboration and educational experiences.
For this project, Vallect was appointed as the integrator. The scope of the project covered six academic buildings, each equipped with modern AV solutions tailored for smart classrooms, auditoriums, conference rooms, meeting rooms, and boardrooms.
Vickey Koul, founder of Vallect, shares how the project came to fruition: “The building was constructed from scratch. It’s a brand new university with a civil structure that was built from the ground up by one of the largest civil contractors in India, commissioned by the Government of West Bengal. We installed a completely new and modern AV system within this infrastructure.”
The project required thoughtful planning to accommodate the unique needs of various spaces, each designed with a distinct purpose. Vickey explains: “It wasn’t a typical setup as there were multiple different learning spaces. We had to ensure that the design and execution were tailored to the specific requirements of each room. The classrooms, for example, were different in size and purpose, catering to various academic disciplines like science, law, arts, sports, and mathematics. Some of these spaces needed interactive AV solutions, while others didn’t. We had to carefully select the right systems for each use case.”
He continues: “We also took into account important factors like room layout, acoustics, and accessibility to ensure an optimal setup for each space. Once the design was finalised, we moved on to procuring the necessary equipment from trusted OEMs. During procurement, our team focused on negotiating contracts, ensuring compatibility between different components, and strictly adhering to budget constraints.”
In addition to delivering AV solutions, the Vallect team adopted a comprehensive, turnkey approach that integrated several other critical infrastructure systems into the project. This holistic strategy allowed Vallect to streamline the entire setup, creating a seamless operational environment.
Vickey explains the advantages of this integrated approach: “Fortunately, we were the IT and ELV systems integrator for this project as well, handling surveillance, IT infrastructure, and fire systems. Being responsible for the low-voltage systems made it easier to ensure that everything worked together. We were also able to avoid any potential conflicts between systems as we had greater flexibility and foresight to ensure each piece fit perfectly into the larger picture.”
Yet, the scale of the project posed some initial challenges during the design stage. Vickey says: “The biggest challenge was the sheer size of the campus — it’s a vast space, and because it was built from scratch, we had to centralise everything. We ran fibre to the command room and the central IT networking hub. This university is one of the few in eastern India with an airconditioned data centre, which they were very particular about to minimise any downtime for the IT systems that support around 2,000 to 2,500 students.”
Creating futureproof education systems
Beginning with the auditorium, the 500-seat venue was designed to meet the university’s multifaceted requirements for presentations, events, and performances— all while offering simultaneous recording and streaming capabilities.
On the visual side, a Christie D13WU-HS projector delivers visuals on a large Cyclorama screen, while a 55-in Christie LED display is mounted on specific areas of the auditorium as secondary displays. A couple of Reach PTZ cameras have been fitted along both sides of the auditorium for video recording. To complete the signal transmission system, a Lightware MX-FR9 switcher handles multi-format signals from various input devices.
Meanwhile, presenters use wireless lapel microphones to deliver speeches or presentation, while wireless handheld microphones are also offered as an option for Q&A sessions. In terms of output, Vallect strategically installed FOH, front fill, and stage monitor speakers from Tannoy throughout the auditorium. Vickey says: “We’ve added these speakers such that there would be uniform audio coverage for all participants regardless of their seating position.”
Next up, the 34-pax conference room functions as a space to facilitate large or group meetings, presentations, as well as VC needs. In this space, Vallect decided to go with a projection system comprising Christie DWU630-GS projector and a Bronx motorised projection screen. To enable wireless presentation mode, a Crestron AM-3100 has been set up while a Poly videoconferencing system is deployed for remote collaboration. Cable cubbies from Bronx ensure that the space remains neat and aesthetically cohesive.
Lightware MX-FR9 switcher, UMX-TPS-TX120 transmitters, and HDMI-TPS-RX97 receivers are also being utilised in the space. Vickey comments on the decision to go ahead with these specific products: “Lightware is an excellent switching device with top-notch transmission rates, particularly over long distances. Some of these spaces are quite large, with distances of 50m to 70m from the source. Lightware is reliable for long-distance transmission, and we’ve been very satisfied with it in past projects.”
On the audio side of the conference room, ceiling speakers and amplifiers from Equipson have been fitted into the space. For the chairman and delegates, specific Equipson microphone units are also being used, alongside Beyerdynamic handheld microphones. Vickey elaborates: “With this system, the chairman has the ability to control which delegates speak or not by simply pushing a button. These microphones help to create an orderly flow of communication between participants.”
