UAS expands DiGiCo investment for student training
UAS expands DiGiCo investment for student training
University of the Arts Sharjah (UAS) has expanded its professional audio infrastructure with a DiGiCo Quantum112 console, supporting the university’s focus on practical, industry-led training and giving students access to the same workflow used on UAS’s professional productions.
The Q112 joins an existing Quantum225, which serves as UAS’s main FOH console for shows. The purchase is an expansion rather than a replacement, providing the university with an additional Quantum-series platform that can support both production requirements and classroom teaching.
For second- and third-year students, the investment provides hands-on experience with DiGiCo software and workflows that they will encounter in professional production environments. The university intends to use the console to develop students’ familiarity with different DiGiCo platforms while introducing equipment progressively as part of their technical education.
Gustav Van Rooyen, recently appointed audio tutor at The Academy of Performing Arts (APA) at UAS, believes exposure to different platforms can help students prepare for careers in professional audio: “The Q112 enables us to help students work on different DiGiCo platforms. The more they are aware of the different platforms from DiGiCo, the more it will help them in their professional careers.”
Van Rooyen noted that UAS’s approach is not simply to teach students how to operate equipment, but to build their understanding of how each system contributes to the overall production process. “We introduce each piece of equipment or platform gradually to help students understand what each piece of gear is doing and how to achieve their sound,” he explained.
The Q112’s compact footprint is particularly suited to this educational role. UAS can bring the console into classrooms and smaller teaching spaces, while also moving it between the university’s venues and studios. This allows students to work through different mixing scenarios, including environments with varying room sizes and acoustics.
The console will be used across productions including musicals and acting shows, extending the learning environment into live performance. Its integration with UAS’s existing network infrastructure also allows the Q112 to operate as a monitor console onstage for musicals in the main theatre.
The investment consequently gives students opportunities to apply classroom learning in live production settings while maintaining consistency with UAS’s existing Quantum225 workflow.
The Q112 was provided by local distributor 7Hertz. UAS has worked with the company since 2022 across professional audio brands including DPA, d&b audiotechnik and DiGiCo, with the relationship including technical and after-sales support. According to UAS, 7Hertz has provided assistance when required, including resolving two minor technical issues with its Quantum225 within the required timeframe. The university noted that this experience was an important consideration in continuing the relationship, highlighting the role of technical support alongside the equipment itself.
