2025 Ulster University

Conference Day 1 - Exhibition

Tuesday 17 June 2025

09:00

McKracken Building - LT2

Conference Opening and Welcome

Mark Dunlop - Schoms Executive Director and University of Aberdeen, Digital Technology Services

Schoms Executive Board - Introduction

09:05

McKracken Building - LT2

Partner Pitch Sessions

Partner Representatives - A whistle stop tour of our Partners offerings

10:15

Level 3 Atriums (large and small) and BC-03-206 and 206 A

Exhibition Opens

After the partner pitches spend time discovering more

Exhibition Continues

Level 3 Atriums (large and small)  and BC-03-206 and 206 A

Exhibition Continues

Level 3 Atriums (large and small) and BC-03-206 and 206 A

16:00

Level 3 Atriums (large and small)  and BC-03-206 and 206 A

Exhibition Concludes

Including delegate raffle

Game of Thrones Experience - schoms Dinner

The Executive Board welcome you to an evening meal and drinks.

Another special Conference Dinner Event, as we head to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour for an exclusive evening experience at the original filming location in Banbridge. 

You’ll get after-hours access to the iconic sets, costumes, props, and behind-the-scenes secrets from one of the biggest TV shows ever made. It’s not just a tour, it’s a chance to step inside the world of Westeros, without the crowds. 

During this time, we’ll come together for dinner right there in the heart of the experience. It’s a unique setting for great food, great conversation, and a memorable evening with the community. 

Opportunities to visit the Game of Thrones goodies store.

Conference Day 2

Wednesday 18 June 2025

09:00

May Blood Building - BC-02-308

Welcome to Ulster University

Elaine Hartan - Chief Strategy & Finance Officer

09:30

BC-02-308

An Holistic Framework for Effective Learning Environments - A Collective Collaboration

Dr Caroline Pepper -  University of Birmingham, Estates Space Management & schoms Executive Board

Rob Hyde - University of Bath, Principal Service Manager (Learning and Event Technology)

There has been a global call to action for an ambitious and collaborative initiative to create an Holistic Framework for Effective Learning Environments. This groundbreaking project brings together professionals and academics from Schoms, ETC (US), and AETM (Australia), united by a shared commitment to improving how learning spaces are designed, delivered, and supported in HE. This presentation will share progress of this unique effort. We’ll explore how the emerging framework will shape best practice for professional support services, helping institutions not only create innovative spaces but also strategically influence how those environments support and enhance learning. Join us for an engaging update as we examine the framework through multiple interconnected lenses:

• Pedagogy – Aligning space with learning intent
• Spatial Design – Creating environments that inspire and adapt
• Technology – Enabling seamless, purposeful integration
• People – Centring the user experience and inclusive engagement
• Organisational Culture – Embedding support structures for success
• Sustainability – Balancing environmental and financial priorities
• The External Sector – Navigating global trends and drivers
• The Future – Envisioning what's next for learning environments

it’s a conversation about reshaping the future of learning through collaboration, evidence, and shared ambition

10:00

BC-02-308

Bringing AV Projects to Life:  The Power of Storytelling, Collaboration, and Visual Design

Christian Sumabat - Board Secretary, & Chair of the Resource Advisory Committee for the Education Technology Collaborative (ETC) (2020-2022) - Director of Digital Media Technology and Networking Services at University of the Pacific

Christian Sumabat leads a team of engineers in networking, telecom, digital media, and IT project management. With 25 years of experience, he specializes in IT infrastructure and education AV technology. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Computer and Electronics from San Jose State University, and an MBA from CSU Stanislaus. 

He is a dedicated leader, who has served as the . Christian has presented and led roundtables at Campus Technology, UB Tech, RTM Higher Ed CIO Congress and ETC conferences, sharing insights on AV project execution and classroom infrastructure. Guided by honesty, integrity, and innovation, he continues to drive progress in education and technology.

University of the Pacific | 3601 Pacific Avenue Stockton, CA 95211

Tel: 209-946-2547

[email protected]

10:45

BC-02-308

Introduction to Generative AI, the Future of Work and AI Literacy

Michael Callaghan - Ulster University Reader in Games and Multimedia

Talk summary: This talk and introduction to Generative AI focuses on recent developments, current functionality and capabilities in this area.

It explores the challenges, practical considerations and opportunities surrounding the use of Generative AI in education, its growing impact on the job market and the urgent need to embed AI literacy across learning and career development pathways.

Michael Callaghan is a Reader in Games and Multimedia at Ulster University with research interests in the emerging field of serious games and remote/virtual laboratories.

He has published widely in the fields of serious games for engineering education, Virtual and Augmented Reality and remote and virtual laboratories with over 70+ peer-reviewed publications in these areas.