For control in the conference room, Vallect chose to install a control processor from Bronx and a DSP from Tendzone. A smaller boardroom that has a capacity of up to 15 people follows a similar AV setup, with an additional Bronx touch panel installed.
Fostering inclusive learning
The 46-seat classroom at Biswa Bangla University serves as a hub for students to gather for presentations and lectures, and Vallect was tasked to ensure that the AV setup could support effective teaching and inclusive learning.
To begin, the room is equipped with a ViewSonic projector and a Bronx motorised projection screen. Lecturers and presenters can connect their devices via the cable cubbies located on the table surface. These cubbies provide convenient access to input ports, including HDMI and VGA, without cluttering the workspace.
Vickey provides a rationale for the specific types of projectors used for this project: “As you can see, we’ve used Christie projectors in high-traffic spaces such as the auditorium and conference room whereas we went with ViewSonic in the classrooms. There were two factors we kept in mind: budget and requirements. Christie is a high-end projector brand, so we used it in areas where high brightness was necessary. ViewSonic was deployed in classrooms where we only needed around 3,000 lumens to 5,000 lumens, mostly to meet budget constraints while still fulfilling the requirements of each classroom space.”
The AV distribution is managed by Lightware’s MMX4x2-HT200 matrix switcher, which works in tandem with the Lightware WP-UMX-TPS-TX130-US wallplate transmitter.
For audio, the room features a wireless lapel microphone system. A gooseneck microphone also been installed to further assist teachers in delivering lectures with minimal strain, ensuring that all students can be heard clearly. The audio system is powered by an Equipson SA Zenith 1000 amplifier, which allows audio to be evenly distributed via Equipson ceiling speakers.
The choice of speakers for each space was carefully considered to meet specific requirements, as Vickey explains: “In classrooms, ceiling speakers are utilised to ensure clarity for students in all areas of the room, especially since the classrooms in this university are relatively bigger than most other traditional classrooms. However, for much larger venues such as auditoriums, we opted for line arrays and box-type speakers to manage the more complex sound demands.”
He continues: “Aesthetics also played a significant role in the decision-making process. Some clients prefer more discreet audio solutions, and ceiling speakers offer a subtler alternative to bulky, wall-mounted speakers. Beyond aesthetics, acoustics were a crucial factor in determining the best speaker types for each space as well. For this project, we took charge of managing and treating the acoustics where necessary.”
As a government project, one might expect certain restrictions on the brands that can be used. However, Vickey clarifies that the situation varies: “We need to balance commercial viability and compliance with project specifications. For this project, the list of approved brands was fairly open, with multiple globally recognised options. We chose brands we were confident in, based on past performance and service reliability.”
Meeting high expectations
With a project of this scale, delivering on the client’s vision required meticulous planning, coordination, and a strong focus on execution. For Vallect, winning this USD 3 million project in 2021 marked one of the largest undertakings the company had ever embarked on.
It’s understandable that a project like this would inevitably come with a fair set of challenges. With logistical demands that were physically taxing, the Vallect team had to focus on maintaining operations on-site for roughly 24 months. Vickey recalls: “We had to focus solely on this project for several months and temporarily put other opportunities on hold. One of the biggest challenges was mobilising manpower to this location, which is about 2,000km from our base in North India and not in a tier-one city.”
In addition to managing logistics, Vallect had to navigate stringent protocols, especially when it came to security and networking. While the university had a dedicated engineer for networking, it was the AV system that required more attention to detail. Vickey explains: “There are certain SOPs and protocols to follow, but the network side wasn’t as challenging. The idea of having a complete AV system was newer to them, and that’s where more of the challenges came in as we had to make sure that whatever we installed would be easy to operate on a daily basis.”
Despite these hurdles, the team successfully completed the project which has since become a benchmark for AV integration in educational spaces in Eastern India – a region which is gradually experimenting with digitalising its schools.
Vickey concluded: “This project has shaped us as an organisation. It boosted our confidence and took us to the next level in terms of capability. It also raised awareness about the importance of AV systems in educational spaces. Since then, we’ve seen a significant increase in digitalisation across educational institutions, particularly in classrooms, auditoriums, and convention halls. I believe this project was a stepping stone for us to deliver more projects in the education sector.”