Case Study

Utrecht University
Industry
Education

Location
Utrecht, Netherlands

Products
Security Center, Omnicast

Partners
Chubb Fire and Security

How the largest university in the Netherlands keeps over

30,000 students safe
With 30 000 students, 6,000 employees, 600 professors, and dozens of buildings, the Utrecht University is
the largest educational institution in the Netherlands. Every year more than 550 students enroll in doctorate
degrees and to date, twelve Nobel Prize winners have attended this internationally renowned university.
Most buildings are located at the campus De Uithof in the northeast of the city, but the University also has
several buildings in the medieval center of Utrecht. The security team manages security across the campus
from a remote monitoring center, working closely with on-foot security officers to coordinate response.

Challenges – Moving away from inefficiencies Solution–IP security technology enhances

of analog systems
Years ago, Utrecht University installed many analog
camera systems with the help of their trusted integrator,
Chubb Fire and Security. These standalone systems were
not complicated, but difficult to manage. After every
incident, a security officer would have to physically go to the
video recorder to review evidence in the hopes of finding more
information. The investigative process was inefficient and
time-consuming. Eventually, the security team began looking
for a better solution with support from Chubb. They wanted
to be able to consolidate all independent video systems
within a single platform and manage it all from a new
central control room.
operator efficiency and response
Today, the security team at Utrecht University is handling
incidents and investigations on campus faster. That’s because
the university migrated to IP video surveillance technology
using Security Center OmnicastTM . The security team can now
access video from over 300 cameras from their central control
room. That means when incidents happen, officers can quickly
find video and conduct investigations without leaving their
desk. Since the Omnicast system is integrated with an intrusion
detection system, officers are also immediately notified of
potential break-ins anywhere on campus. With greater efficiency,
the security team has been able to maximize resources and reduce
operational costs. More importantly, they’re keeping everyone
on campus safer.
Case Study | Utrecht University

Utrecht University improves incident response and investigations

on campus with a centralized video surveillance system
The advanced functionality and user-friendliness of the Omnicast Greater efficiency around campus
system was a main selling point for Utrecht University. “It wasn’t
With many configuration options available in Security Center, the
just about the technical performance, but also the involvement
security team has maximized resources while still ensuring privacy.
and expertise of the Dutch Genetec representative. It is almost
Many users have access to the system, but each person can only view
impossible to install a system as complex as we have here without
cameras and handle tasks that are necessary for their job.
proper support from the manufacturer,” explained Frank van
Holten at Chubb. “At the university, different people have access to the video
system, but they do not all have the same rights. For example, a
The system’s scalability has also helped the University expand
receptionist will have limited privileges, so they work from a very
security operations over time. “We started here with 10 cameras
simple user interface. Operators in the control room can do much
and now we have about 300. There are various brands of cameras
more, but not everything. Only the functional administrators have
installed, all of which have been easy to add to the security platform.
access to everything. For instance, they can access archived video
The camera models are always on the list of Genetec supported
and transfer files to the city police agencies if needed. All of this
cameras, because that list is almost endless,” continued van Holten.
is quite simple to do because the user interface is very easy to use
With a unified platform, the team has integrated the video system at all levels. Furthermore, everything from the software to the
with an intrusion detection system. This helps operators stay alert to manuals is properly translated into Dutch. We can also customize
possible threats. If an intrusion alarm sounds in the platform, video the interfaces per user group, simplifying operations even further,”
of the event automatically comes up on the operator’s monitor in the explained André de Beus, Specialist in Security Technology and
control room. They can then quickly check to see what’s happening Advisor at Utrecht University,
and respond.
Case Study | Utrecht University

Simple maintenance and support

The Security Center platform is installed on approximately 40 client
computers located in the university’s control room and at various
reception desks. The security platform currently runs on two directory
servers, one of which is situated on the campus and one in the city
center. Redundant archiving is setup as well, so in the event of a power
outage or maintenance, each archiver can take over the other’s tasks.
In case any issues arise, Chubb is available for on-demand support.
The system experts can remotely log into the security management
system and perform preventive and corrective maintenance. “We’re
supporting a complex security management system with virtual
servers. That’s why, as their trusted integrator, we value cooperation
and communication with the university’s IT department and end
users”, said Jos van Kerkhof, Account Manager from Chubb. “In
addition, we regularly come by to check if everything is meeting our
customer’s expectations and to discuss any new platform capabilities
with the Genetec representative.”

Plans for future enhancements

While the security team reviews most incidents after they occur, “When incidents occur, our team is retrieving
they plan to do more live viewing moving forward. That’s because video and information much faster, so we are
the university is looking at equipping on-foot guards with body
able to respond effectively at an early stage.
wearable devices which are supported within Security Center.
Offenders will also notice that the campus
“We want to equip our people with body cameras,” said de Beus. “In police officers react very quickly if they are
case of emergencies, our crisis team in the control room can watch up to no good. This is the best advertisement
what is happening in real-time to make better and faster decisions.”
for our security efforts—that we can
The latest web interface in Security Center makes it easier and more immediately act when something is wrong.
efficient for guards to access the system from anywhere because This not only increases campus security
software no longer needs to be installed on workstations. This
but also gives students and employees the
allows the university to reduce the number of manned reception
desks and associated costs, while still empowering on-foot guards feeling that their safety is taken seriously.”
with convenient remote viewing. With cybersecurity measures built
into Security Center such as encrypted communication between
cameras and client application, the university feels confident that
their video system will always remain secure.

Reinforcing the feeling of campus safety

Since installing Security Center, the team is working with greater
efficiency. While maximizing its resources has led to significant cost
savings, the biggest perk for André de Beus and his team has been
providing a more secure campus for students, staff, and visitors.
“When incidents occur, our team is retrieving video and information
much faster, so we are able to respond effectively at an early stage.
Offenders will also notice that the campus police officers react very
quickly if they are up to no good. This is the best advertisement for
our security efforts—that we can immediately act when something
is wrong. This not only increases campus security but also gives
students and employees the feeling that their safety is taken
seriously,” concluded de Beus.

Genetec Inc.
UTRCT_CS1EN

genetec.com/locations © Genetec Inc., 2018. Genetec, Genetec Omnicast, and the Genetec Logo are trademarks
of Genetec Inc., and may be registered or pending registration in several jurisdictions. Other
info@genetec.com trademarks used in this document may be trademarks of the manufacturers or vendors of the
@genetec respective products.