Lancaster University has launched an app that provides students with mobile access to university services. 

The solution was implemented by oMbiel, whose campusM app is specifically designed for universities.

The app features campus map locations, a pocket guide to services, library integration, and a timetable feature. 

Chris Dixon, head of service delivery and operations at Lancaster, says: “campusM stood out for us as it needed very little local development resource and it could meet our tight deadline for Fresher Week availability. The product has clearly been developed around experience and understanding of university needs.”

The University also bought oMbiels App Extension Kit, which allows universities to write their own apps based on the campusM framework. “Weve already launched our own student finance applet which allows students to analyse their outstanding credit payments and invoices, and weve also developed a bus timetable applet which takes data from Traveline providing locations of nearest bus stops, arrival times and routes,” says Dixon. 

The AEK allows the University to develop one set of code for custom apps across multiple platforms, including- Apple iOS, BlackBerry, and Android. The code also runs on the web. 

“It will be interesting for us to understand with the use of new campusM back office analytics what are the most used apps and which are the most popular platforms including the use of web over the mobile platforms,” says Dixon. “Its still early days for Lancaster University with this new facility and weve yet to realise more useful apps but campusMs flexible frameworks such as Alerts provide the opportunity to further improve organisational functions and enhance our students experience.”