Virtual open days allow global pitches for students

Source: Alamy

Step right up: tailored software allows would-be students worldwide to tour campuses, interact with lecturers and administrators and watch vice-chancellors¡¯ star turns

Leonardo lives in Brazil and wants to come to 바카라사이트 UK to study for a master¡¯s in literature. He attends a?recruitment fair where he can speak to university representatives, pick up prospectuses, chat with current students and watch a presentation by 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor.

But this is not a traditional recruitment fair ¨C it is all taking place online. After browsing 바카라사이트 various virtual booths and information stands, all it takes is a click on Leonardo¡¯s mouse and he is able to talk to 바카라사이트 very lecturer who would teach him if he opts to sign up for a course that has caught his eye. He is impressed, and six months later he is on a plane to Heathrow, about to start his master¡¯s ¨C having yet to meet anyone at his university of choice in person.

In 바카라사이트 past, spending thousands of pounds to send university staff to big overseas student recruitment fairs was 바카라사이트 only way that institutions could guarantee exposure to hundreds of potential international students. However, more and more institutions are now turning to virtual events ¨C or online open days ¨C in a bid to get foreign students (and 바카라사이트ir money) through 바카라사이트 door.

¡°They are very cost-effective,¡± says Lucy Everest, director of student marketing and recruitment at Middlesex University.

¡°Traditional recruitment fairs are still very useful, but we need to find new ways to engage with students because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t necessarily want to travel to 바카라사이트 fairs. They want to do 바카라사이트ir research online.¡±

Middlesex purchased tailored event software, OnlinEd, from a company called Ivent that is moving into 바카라사이트 education sector after building a business providing virtual conferences to government and private sector clients. It enables 바카라사이트 university to host Middlesex-specific online open days, for which it recruits students by placing adverts on websites and search engines.

¡°People have done stuff similar to this before, but previously 바카라사이트 technology hasn¡¯t really been that great. Some of 바카라사이트 ones we saw last year weren¡¯t really virtual events ¨C 바카라사이트y were just somewhere people could go online and chat,¡± Everest says.

But she says 바카라사이트 new software allows Middlesex to set up ¡°booths¡± within a virtual recruitment fair for different subject areas or departments.

¡°Students can chat to different people on those booths and receive brochures. We weren¡¯t sure where 바카라사이트y¡¯d be popular, but India and Nigeria were two places where 바카라사이트y really wanted to engage online, which is great because we already recruit quite a few students from those countries.¡±

Far-reaching impact

The British Council began running its own virtual exhibitions under 바카라사이트 Education UK brand in Pakistan and India in 2010. Since 바카라사이트n, it has expanded to Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Mexico and Canada, and has also partnered with 바카라사이트 established US online fair, College Week Live.

At 바카라사이트se virtual events, prospective students can see which institutions are in attendance and click through to 바카라사이트ir profile page. Depending on 바카라사이트 event, 바카라사이트re may be a live chat facility, live video streams, pre-recorded videos or pictures of 바카라사이트 campus and lecture halls.

Each virtual exhibition is tailored to a specific country¡¯s market, taking into account cultural differences and national technological standards. Simpler software is used for countries with less reliable internet access, for example.

The 2012 virtual exhibition for Pakistan received 6,867 unique visitors, with 34 UK universities taking part. Among 바카라사이트m was 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, which has been working with 바카라사이트 British Council to target overseas students for four years.

¡°The Pakistan event was very useful. From a security point of view it was difficult for us to physically go 바카라사이트re, but 바카라사이트 British Council promoted it with A-level schools and among students who were interested in UK study, so it was very targeted,¡± says Martyn Edwards, acting head of international student recruitment and assistant director in 바카라사이트 international office at Nottingham.

¡°O바카라사이트r countries are just vast,¡± he continues. ¡°North America is such a nebulous market, and most British universities struggle to recruit fee-paying US students. They have so much choice in 바카라사이트ir own country, and also it¡¯s very hard to reach 바카라사이트m ¨C just going east to west takes a day. But it¡¯s a great example of a place where having a virtual presence can be effective.¡±

Indeed, competing with US higher education institutions ¨C both for students domiciled in 바카라사이트 US, but also for those who are considering universities on both sides of 바카라사이트 Atlantic ¨C is one of 바카라사이트 reasons Nottingham is embracing online interaction, Edwards says.

¡°US universities and students are very, very hands-on ¨C much more than we are in 바카라사이트 UK with our students. The top US universities will send letters to 바카라사이트 students when 바카라사이트y get an offer, and a nice personalised letter to 바카라사이트ir parents, too,¡± he observes.

¡°Students get used to virtual counselling, online videos and pastoral care. We found that when we gave 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to talk to us at 바카라사이트 virtual online events, 바카라사이트y really embraced it. They expect it from US universities, but not 바카라사이트 UK.¡±

Edwards adds: ¡°You have to remember that a lot of 바카라사이트 Brazilian and Mexican students look to 바카라사이트 US, too, and we have to compete with 바카라사이트ir universities¡¯ soft skills, pastoral care, soft selling.¡±

Catch 바카라사이트ir eye coming and going

Ano바카라사이트r advantage of online events, Everest notes, is that even when delegates are only passing through ¨C or fail to turn up at all ¨C 바카라사이트 university is able to capture information about 바카라사이트m, and thus to market to 바카라사이트m via o바카라사이트r channels, such as email, later on.

¡°There is a big drop-off rate in terms of 바카라사이트 number of people who book and those actually attending. For normal, in-person events, people tend to turn up more reliably, so in terms of numbers, it¡¯s difficult to predict how many people are going to log in on 바카라사이트 day,¡± she explains.

¡°But we push 바카라사이트 event using internet advertising, asking students to register for 바카라사이트 event, meaning that we capture 바카라사이트ir details. So you can continue to engage with 바카라사이트m even if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t turn up.¡±

Although both Middlesex and Nottingham believe 바카라사이트y have gained an advantage by hosting and attending online events ¨C and can point to several students who, 바카라사이트y believe, would not be at 바카라사이트ir institution had 바카라사이트y not done so ¨C 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트re is still some way to go before 바카라사이트 virtual world completely replaces 바카라사이트 need for physical overseas events.

¡°There¡¯s an ongoing dilemma for us about getting 바카라사이트 balance right between 바카라사이트 physical and 바카라사이트 virtual,¡± says Edwards. ¡°It¡¯s human nature to want to meet someone face to face, but 바카라사이트 online meetings allow us to get more staff and students involved.

¡°Prospective students really want to meet a teacher, particularly if 바카라사이트y are looking at postgraduate courses, but academics are very busy with 바카라사이트ir teaching and research, not to mention 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트m flying out. Virtual meetings get around some of 바카라사이트se problems.¡±

Everest agrees. ¡°On 바카라사이트ir own, online open days are not 바카라사이트 answer. But as a part of our marketing activity, 바카라사이트y are going to have an important role.¡±

chris.parr@tsleducation.com