Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Humanities
With roots dating back to 1908, the School of Humanities at Shanghai Jiao Tong University combines a longstanding academic tradition with an international approach to education. Its programs span Chinese language and literature, history, philosophy, art, and international Chinese education, serving undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students.
As part of a renovation that included new interiors, furniture, and AV technology, the university saw an opportunity to create a more flexible classroom experience—one designed around the way instructors and students interact rather than the limitations of traditional classroom technology.
Working with integrator Shanghai Golden Bridge, the university selected a complete Biamp audio solution designed to make technology virtually disappear from the teaching experience.
The result exceeded our expectations, delivering clear voice pickup and natural, balanced sound that is comfortable for students throughout the class.
SHANGHAI JIAO TONG UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
Giving instructors the freedom to teach naturally
A central requirement for the new classroom was simple: instructors needed to be heard clearly without having to think about a microphone.
Rather than remaining behind a lectern or wearing a lavalier microphone, instructors needed the freedom to move throughout the teaching area as they presented, interacted with students, and adapted their teaching style to each lesson.
Flexibility was particularly important because the room itself was designed to change. Desks and chairs can be rearranged to accommodate different class formats, making an audio system dependent on a fixed teaching position impractical.
The room’s relatively wide footprint and challenging acoustic environment added another consideration: regardless of where the instructor stood or how the classroom was configured, students throughout the space needed to hear speech clearly and naturally.
Capturing every lesson from above
At the heart of the solution is the Biamp BMA 360D-I ceiling microphone.
The system uses seven configured pickup zones to capture the instructor’s voice throughout the teaching area, allowing instructors to move naturally without carrying or wearing a microphone.
Audio captured by the BMA 360D-I is routed to a TesiraFORTÉ DAN CI digital signal processor for processing before being amplified by Voltera A300.2 and A300.4 amplifiers.
Desono ENT206 column loudspeakers and DX-IC4 ceiling loudspeakers then distribute sound throughout the classroom, providing consistent coverage and natural speech reproduction across the learning space.
Together, the system creates a seamless path from instructor to student: instructors simply teach, while the technology works behind the scenes to ensure their voice reaches the entire class.
Designed around the learning experience
The completed system has given Shanghai Jiao Tong University a classroom audio environment capable of adapting alongside its teaching methods.
Instructors are no longer tied to a podium or dependent on handheld and wearable microphones. They can move throughout the teaching area and engage with students naturally, while flexible furniture configurations allow the room to accommodate different lesson formats without compromising audio performance.
For students, the result is equally straightforward: clear, balanced sound that makes lectures easy and comfortable to follow from anywhere in the room.
The project also expanded the university’s existing relationship with Biamp. After previously using Biamp DSP technology in its classrooms, the School of Humanities introduced Biamp ceiling microphones, amplifiers, and loudspeakers as part of the renovation—creating an integrated audio solution from capture through playback.
By designing the technology around teaching rather than asking instructors to adapt to the technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s School of Humanities has created a flexible classroom where educators are free to focus on what matters most: engaging their students.