Virtual open day

Insight

A new type of university experience for a new era.

University open days are a pivotal touchpoint for high school students in their journey towards education. Now running for two years, and at first, what was an adaption to campuses closing due to Covid-19, a more interactive way to engage students has become the new normal to inspire students to choose a future at Deakin University.

The future of face to face experiences is not only impacted by the current climate but also changing customer desires. People want to have engaging experiences digitally, wherever they are in the world.

Idea

A university open day reimagined.

Deakin University’s Open Day is an immersive experience that takes students on a seamless journey, as they explore in live time. The bespoke digital hub puts students at the centre through live information Q&As, 1:1 sessions with course coordinators and virtual tours. The open day also features a layer of gamification that rewards visitors for exploring all aspects.

Impact

Setting a new standard for open days.

The first virtual open day was Deakin University’s largest ever student acquisition event. It successfully mobilised more than 1000 academic staff in showcasing over 200 course information sessions.

The event set a new record for open day attendance at Deakin, and a new standard for accessibility for all future events, with prospective students from across the country and abroad able to participate simultaneously with local students.

Most importantly, for a generation of school leavers, it kept open the doors to a future university education, at a time when everything else seemed to be closed.

Running for two consecutive years now, Deakin Open Day’s live experience is now an ongoing part of the university’s engagement with future students.