About

Intelligent access solutions for a modern educational landscape

With over 28,000 students and more than 10,000 employees, the University of Zurich (UZH) is Switzerland's largest university. Its seven faculties comprise over 150 institutes spread across several locations in and around Zurich. The university's center is located in the heart of Zurich, spread across around 140 buildings, including the historic main building and listed buildings. The second large campus at Irchel comprises 88 buildings.

Much of the university infrastructure, such as libraries, auditoriums, cafeterias, and the botanical garden, is open to the public. Other areas, such as laboratories and offices, are only accessible to authorized persons.

Location: Canton of Zurich, Switzerland
Opened: 1914 (main building)
Around 260 buildings
Official website
Usage units: Lecture halls, seminar rooms, libraries, laboratories, offices, research facilities, and much more.

Challenges

What requirements must the access solutions at the University of Zurich meet?

A uniform, secure, and flexible access management system
An access management system for all locations, i.e., flexibly expandable
Integration into existing listed buildings and new buildings
Guidelines for escape routes and fire protection as well as accessibility
One system and door solutions for different user groups

Details

Access to education and research – secure, connected, integrated

TheKaba exos 9300system is particularly suitable for complex, growing infrastructures such as universities, as it can be flexibly expanded and adapted to new requirements. CardLink technology was chosen for access control. It enables simple and secure integration of offline door components without any wiring.

Core components of the solution

Access management for multiple locations:
Kaba exos was used to implement a central system that covers all campus areas and enables cross-location management.
Integration of ID cards:
Student and employee ID cards also serve as access media.
Automatic door solutions:
Automatic door systems have been installed in new buildings and listed buildings to provide barrier-free access while meeting architectural requirements.
Public and non-public areas:
The university is generally open to the public, but the access system clearly separates public areas from sensitive zones such as laboratories, research rooms, and administrative offices.
Mechanical emergency solutions: Mechanical access solutions are available at all times for emergency services such as the fire department and police so that they can respond quickly in an emergency.

Result

The University of Zurich now benefits from a state-of-the-art, scalable access management system that combines security, user-friendliness, and flexibility. The solution not only supports daily operations but also future developments in education.