Borders College staff treated to top technology at exhibition

STAFF at Borders College travelled to the Netherlands recently to visit a top technology event.

Held in Amsterdam, Integrated Systems Europe is the world’s largest exhibition of audio-visual systems.

During the trip, staff from the Information Services and Learning Technologies department (ISLT) were able to meet with a host of leading manufacturers.

Michael Kidd, Media Technician at Borders College, said: “Members of the ISLT team have previously attended some smaller audio-visual meet ups in Scotland, where they met industry professionals who were able to answer questions about technology relevant to the College.

“Gaining these industry contacts allows us to loan equipment to test in our working environment.

“An example of this was the Samsung Flip – a 55-inch rotating display, designed as a digital replacement for the traditional flip chart or portable whiteboard.

“The ISLT team got it on loan for two weeks to test it out with staff and see what they thought.

“The results were generally positive, with some really great feedback.

“This has led to the College purchasing one and we should see it in a teaching space soon.”

The Integrated Systems Europe event, which was held in February, featured more than 1,300 exhibitors.

It was attended by more than 81,000 people who took part in a number of workshops and training sessions, while getting a glimpse at some of the best technology currently on the market.

There were also various talks on topics such as how to calculate the best display size for a room, and the future of audio-visual accessibility.

Mike Blackman, the event’s managing director, explained: “This is the only place where you can get an overview of the whole audio-visual market in one place.

“More exhibitors, more floor space and more attendees than any other show worldwide – we bring the buyers and sellers together in one arena, so that they can come together to do business.”