By Ritika
Dubai, Sept 29, 2026: University classrooms are being planned as flexible, connected spaces rather than static rooms built around a lecturer at the front. Movable furniture lets rooms switch between discussion and group work. Cameras, microphones and interactive displays make sessions recordable and open to hybrid participation. This year the emphasis is on readiness and consistency, with standard set-ups repeated across rooms so faculty can teach the same way wherever they are timetabled.
“Spaces are designed as high-impact digital learning environments rather than simple static rooms,” says Ali Al Suwaidi, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at American University of Sharjah (AUS). He says all 113 standard classrooms and 10 auditoriums and lecture halls are “100 percent operationally ready.” Each standard layout has the same kit: “an integrated PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera, a professional SHURE lapel microphone and an instructor PC.” The rooms also support “a flexible ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) framework for faculty laptops, alongside interactive displays and tablet integrations for agile teaching,” says Al Suwaidi.
At Symbiosis International University Dubai, classroom design follows teaching style. “Classrooms at Symbiosis Dubai are designed to support interactive, collaborative and discussion-led learning,” says Shreebha Pillai, Head of Admissions and Promotions. Smart displays, audio-visual systems and digital presentation tools let faculty bring case studies, simulations and group activities into sessions. “Modular furniture allows classroom settings to flexibly change as per learning and pedagogical choices,” she says.
