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UCL staff and students can now make use of Birkbeck’s learning and teaching spaces. ISD is working to provide IT facilities in Birkbeck but there are some limitations you should be aware of.
UCL will once again be using spaces at Birkbeck for teaching in the 2025/26 academic year. These spaces will work differently to those at UCL, so this page will tell you what you need to know about them.
Following disruption to Birkbeck’s IT services in 2024, most things are back to normal. The campus network, Eduroam, phones and signage are operational.
Many classrooms have now been upgraded to support Birkbeck’s HyFlex teaching, where students can choose to be on-site or remote. All UCL teaching will be on-site, with no remote attendance option.
Each classroom has a PC with a Guest login, leading to a desktop with common applications such as Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom and web browsers. You can use a web browser to log in to Desktop@UCL Anywhere if you need more specialist applications.
Recording of sessions is possible, but recordings must be manually initiated in UCL Panopto. Birkbeck rooms will not appear in the Panopto Scheduler.
We have produced two short video guides about teaching in Birkbeck in 2025/26
More details are given in the Frequently Asked Questions below.
- Where are these teaching spaces located?
Three venues are being used:
- The Birkbeck Main Building on Malet Street (building number 1 on the map)
- 43 Gordon Square (building number 13 on the map)
- The Clore Management Centre, Torrington Square (building number 2 on the map)
These sites are all close to UCL’s Malet Place entrance.
Fig 1. Locations map of Birkbeck teaching spaces
View a larger version- Which teaching spaces are available to UCL staff/students at Birkbeck?
- There are a range of lecture theatres, classrooms and computer rooms used by UCL.
- How do I book a teaching space at Birkbeck?
Teaching events have been allocated to the Birkbeck space as part of the annual academic timetabling process. Any available slots will then be offered as alternatives, should requested UCL rooms be unavailable. The Birkbeck rooms are not available to book for other events.
- Are teaching spaces equipped with Panopto facilities?
Recording is possible using UCL Panopto, but rooms will not appear in the Panopto Scheduler. Instead, start a manual cloud recording. A video guide for using Panopto Cloud recordings is available.
- How do I access teaching applications on a Birkbeck PC?
There is now a single Guest button to log in to Birkbeck PCs. This provides a desktop with basic applications such as Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom and web browsers. If you need additional applications, open a web browser and connect to UCL’s Desktop@UCL Anywhere service
Please remember to sign out of any services such as OneDrive or Outlook and sign out of the PC after use.Help and support with PC applications:
- Contact details for the ISD IT Services
- Desktop @ UCL Anywhere user guides
- List of applications that are available via Desktop @ UCL Anywhere
Common applications found on Desktop@UCL Anywhere include SPSS, Matlab and Reference Manager, however some applications cannot be provided on Desktop@UCL Anywhere for licensing or technical reasons.
- Can I print from Birkbeck PCs?
Print jobs can be sent via the Desktop @ UCL Anywhere service but physical printouts can only be collected via a Print @ UCL device located within a UCL building.
There is no facility to print from the Birkbeck-owned printers.
- What do I do if the application I require is not available on Desktop @ UCL Anywhere?
In the first instance, please contact Timetabling Services to check whether an alternative is available; offering alternative times where possible.
In the longer term, you can request to have the software made available by contacting IT Services or Requesting new software for teaching devices.
- How do I access the Solver command in Excel?
In Excel for Windows, if you don't see the Solver command or the Analysis group on the Data tab, you need to load the Solver add-in.
1. Click the File tab, click Options, and then click the Add-ins category.
2. In the Manage box, click Excel Add-ins, and then click Go.
3. In the Add-ins available box, select the Solver Add-in check box. If you don't see this name in the list, click the Browse... button and navigate to the folder containing Solver.xlam. Then click OK.
4. Now on the Data tab, in the Analysis group, you should see the Solver command.
- What audio visual equipment is provided in these spaces?
The Birkbeck rooms have broadly similar audio-visual equipment as our own, with teaching PCs, data projectors or screens, Blu-Ray or DVD Players, HMDI/VGA laptop connections and microphones where required. However, there is some variation between rooms, so it would be wise to check a room prior to teaching if specific facilities are required.
Birkbeck have information about the facilities available in each room on their web site.
The systems are controlled via a mix of touch screen panels and push button panels, examples of both are given below
Fig 1. An example of a push button control panel used in Birkbeck's teaching rooms
Fig 2. An example of a touch control panel used in Birkbeck's teaching rooms
- Can I project from a laptop?
Yes. Either an HDMI socket, or a VGA socket, or both are provided in each space
Find out more information about the facilities available.
- Can I connect to the internet?
Yes. Eduroam is now available at Birkbeck.
- Who should I contact for technical support whilst using Birkbeck teaching spaces?
Whilst using the teaching spaces within Birkbeck, you can contact the onsite UCL AV helpers between 9am and 5pm using 020 3108 4777 from your mobile.
You can call report issues directly to Birkbeck AV services using 3456 from the phone in the room or 020 3926 3456 from your mobile.
If you experience technical difficulties while running an online exam in a Birkbeck space please contact the UCL IT Servcies on telephone 020 7679 5000
- Who can I talk to regarding the teaching spaces at Birkbeck?
Please contact Timetabling Services at timetabling@ucl.ac.uk
- Useful Guides
