Our understanding of technology and the
benefits this can bring to university events has
increased dramatically over the last two years.
I expect online events will continue to be
offered in the future – alongside on-campus
and in-school provision, with three broad
options of online events being offered by
universities: university virtual, university hybrid
and school virtual. I will outline these below.
Since the start of the pandemic, most
university events have been completely virtual.
We would much rather show facilities in
person, but running virtual events has meant
they can be more accessible geographically
and include a wider range of speakers.
Moving forward, most of these events will take
place on standard video platforms (such as
Zoom, Teams, Google etc.) Some universities
will run events to replace traditional on-campus
events which would need teacher involvement,
whilst others will arrange events in the evening
outside of school timetable commitments.
These events will range from traditional talks
to full outreach schemes such as summer
schools.
With on-campus events returning there is a new opportunity to stream events live, so if you or your students can’t travel to the university, you can still participate in them. These hybrid events may not be able to fully replicate the day itinerary, such as tours, but can enable students to see guest lectures and participate in Q&As from school or home - alongside those joining the event on campus.
Virtual talks into classrooms have been the
norm for many as a result of the pandemic. Like with
university virtual events, schools hosting
virtual events will mean you can access a
broader range of speakers and providers to
support your event.
Universities from across the country may be
able to deliver a short virtual talk, or a virtual
careers fair can include more institutions able
to offer advice to your students.
Virtual events can be problematic when it
comes to engagement, so it is good to get buy-
in from students in advance to ensure sessions
run smoothly. Due to safeguarding restrictions,
we know why students don’t always have
cameras on, however using microphones
or chat functions is a great way for them to
participate and give feedback to the higher
education speaker.
The increase in online events means that
universities can now support a far wider range
of students - and be even more accessible.
When speaking to higher education providers,
ask for details of what to expect, such as
interactive quizzes and if breakout rooms will
be used, so you can plan your school or college
resource.
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