Kaltura will replace Presentations2Go as the main video platform for lecture recording. The software won the tender launched by the UG in July, scoring the best results of the in total the four contenders.
Kaltura will be the new video platform for recording, storing and streaming lectures – along with some other video assets – at the UG. The US-based company beat three other contenders.
‘Kaltura proved to be the best by far in usability and functionalities, especially in editing videos, as well as in updating material like PowerPoint presentations,’ says project manager Michiel van Geloven.
Kaltura, as well as the other software companies vying for the tender, went through an ‘observation’ process. First, the UG evaluated the contenders’ proposals. Next, they tested the software and performed interviews with the contenders. In the testing phase, twenty staff members were invited to try out the new system.
Pandemic
‘We are happy with the outcome of the tender. The process went smoothly and Kaltura met our requirements successfully,’ says Van Geloven.
The decision to shift to a new video platform was made roughly one year ago, explains Van Geloven. Users encountered recurring problems with Presentations2Go, and considering the growing number of lectures being recorded due to the pandemic, the UG considered it wise to look for a more scalable software.
Presentations2Go had also seen its number of users decline, which could mean the product was reaching its ‘end of life’ sooner rather than later.
Summer
Kaltura was awarded the tender ten days ago. The UG is currently hammering out the detailing in the contracts, while the implementation of the software will start in January. According to Van Geloven, the implementation should finish before summer. During the summer months, the UG will also redesign lecture-recording facilities in several halls.
‘It’s not a very complicated shift, and we should have a new video platform running fully by the beginning of the next academic year,’ he assures.