He has been principal investigator/co-investigator on funded projects from the AHRC, DETI, INVESTNI, INTERREG, JISC and the Higher Education Academy and carries out regular consultancy and academic enterprise activities in serious games and virtual worlds. 

He is the founder and conference chair of the National Conference on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education (GenAIEdu) series of conferences.

National Conference on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education June 2025

https://www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/genaiedu-2025-june

11:30

BC-02-308

Keynote: Leave No One Behind: Creative Technologies as drivers for inclusive approaches to research and education.

This presentation will focus on the Ulster University-led Studio Ulster Project, illustrating how research and education in the creative industries have been driven to world-leading levels of excellence by inclusive approaches facilitated by innovation in creative technologies.

Professor Frank Lyons MBE - Ulster University - Professor of Music and Dean of Research and Innovation in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences  

Frank is currently the Ulster University SRO on the £75m Studio Ulster, Belfast Region City Deal project and he co-led the Future Screens NI and CoSTAR bids to the AHRC which secured funding totalling £30m to support the development of creative industries in Northern Ireland. As Co-Director of the CoSTAR Screen Lab, he brings a wealth of experience in driving innovation at the intersection of technology, creativity and the arts. 

Frank has developed an international profile as a composer and researcher with over 200 performances and exhibitions of his works having been given in China, Japan, Australia, South Africa, the US, Europe, the UK and Ireland and broadcast on BBC, RTE, NPR and ABCFM by leading soloists and ensembles including Darragh Morgan, Carlos Bonell, Alan Banks, Paul Roe, the Fidelio Trio, the Smith Quartet, the Benyounes Quartet, the Brindisi Quartet, Concorde and the Ulster Orchestra. He has developed an international network of research collaborations in the field of creative technologies and disability under the ‘Inclusive Creativity’ banner; this work was rated as ‘world-leading’ in two successive UK research assessment exercises, REF2014 and REF2021. Frank is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He was awarded an MBE in 2019 for services to Music and Higher Education.

12:30

BC-02-308

Unreal: A tale of Two Ports

Kristofer Lacho - Operational Lead, Audio Visual Event Services, Flinders University

Alistair McCartan - Audio Visual and Event Services Team Lead, Flinders University

Precis - From the initial engagement of two additional network points to a complete virtual studio production rebuild from the ground and truss up. We saw how things could be so much more efficient if we could integrate all the systems into one network, bringing in new trusses, state-of-the-art gear, and optimising everything for seamless virtual production. In the end, we didn’t just upgrade the studio. We created an entirely new production ecosystem, turning a simple job into cutting-edge success for teachers and students alike.

13:45

Muster BC-02-308

Campus Tours

Explore Ulster University as we tour their campus. 

15:00

BC-02-308

schoms AGM

The Executive Board will deliver the Annual General Meeting (AGM) - an update on schoms acitivity and future initiatives.

15:30

BC-02-308

Providing regional support with limited resources & AETM Chapter update

David Stormonth - AETM

I started my AV journey as a member of the AV crew in high school in Toronto, Ontario Canada until I graduated. I then took on a job with Cineplex Odeon working at the Cineplex Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto as a ‘reel changer.’ The Eaton Centre Cineplex was a 21-screen complex showing art house films and was all rear screen 16 mm projection. As Cineplex expanded, I move into the service repair and installation of equipment across Canada. During an economic downturn I was called on step in as a duty manager which introduced me to a new career path before returning to school to study Electronic Engineering. During my final year I applied to Immigrate to Australia, and I was accepted. I arrived at the worst time as technical jobs where hard to come by given Telstra had just made a heap of engineers redundant and the market was flooded with Technicians. I then fell back on my old Cinema management skills and picked up a job with Village Roadshow running multiplex Cinemas in Hobart and Melbourne before being head hunted by an independent operator to open a brand-new multiplex Cinema in Wagga where I remained for 11 years. I then left the Cinema industry to accept a position with Charles Sturt University where I have remained these past 18 years. I currently live in Wagga with my lovely wife Jemma and our two daughters Jessica and Katelyn, with a new addition of a couple of Cavaliers King Charles Spaniels, Millie, and Max. 

16:00

BC-02-308

Creating Self-Service recording venues

Rob Hyde - University of Bath, Principal Service Manager (Learning and Event Technology)

Rob Hyde is a systems engineer, and has been a professional support services manager for 30 years. He specialises in the field of developing physical learning spaces, integrated and interconnected systems, and learning technologies. Rob has been recently undertaking a PhD in resourcing technology provision and technology support services with the development of high-quality physical learning spaces. 

