Navigating the New Academic Year: How Digital Mapping Guides Freshers at University

As a new academic year begins, universities are welcoming thousands of students onto campus, many for the first time. With unfamiliar buildings, packed schedules, and the challenges of adjusting to independent student life, one of the first hurdles is often a simple one: finding your way around.

Today, more universities are turning to digital mapping to make that transition easier. Whether accessed via phone, desktop, or on-campus kiosks, these tools help students locate lecture halls, libraries, cafés, events, and services in just a few taps.

This kind of campus wayfinding not only improves the student experience from day one but also plays a role in how universities present themselves as digitally enabled, student-focused institutions.

One example is Bath Spa University, where a Living Map digital mapping solution is already live across the campus. Students can use the interactive map to get real-time walking directions, find campus events, and plan their commute with integrated live bus timetable data. Accessible stair-free routes are built in, helping ensure the experience is inclusive for all users, regardless of their mobility.

For campus operations teams, university mapping offers value beyond navigation. At Bath Spa, the Living Map platform supports smarter management of space and infrastructure, helping estates and facilities teams better understand how the campus is used and where improvements can be made.

The result is a more connected, more accessible campus, benefitting students and staff alike.

Interested to learn more about how Living Map is supporting Bath Spa University? 

Read case study