Why Virtual Open Days Are the Safe Choice for 2023

Looking at course catalogs, program brochures, campuses, housing, and facilities means there is a lot to take into account before deciding where to go to college. It’s no doubt a daunting decision to make for a high school student. Approximately 40% of all students believe that attending an open day influences their decision on whether to apply or not. 

This is why open days are an invaluable experience for both students and parents. They help offer a sneak-peek into where the student will be living, studying, and spending a significant part of the next few years. These open days are part of a university’s promotional efforts as they invite prospective students and parents to explore their campus. 

COVID-19 made virtual open days a reality. In 2023,  most colleges still want to stick to hosting their open days via a virtual open day platform. 

What is a Virtual Open Day?

Virtual open days allow students to take a comprehensive tour of the campus from anywhere via any device including their mobile, tablet, or laptop. Hosting a virtual open day means that prospective students may even be out of the country, but still have the liberty to attend. 

Virtual Open Days provide a customized and convenient experience for students, parents, and hosts alike. They reduce obstacles that schools face while hosting an on-site open day, such as the inability to interact with a global audience, spending budget on printing resources and refreshments, etc. 

Why Host A Virtual Open Day?

Although online events are nothing new, they are increasingly becoming an integral part of an organization’s growth strategy. Traditional in-person events are being replaced by virtual events and thus opening numerous opportunities for hosts and attendees. 

Let’s see why going virtual is still the right way to host open days.

1. Connect With Course Leaders via Live Webinars

Virtual venues provide students the opportunity to attend live webinars and feel as though they are sitting in an actual auditorium. They can even attend live on-demand sessions and listen to recordings of past webinars in case they weren’t able to attend at the scheduled time. Since virtual open days can accommodate large crowds in a single ‘room’, more students and parents can listen to various course leaders and program heads’ sessions.

2. Reach an International Audience 

Travelling outside of the country is a laborious task. Even travelling within the country is considered a risk for the people involved, given that there may be possible threat of exposure. Virtual events eliminate the need to travel to a physical location. Your home could be anywhere in the world, and you can attend the virtual open day — thus removing any restrictions posed by geographical locations. 

3. Engage With Faculty & Students 

Virtual open days do not mean that the university or school has to give up on engagement between faculty, prospective students, and current students. Even when in-person interaction is next to impossible, live audio, video, and text chat options provide prospective students ample opportunity to pose questions and queries to faculty and staff. It also provides them opportunities to interact with current students and learn about their experiences.

4. Access Resources in Their Own Time 

Virtually hosting an open day also allows students to download any course outlines, brochures, degree programs, guides, and even videos. They can go through these documents after the event, and don’t have to experience the added hassle of carrying extensive amounts of materials in hand. They can simply download it into a virtual swag bag and access it at a later date. 

Here’s one example of a university that realized success after adopting the virtual open day format. Robert Gorden University in Aberdeen, Scotland successfully hosted their open day with vFairs on November 14th, 2020 with the pandemic still at large. On the virtual venue, participants could:  

• Attend live talks about courses 
• Connect with prospective course leaders 
• Visit the Virtual Student Services Fair and listen to Student Services Live Talks 
• Chat with current students to get a real insight into student life at RGU
• Discover state-of-the-art learning facilities on our Virtual Campus Tour on Instagram

Conclusion

Thus, virtual open days allow for a more safe and secure environment for schools to engage with prospective students, share program details and support materials, and allow participants to interact with current students and faculty for a more holistic understanding of what they have to offer.