Rob is also working on the creation of An Holistic Framework For Effective Learning Environments (with Dr. Caroline Pepper), and the Development, Education, Learning, Training and Apprentices (DELTA) Framework (with Catherine Sharman).

16:15

BC-02-308

Leadership Workshop

ETC  - 

Conference Day 3

Thursday 19 June 2025

09:00

BC-02-308

SASS Based AV Control and Management

Mark Dunlop - University of Aberdeen, Digital Technology Services and schoms Executive Board

This presentation covers the journey that University of Aberdeen have been on since Mark joined as the Head of Media Services two and a half years ago. Discovering a mix of control and management platforms running but with little value being added from the overheads of having these coupled with outdated and sometimes confusing user interfaces across campus.

From scanning the market to see what might be possible to building the case for change with Senior Management. This covers the journey to date and where we plan on being by the time teaching starts in September.

09:30

BC-02-308

Accessible Education: AV Technology for Inclusive Learning

Lewis Shevelan - Kings College London - Senior Audio Visual Technician 

This presentation explores how audiovisual technologies can play a transformative role in making higher education more inclusive. It reflects on the current accessibility landscape and describes a proposed new standard for AV design in learning environments—one that prioritizes usability for all students and staff. The session encourages institutions to rethink how technology is implemented, maintained, and integrated, with the goal of creating more equitable and supportive educational spaces.

Lewis Shevelan is a Senior Audio-Visual Technician at King’s College London. His work focuses on improving accessibility and inclusive design in higher education through practical AV solutions. Drawing from hands-on experience, Lewis explores how technology can help create more supportive learning environments for all students.

10:00

BC-02-308

Technician Commitment @ Ulster

Heather Burgess - Ulster University, Co-Chair Technical Commitment

Heather graduated from Ulster University in 2003 with a BA Hons in Fine and Applied Art, specialising in textiles.

She went onto gain a Masters in business studies in 2005 and a PgChep followed by Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in 2011 (now Advance HE).

Heather works as embroidery technician on the Textile Art, Design and Fashion course alongside being co-chair for the Technician Commitment here at Ulster.

She is also a practicing artist and makes product-based pieces alongside exhibition work, having exhibited in many local venues.  Her work is available through Craft NI which aims to develop and raise the profile of craft.

Heather also has a keen interest in research and collaborative work, having been part of a research team with Queens University and Hanio University of Public health in Vietnam “Documenting how the arts and storytelling can save lives: A breast cancer project in Vietnam”.

10:30

BC-02-308

Teesside Digital Life Building

Paul Wilson - Head of the Digital Campus | Teesside University

Unveiling the Digital Life building at Teesside University, purpose built to support and showcase our digital programmes with purpose-built spaces for Games Design, Animation, AI, Immersive Technology, Cyber Security and Robotics.  The building also includes a 750 seat flexible teaching space which can hold lectures, graduation ceremonies, exhibitions and sit-down dinners.  Digital Life is totally connected and includes a lot of cool technology with everything  from the LED facade, holograms, VR Treadmills, digital galleries, virtual production studio, immersive classroom  and LED ceilings are all linked to teaching.

He has worked at Teesside University for 35 years across the breadth of the IT function, as a Network Manager, User Support Manager, Software Deployment Manager and Problem Manager which is where he first came into contact with AV. A member of SCHOMS for over 10 years he moved from being  Manager of Learning Environment Technology to his current role half way through this project.

11:00

BC-02-308

AV Solutions – "It does exactly what it says on the tin"

Jon Stothard - University of Leeds, Head of Teaching Spaces

The creation of a new design team has been a rare success, almost instantly delivering full “brand awareness” across all faculties with zero marketing.  This talk will explain the benefits of the team, the successes and of course a couple of mistakes along the way

I accepted a temporary 6th month contract at the University of Leeds in 2001 and have somehow managed to turn that into a 24-year career in the AV industry.

My current role as the Head of Teaching Spaces has resulted in an expanded responsibility that includes the physical space. My focus is now on ensuring rooms have the correct technology, are inclusive,  and have an interior design that inspires and enhances learning.

[email protected]

11:30

BC-02-308

schoms Training Update

Rob Hyde - University of Bath, Principal Service Manager (Learning and Event Technology)

Catherine Sharman - King’s College London, AV Operations Manager, Audio Visual Services

Precis: The DELTA (Development, Education, Learning, Training, Apprenticeships) team have had a busy year and will share progress on the building of an education framework, discussions about professional recognition, training days and other development activities planned for the next year.

12:00

BC-02-308

Conference Closing Remarks and Updates

Executive Director - schoms

13:00

Venue

Leadership Training (pre booked additional activity)