How Western University Scaled a Multi-Day Academic Conference to 300 Participants with SpatialChat

The Context Behind the Conference

Academic conferences are inherently complex. They involve multiple tracks, parallel sessions, and a mix of formal presentations and informal discussions. While traditional webinar tools can handle presentations, they often struggle to support the fluid movement and interaction that define in-person conferences.

Western University had already experienced this gap firsthand. After successfully running a prior event on SpatialChat, the team returned with a clear objective: to scale their next conference while preserving the interactivity that made the previous experience effective.

The requirement was not just to host sessions, but to recreate the flow of an academic conference where participants can choose sessions, move between discussions, and engage with peers throughout the event.

Designing a Multi-Room Conference Environment

To support this, the conference was set up as a multi-room environment capable of handling up to 200 simultaneous rooms. This structure allowed the university to run parallel sessions, breakout discussions, and networking spaces within a single unified platform. Each room functioned as an independent interaction zone, enabling different sessions to take place at the same time without overlap. Participants could move between these rooms freely, selecting sessions based on their interests.

The environment was reused across all three days of the conference, providing continuity for attendees. This consistency made it easier for participants to navigate the space and understand how to engage with different sessions.

Spatial audio played a critical role in maintaining clarity within each room, ensuring that conversations remained localized and manageable even as the number of participants increased.

How the Conference Unfolded

Over the course of three days, the conference accommodated varying levels of participation. The first two days hosted approximately 150 participants each, while the final day scaled up to 300 concurrent attendees. The structure combined scheduled sessions with open interaction periods. Participants attended presentations within specific rooms and then transitioned into smaller discussions or networking spaces.

Movement between rooms became a defining feature of the experience. Rather than being confined to a single session, attendees could explore multiple tracks, join discussions in progress, and shift their focus based on interest.

This created a more dynamic experience compared to traditional formats. Sessions were not isolated events but part of a broader, interconnected environment where interaction could continue beyond formal presentations.

What Engagement Looked Like at Scale

The conference demonstrated strong engagement across both structured and unstructured formats. With up to 300 participants active at the same time, the environment supported a high volume of simultaneous interactions. Participants distributed themselves across multiple rooms, reducing congestion and allowing for more focused discussions. This multi-room engagement ensured that interaction remained manageable even at higher scales.

Networking activity was particularly notable. Instead of being limited to designated sessions, participants engaged in conversations throughout the event, forming small groups and exchanging ideas in real time.

Attendees moved between sessions multiple times during the conference, indicating active exploration rather than passive attendance. This behavior reflected a higher level of involvement compared to single-stream webinars, where participants typically remain in one session.

The ability to scale participation from 150 to 300 users over the course of the event further highlighted the flexibility of the setup. The platform adapted to changing requirements without disrupting the overall experience.

Enabling a More Connected Academic Experience

One of the most significant outcomes of the conference was the integration of sessions and networking into a single environment. Instead of switching between tools for presentations and discussions, participants could engage in both within the same space. This reduced friction created a more cohesive experience. Conversations could continue beyond scheduled sessions, allowing ideas to develop organically.

The multi-room structure also made it easier to manage parallel tracks. Organizers could run multiple sessions simultaneously without compromising on interaction, giving participants greater choice and flexibility. For attendees, this translated into a more engaging and personalized experience. They were not just consuming content—they were actively shaping their journey through the conference.

Scaling Academic Conferences Without Losing Interaction

Western University’s use of SpatialChat demonstrates how academic conferences can scale without sacrificing engagement. By combining a multi-room structure with real-time interaction, the university created an environment that supported both complexity and participation.

The conference successfully handled hundreds of participants while maintaining the flexibility needed for meaningful interaction. Sessions, discussions, and networking all took place within a single, unified space.

In doing so, Western University showed that large-scale academic events do not have to rely on rigid, linear formats. With the right environment, they can become dynamic, participant-driven experiences that more closely reflect the energy and interaction of in-person conferences.