Temple University, Japan Campus

Background

Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) is the oldest and largest foreign university in Japan. With 64% of undergraduate students from overseas, the institution offers a unique international experience and brings together students from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and orientations from all over the world. The Setagaya-ku, Tokyo campus is home to over 4,000 learners and a dedicated staff focused on building safe, collaborative, and creative learning environments.

Thomas Gurney (IT Operations Manager) is at the forefront of this mission, working on the technology systems that drive efficiency and operations. “By having the right technology in place, we can provide a secure campus with the best experience possible for our students.”

Alongside Paul Raudkepp (Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer) and Chie Kato (Senior Associate Dean), the team manages the facilities, technology, and day-to-day operations on campus, providing students with everything they need to engage and succeed in their education. 

“Ensuring the well-being and safety of the faculty members and students is our number one priority,” says Chie, “It’s a challenge, but we’ve got a great team.”

The Challenge

“It's about optimizing resources where they matter most,” Thomas emphasizes, “With a more efficient system, we can focus on initiatives that support the school and student success.”

In 2018, Thomas faced the challenge of upgrading the campus's video security system. The existing digital video recorder (DVR) camera system was taxing on IT resources, demanding significant expenditure for simple footage review and retrieval. 

He recalls, “One incident that sticks in my memory is when we were trying to retrieve footage from one of our cameras. When we finally accessed our on-prem server, we realized it had been offline for days. The old system just had too many points of failure that were too unpredictable.”

Why Verkada

“Previously, we did not have the ability to go back and look for the footage.  The Japanese systems were predominantly hardware based which wasn’t very flexible and was very cost prohibitive,” Paul reflects, “With Verkada, it is easy to roll out and also expand the system. We have experienced substantial growth since moving to our new location in 2019. Our campus footprint has expanded to several locations in the local area and the ability to flexibly add cameras to the system is great.”

Verkada meets the need for a simple, smart, and scalable video security solution. The cameras’ hybrid cloud architecture combines onboard storage with unlimited cloud archiving, eliminating the need for servers and external CCTV infrastructure. The intuitively designed Command software – accessible through a web browser or mobile app – drives product adoption and usage amongst team members.

“The hybrid cloud approach brings video security to a cloud-based platform that is easy to use and manage from anywhere,” Thomas elaborates,“At the same time, we have assurance that footage is saved onboard the camera itself.”

Faster Resolutions with Smart Search Functionalities

Now with Verkada, Thomas reduces incident response time from hours to minutes. “It takes a fraction of the time to find, save, and share footage.”

The cloud-based Command platform is accessible from anywhere through a desktop, laptop, or smartphone. Team members can find incidents in seconds with the ability to search by time, date, object, motion, face, people, and vehicle history. Live video feeds or archived footage can be effortlessly shared through SMS, email, or weblink.

24/7 Support and Verkada Office Based in Japan

To support seamless global operations, Verkada has offices around the world – including a dedicated Japanese team situated in Tokyo. Thomas and the TUJ team have access to training center videos, and articles in the Verkada Help Center, as well as a 24/7 technical support team that is immediately available through chat, phone, or email.

“If questions come up, the support team has been a great resource,” Thomas affirms, “They’re very responsive through chat and address our questions at all hours of the day.”

No Hidden Costs or Maintenance Requirements

By eliminating servers and associated expenses, the total cost of ownership (TCO) with Verkada is straightforward and predictable.

“We no longer need to change hard drives and rebuild storage, eliminating the cost of repairs and maintenance,” Thomas details, ”The camera notifies me when it’s offline. It's so simple to use that I no longer have to run across different campuses for trivial tasks.”

The upfront pricing model consists of just two line items: the camera and the software license. Verkada cameras are protected by a 10-year warranty, while the software license includes software and firmware updates, security enhancements, 24/7 technical support, unlimited user seats, and unlimited cloud storage.

Looking Ahead

After upgrading the video security system to Verkada, Thomas can devote more time and technology resources to providing exceptional care, innovative teaching, and rewarding opportunities in a global setting.

"The greatest benefit has been the time-savings,” Thomas affirms, “Incident resolution is faster, and we have greater peace of mind.”

Thomas is continuing to find new ways to use Verkada through the latest feature releases and training videos. He is also interested in Verkada Workplace to bring mailroom and visitor management to the same cloud-managed Command platform. Ultimately, he strives to create an environment that encourages student growth and engagement – fostering a safe, welcoming, and thriving campus community.

Chie maintains proudly, “As I said, the best team.”

To learn more about Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), visit: https://www.tuj.ac.jp/

See Verkada in-action with a free personalized demo.