iLOQ’s advantage in universities and student housing

Author: Kashif Aziz, Country Manager, iLOQ Canada


As universities increasingly move away from traditional physical keycards, fobs, and keys, they are modernizing their student identity programs by adopting mobile credentials. This shift is driven by several key factors:

  1. Lack of audit trails with mechanical key systems: Traditional key systems offer no audit trail and cannot be integrated into modern security systems, making it difficult to track and manage access.
  2. Security risks from access sharing: Physical keys, keycards, and fobs are easily shared, which can create significant security vulnerabilities on campus.
  3. High maintenance costs: Mechanical key systems are expensive to maintain, particularly when cylinders need to be replaced at the end of each school year as students move in and out of residences.
  4. Difficulty in tracking hard credentials: Managing physical credentials is challenging, and errors in revoking access can lead to safety and theft risks.
  5. Heightened focus on student safety: Campuses are more focused than ever on ensuring the physical safety of their students, driving the need for more secure access control solutions.

iLOQ’s advantage in universities and student housing

iLOQ has achieved significant success in this sector due to several innovative solutions:

  1. Convenient mobile credentials: With iLOQ, students can use a single mobile device (their cellphone) as their access control key, providing them with seamless access to dorms, classrooms, laboratories, gyms, and cafeterias. At the same time, security teams benefit from audit trails that enhance campus safety.
  1. Cost-effective digitalization: Retrofitting existing student housing or university buildings with digital locks is often prohibitively expensive due to the need for door replacements, which can compromise fire ratings. iLOQ cylinders, however, are door hardware agnostic and can be easily retrofitted into existing doors without compromising their fire safety standards.
  2. Network independence: iLOQ cylinders do not require communication with any wireless network devices other than a cellphone. The iLOQ S50 credential serves as the network gateway, simplifying the system and enhancing reliability.
  3. Battery-free operation: Unlike most smart locks that require frequent battery replacements, iLOQ’s battery-free cylinders are maintenance-free and environmentally sustainable, making them ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.
  4. Seamless access control management: With iLOQ’s integrated mobile credential system, access can be granted or revoked without any physical changes to the locks, streamlining security management and reducing operational costs.

References in the university and student housing segment