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About Zoom

Zoom is a well-known communications platform that allows users to meet virtually using video, audio, phone, and chat. Zoom is the supported videoconferencing solution at UCD for staff and students.  Events may be recorded and downloaded for later review. All event recordings are subject to a data retention policy.

  • You can log in to your UCD Zoom account via UCD Connect.
  • It is integrated with Google Calendar for UCD staff.

Zoom feature highlights

Zoom offers a number of features, including (opens in a new window)breakout rooms, (opens in a new window)whiteboards, (opens in a new window)transcript generation (English only) and (opens in a new window)meeting recordings.

  • UCD IT Services also provides additional Zoom Webinars functionality on request for larger events.
  • The Zoom Rooms feature lets you create a better hybrid meeting experience on our DTEN interactive screens in our campus meeting rooms.

Accessibility

If you or your participants have accessibility requirements, closed captioning and auto-transcription are among the (opens in a new window)features available in Zoom.

Graphic image of a person looking at closed briefcases with one yellow case circled in blue in front.

Zoom and your data

All UCD data is held within Zoom's EU Data Centres. This includes both meeting and webinar data. This was informed by enhanced data privacy rules, which raised the bar in relation to the requirement to keep data within the EU. 

Data Retention Policy

A data retention policy has been implemented at UCD for Zoom recordings. By default, any recordings you complete will be deleted after 13 months. This is set to 150 days for Students. 

Getting Started: we recommend you watch 3 short videos

Joining a Zoom meeting (03:30)
Zoom In-Meeting Navigation (03:55)
Zoom Security Basics (04:19)

Using Zoom at UCD

In addition to its standard video call features, your UCD Zoom account lets you create event registration forms, interactive whiteboards, and break-out rooms. It also enables closed captioning and auto-transcription, and can record your meeting or event for later use.

Find out more about Zoom for UCD in our Knowledge Base articles on the UCD IT Support Hub:

Zoom Webinars

Zoom Webinars provide a solution for hosting large online events such as academic conferences, seminars and recruitment events, with up to 500 participants. 

Please check your UCD Connect Zoom Personal information to confirm the number of participants you may currently invite. Options for larger participant numbers are available on request via the IT Helpdesk.

Zoom also offers an online training course about running webinars.

Screenshot of a Zoom screen with a sample meeting summary from Zoom IQ

Zoom AI Companion

The following feature is now available in UCD Zoom accounts, powered by generative AI:

  • Meeting summary with Zoom AI Companion

Meeting summary using Zoom AI Companion: Meeting hosts (and co-hosts) can now create a summary powered by Zoom’s own large language models and share it via chat and email without recording the conversation, so hosts get automated notes and can share them with those who didn’t attend.

Please note that this AI-powered features must be switched on by the host or co-host in every meeting. Its usage is optional and you may choose whether or not to use the meeting summary feature. 

Creating a Zoom Video

Did you know that you can also use your UCD Zoom account to make a video?

Record yourself, choose how to display your slides or accompanying text, then when the recording is saved you can tidy up the start and end, and share your video with a direct link. Watch our how-to video to find out more!

Zoom best practices

We recommend that you set your Zoom meeting security settings in advance.

- To avoid the risk of uninvited participants 'crashing' the meeting, particularly if there are a large number of invitees, we recommend enabling the (opens in a new window)Waiting Room feature, in your Zoom account settings, or to use a passcode.

- If all attendees are all UCD staff/students, you can set a requirement for authentication. This means that any meeting attendees must be signed into their UCD Zoom accounts to join the meeting.

To enable authentication:

  1. Set up your meeting as usual
  2. Then in your Zoom account settings, underMeeting OptionsorWebinar Options, clickRequire authentication to join.

- If you have issues with an uninvited user in an existing meeting, as a Zoom meeting host you may remove, mute or report a user.

To manage participants in a Zoom meeting as a meeting host:

  1. Hover over a participant and click Morefor the options
  2. Select your chosen action. 

See (opens in a new window)Security Tips for Zoom meetings for other advice.  

If a Zoom meeting is being recorded, you must inform all participants that the meeting will be recorded. This is important to respect user privacy. If somebody objects, you should not record the meeting. 

If you plan to record the session and distribute it, you could advise people that they may switch their cameras off as an option, if they wish. 

Helpful Resources

Zoom’s (opens in a new window)Learning Center has a wealth of helpful information including product walkthroughs and quick reference videos, as well as in-depth training courses. Here is a selection of helpful articles and videos:

Support Hub Homepage

Further Support

The UCD IT Support Hub is where you can log a call with our UCD IT Helpdesk team, find an answer in our Knowledge Base of articles, or request an additional service or access.

UCD IT Services

Computer Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Contact us via the UCD IT Support Hub: www.ucd.ie/ithelp