Creating a Connected Campus Environment

About:

Borders College is one of Scotland’s leading further education institutions, formed in 1984 through the merger of Galashiels Technical College, Henderson Technical College (Hawick), Duns Agricultural Centre, and the Agricultural Centre at Newtown St. Boswells.

Today, the College operates across four campuses and welcomes around 5,500 students every year, offering a diverse range of programmes from entry level to HND and beyond. With strong links to employers and partnerships with several Scottish universities, Borders College provides seamless progression routes and learning experiences aligned to local workforce needs.

Background:

As part of its Vision 2030 ambitions and Digital & Data Strategy, Borders College set out to modernise its entire network infrastructure. The objective was to enhance the user experience for students, staff and guests, while creating a digital ecosystem that supports flexible learning, cloud‑based tools, and increasingly mobile ways of working.

To achieve this, the College required a technology partner capable of delivering a secure, scalable and highly resilient network platform. The solutions needed to reflect the unique operational demands of the education sector and provide both the technical expertise and long‑term support necessary for successful adoption.

Challenges & Solutions

Borders College required a modern network capable of supporting increasingly digital‑first teaching, growing device density, and the rising demand for high‑bandwidth applications. To address this, a comprehensive HPE Aruba Networking solution was selected to deliver a secure and future‑proof platform.

A fully modernised two‑tier campus network was implemented, anchored by Aruba CX 8100 switches configured in a collapsed core design using Virtual Switching Extension to ensure uninterrupted availability. At the access layer, Aruba CX 6200F switch stacks provided flexible and scalable connectivity that could grow alongside the College’s evolving needs.

The wireless estate was transformed through the introduction of Wi‑Fi 6E technology using Aruba AP 600 Series access points. This delivered a dramatic increase in capacity and performance. This is particularly beneficial in high‑density learning areas where reliability is crucial.

All network components were integrated into Aruba Central, a cloud‑based management platform that unifies wired and wireless administration. This gave the College advanced visibility, AI‑powered analytics and proactive monitoring to reduce operational overhead and significantly streamline troubleshooting.

Beyond the infrastructure itself, the project included end‑to‑end professional services: solution design, installation, configuration, user acceptance testing, a full documentation package and a post‑installation wireless survey to confirm optimal performance.

Timeline of Events

The transformation of our network infrastructure has been a key milestone in delivering our Vision 2030 ambitions. We now have a resilient, high‑performance platform that supports modern teaching, learning, and working across all of our campuses. The solution has delivered for our IT & Digital team in terms of reduced ticket load for WiFi and a more secure system with better visibility into how our networks are being used by staff and students.

Borders College has seen an ever increasing demand on our network services from users such as our eSports courses to a significant number of onsite visitors and partners – we’re now ready to support all our users demands over the coming years.

— Conor Bradley, Director of IT & Digital Learning

Results:

The solution supported the College’s ambition to adopt cutting-edge technology by delivering a high-performance, future-ready network capable of underpinning both advanced learning environments and modern business systems.

  • By enabling fast, reliable, and seamless connectivity across campus, it enhanced access to digital tools, virtual learning platforms, and student services, significantly improving the overall student experience.
  • At the same time, the introduction of centralised management and AI-driven insights allowed the College to optimise network performance, reduce manual intervention, and gain greater visibility into usage and demand. This enabled IT resources to be used more efficiently and ensured that investment and effort were focused on areas that delivered the greatest impact for learners and staff, aligning with the College’s strategic vision.
  • The network solution provided directly supports the College’s Digital and Data Strategy by delivering a modern, resilient, and high-performance infrastructure that underpins digital learning, business operations, and data-driven decision making.
  • The upgraded wired and wireless network ensures reliable, high-speed connectivity across all campus environments, enabling seamless access to these digital services and supporting a wide range of learning styles and specialist facilities.
  • The solution also strengthens the College’s ability to support business processes by improving network performance, visibility, and reliability. Centralised cloud management and AI-driven monitoring reduce operational overhead, streamline troubleshooting, and allow IT teams to proactively manage the environment.
  • This aligns with the strategy’s focus on enhancing systems, improving efficiency, and ensuring that infrastructure remains fit for purpose as the College continues to invest in its digital capabilities.
  • In addition, the platform enables more effective use of data by providing enhanced analytics, insights, and reporting capabilities.
  • With improved visibility of network usage and performance, the College is better positioned to support data-driven innovation and decision making—one of the three key pillars of its strategy.
  • The solution also helps reduce the College’s environmental impact by introducing energy-efficient networking technology and reducing reliance on on-premise infrastructure through cloud-based management with HPE Aruba Central.
  • Its AI-driven automation and remote management capabilities minimised the need for onsite interventions, lowering travel and operational emissions. In addition, by enabling more reliable digital learning and collaboration, the solution supported reduced physical resource usage, contributing to the College’s wider sustainability and net zero ambitions.
  • Finally, the solution reinforces the College’s commitment to robust cyber security through modern architecture and continuous monitoring, ensuring a secure and resilient digital environment for staff, students, and guests.

Conclusion:

Borders College now benefits from a resilient, future‑ready digital foundation that strengthens the learning experience and improves day‑to‑day operations. The upgraded network provides fast, reliable access to digital resources across all campuses, ensuring students and staff can work, learn and collaborate with confidence.

This investment has also created a strong platform for continued digital growth. With a secure, scalable and efficiently managed network in place, the College is well positioned to adopt new technologies, support sustainable operations and continue delivering high‑quality, digitally enabled education for years to come.