University of Cambridge virtual tour experience launched

The Virtual Tour Experts, an experience firm, have launched a personalized virtual tour of the UK’s University of Cambridge. The immersive platform offers a bespoke digital journey through one of the world’s most iconic institutions. Aimed at prospective students and alumni, the tour uses 360° video, photography, AI and 3D mapping to create a seamless, responsive, and user-focused exploration of Cambridge’s historic colleges, landmark buildings and picturesque grounds.   

The platform works on a desktop computer, tablet or smartphone device and includes features, such as interactive 3D maps and AI-driven voice replication tools to elevate user engagement. Guided video commentary and flyover views, with relevant information hotspots, provide a vivid sense of the Cambridge experience, blending modern technology with timeless storytelling.

The Virtual Tour Experts’ proprietary technology integrates these elements into a cohesive virtual campus tour. A viewing history feature also allows visitors to track their progress and stop/start as they desire.

Personalization and accessibility to the fore

At the heart of the virtual tour is a personalization engine that recognises the diversity of users – from those wanting to attend, to those with accessibility requirements, or those wanting to remember their time at Cambridge University in the past. The solution accordingly creates customized user journeys. Virtual visitors can filter by subject area, college, or student life, ensuring that their experience is as unique as their connection to Cambridge University.

An integrated accessibility widget allows users with disabilities to tailor the virtual tour to meet their specific needs, ensuring inclusivity for all. There is also enhanced support for neurodiverse users with tools to help them visualise and plan how they can navigate spaces prior to arrival. 

A content management system enables the University to easily maintain and update the tour, ensuring that visitors always have access to the most up-to-date information.

Positive feedback from first users

The first cohort of users have responded positively. In a recent survey of nearly 300 initial virtual tour users, the experience received an average rating of 4.51 out of 5, with over 80% rating it a 4 or higher in their feedback. More than half gave it a perfect score.

Commenting on the launch, Neil Henderson, Managing Director of The Virtual Tour Experts, said: “Personalized user journeys are essential for a campus as vast and diverse as Cambridge. This platform ensures that every visitor can quickly and easily access the content most relevant to them, delivering an experience that is not only immersive but also highly intuitive featuring over 800 scenes.”

“This collaboration with Cambridge showcases what’s possible when innovation meets purpose,” he added. “We’re proud to have delivered a platform that not only highlights the University’s rich heritage but also adapts to the evolving needs of its audience.”