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Education’s no longer confined to classrooms and lecture theatres – and neither is showing what a college has to offer potential learners. With physical visits curtailed by the COVID pandemic, Coleg Gwent needed to inspire 14 to 18 year-olds – as well as mature students – with an online event that would offer all the information they needed about studying there, from courses to facilities to transport and finance – as well as reflecting the college’s modern, creative and friendly approach to learning.
This was so much more than just a virtual ‘Open Day’ – it became a multimedia event showcasing everything that’s great about studying at Coleg Gwent. Using a simple yet dynamic map to navigate round the college’s courses, campuses and facilities, the mobile-friendly stand-alone portal gave an outline of every option available as well as linking to live events such as Q&A sessions as they happened. While the pandemic forced a move to such a digital platform, it turned out to be a better way of showcasing the college – allowing students to see so much more and bringing a greater level of engagement than they’d ever had before.
The first virtual open event was held in June 2020 and the second in February 2021 with 671 registrations. Compared with 2020’s February event which was totally face-to-face, that’s an increase of 37%. The Higher Education event in January showed even greater improvement, with 66 attendees versus just 15 in 2020.
The client’s also very impressed with other aspects of the virtual platform, and the plan is to make it a permanent part of a blended approach to attract and engage with new learners.
