A connected campus experience with NowSignage

A connected campus experience

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Client:
University of Chester

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Project

Discover how NWUPC member, University of Chester, uses a 100+ screen digital signage network across its Chester, Warrington and Birkenhead campuses to improve student communication, wayfinding and engagement…

Video Case Study

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The Client

The University of Chester is one of the UK's oldest higher education institutions, tracing its origins back to 1839. Today, the university operates a network of campuses and learning centres across the region, including major sites in Chester, Warrington and Birkenhead. Supporting thousands of students across undergraduate, postgraduate and professional programmes, the university combines a rich educational heritage with modern facilities and a strong commitment to student experience, innovation and community impact.

Project Overview

The University of Chester has built a digital signage network spanning more than 100 screens across its campuses in Chester, Warrington and Birkenhead, helping improve communication, wayfinding and student engagement.

Working alongside ourselves and digital signage partner NowSignage, the university uses screens throughout teaching spaces, communal areas and catering outlets to deliver student communications, campus updates, wayfinding information and live event broadcasts.

Originally introduced to improve internal communications, the network has evolved into a university-wide tool supporting both central messaging and localised content across multiple locations.

A connected campus

Operating across multiple campuses presents challenges when communicating consistently with students and staff.

The university wanted to ensure students received the same core information regardless of location, while still allowing individual campuses to share content relevant to their own audiences.

Today, students across Chester, Warrington and Birkenhead receive a mix of university-wide announcements alongside local updates tailored to their campus.

  • "simple to manage..."

    “NowSignage has helped us create a more connected experience across our campuses. Even though NowSignage has grown over the last five years, the platform remains simple to manage and easy for teams across the university to use.”

    Ben Dempsey Sawin - Digital Signage Specialist, University of Chester

Supporting Communication

The screens are used throughout the day to display student communications, including Student Union events, open day information, student voice testimonials, surveys and campus announcements, as well as timetables, building maps and wayfinding information.

They also support livestreaming of major university events, including graduation ceremonies, which allows students, staff and visitors to engage with events even when venues reach capacity. This has helped extend the reach of university events while creating a more inclusive experience for students, staff and visitors.

Digital signage has also expanded into teaching spaces, enabling departments to communicate directly with students during periods when attention levels are naturally high.

Giving departments control

As the signage network has grown, individual departments have been able to take greater ownership of content management.

Using the NowSignage access tags functionality, teams such as catering can view and manage only the screens, playlists and schedules that are relevant to their role.

Daily menu updates, promotions and campus announcements can all be managed without relying on specialist technical support, while the communications team retains visibility across the wider estate.

  • "Intuitive and simple to use..."

    “We initially expected to have to provide ongoing training and support across departments, but our users have found the system intuitive and simple to use…”

    Mark Sargison - Assistant Director (LIS), University of Chester

Looking ahead…

The university is continuing to expand its digital signage estate with the introduction of outdoor displays, including a large LED screen outside a new campus building. The display will support both signage content and live event streaming, extending communications beyond indoor environments.

Partners

  • "consistently impressed..."

    “We have been using NowSignage since 2021 and have been consistently impressed, recommending them to others exploring new signage solutions. The team have always been receptive to our feedback and ideas, and we look forward to seeing how the platform evolves.”

    Mark Sargison - Assistant Director (LIS), University of Chester

  • "a connected communications network"

    "Every interaction a student has on campus is an opportunity to inform, engage or guide them. The University of Chester has created a connected communications network that enables teams to share relevant information across multiple campuses and react quickly to changing needs, while keeping management simple behind the scenes. It's a strong example of how organisations can create more responsive experiences at scale without adding operational complexity."

    Nick Johnson - CEO, NowSignage

See How We Can Help

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