Monash University Pioneers First Campus-Wide Deployment of Symetrix Cognio

Melbourne’s globally recognised Monash University has become the world’s first higher education institution to deploy Cognio, Symetrix’s distributed AV and control platform, delivered in partnership with Symetrix and PAVT Australia and New Zealand.

As universities increasingly seek to create more technology-enabled learning spaces, Monash required an AV platform to support its ongoing commitment to cultivating student engagement and academic success. A pioneer of the Active Learning educational philosophy, Monash emphasises flexible teaching methods, group participation, and dynamic classroom interaction over traditional one-way lecture models, creating a need for AV infrastructure that powers modern learning environments that can evolve over time without introducing unnecessary complexity or operational risk.

“Active learning environments require scalability, engagement, and reliability,” said Peter MacLean, Audiovisual Design Manager and Lead Audiovisual Architect at Monash University. “The technology powering those spaces has to evolve alongside the way students and educators interact. We were looking for a modern solution that could support different room types and changing requirements without forcing us into completely separate workflows or management models.”

Unlike conventional AV systems that centralise processing and control, Cognio distributes intelligence throughout the system, enabling organisations to design scalable environments that adapt and evolve over time. The architecture enabled Monash to standardise experiences across campus while independently managing and updating individual spaces without disrupting broader operations.

For Monash University, this approach offered a pathway to greater consistency across diverse teaching spaces, reducing complexity for support teams and creating a foundation for long-term growth. Because Cognio Spaces operate independently, Monash’s AV team can dynamically update and optimise individual learning environments without disrupting the broader AV ecosystem or adjacent classrooms. This modular approach reduces downtime, simplifies ongoing management, and enables the efficient deployment of new functionality across the university’s diverse and sprawling campus.

“Universities manage a broad range of learning environments, but instructors still expect a consistent experience from room to room,” MacLean said. “As teaching models continue evolving, we needed an approach that could adapt alongside those changes without forcing constant redesigns.”

The deployment centered on Symetrix Cognio C20 processors, along with Cognio Spaces, Signal Flow, and Control Screen workflows. The system was designed to integrate seamlessly with the school’s existing AV ecosystem, encompassing a range of technologies, including Shure ANX4 and ULXD wireless systems, Powersoft Mezzo amplifiers, EAW MKC loudspeakers, Crestron NVX, Lightware, Audinate AVIO, and ECHO360 lecture capture. The deployment also leveraged the new Cognio API via a Crestron integration, enabling tighter interoperability between audio, video, and control workflows.

The collaboration between Monash, PAVT, and Symetrix was built on a shared objective of improving both user experience and operational flexibility, resulting in a future-focused AV infrastructure to power Monash for years to come.

“PAVT has built up decades of trust with Monash University, helping them build strong and repeatable standards in audio performance and deployability,” said Ben Clarke, Technical Support Manager, PAVT Australia and New Zealand. “Monash is known for its willingness to explore new approaches when they can improve performance while maintaining the high standards expected across the institution. That made them an ideal partner for the first Cognio deployment.”

The project also marks an important step forward in Symetrix’s long-term vision for software-defined AV infrastructure. As the first deployment of Cognio, the project represents a significant milestone for Symetrix, validating a new approach to AV system architecture built around distributed intelligence rather than traditional processor- centric designs.

“Monash University is exactly the type of institution we envisioned when developing Cognio,” said Mark Graham, CEO of Symetrix. “Leading organisations need systems that scale naturally, adapt continuously, and avoid the limitations created by centralised architectures. Monash’s commitment to innovation and active learning made them an ideal partner to demonstrate what’s possible with distributed AV.”

Following the initial deployment, Monash plans to expand Cognio into additional teaching and multi- purpose spaces across campus, including sports facilities and worship centres.