Click to take the virtual tour, which was one component of our Virtual Open Day
Well done to everyone involved in this year’s Virtual Open Day. It was a great showcase of our ability to adapt, collaborate and promote our high-quality programmes and teaching.
With the announcement of the second lockdown coming so unexpectedly, the decision was made to cancel the physical open day and to move to a virtual event, including a ‘virtual tour’ that was already in the making. From concept to delivery of the Virtual Open Day was 3.5 weeks – what a mammoth effort!
Paul Hays, Event & Communications Business Partner who led the organisation of the day said being in a virtual rather than a physical space was a different experience.
“Seeing the way all our schools and support staff stepped up to the challenge, it was obvious that a lot of staff had fun with their ideas and ran on their creative instincts,” he said
The technical aspect of hosting an Open Day online involved a lot of organisation but, for the most part, went as planned on the day. The day involved the homepage, a virtual tour, and Zoom sessions run by each School according to a schedule. Guests could click into the school or discipline of interest, find a schedule of events and click the ‘join now’ button when the room was live.
Sessions included our nursing teachers demonstrating a simulated response to someone having a heart attack, our EAS team doing a tour through Te Puna Kararehe and our Sport, Exercise and Recreation team discussing contemporary ways of identifying and developing athletes.
The online experience allowed us to extend to a wider domestic and international market, and the statistics show we had guests from all over the world – 680 unique visitors attended on the day.
Beyond the wider reach to potential learners, the benefit of a virtual open
day is that the content that was created and recorded live on the day is now available indefinitely, and will live on web pages dedicated to the Schools and disciplines. Potential learners will be able to access the content when it suits them, giving them a good picture of what it’s like to study at Unitec.
Feedback so far has been good. One student wrote:
“I thoroughly enjoyed the open day, I thought the collective mahi from staff and students was exceptional. Well done… I am proud to study with Unitec and hope to inspire other people to pursue a career in nursing and how Unitec can assist in making this a reality.”
Congratulations to our Schools, Support teams and event organisers on a well-organised, innovative event.
A huge well done to everyone involved and especially Paul Hays for coordinating it all at short notice. Thank you for your mahi.
Well done to everyone for their mahi last Saturday – a massive undertaking at short notice and with a lot going on. Hats off to Paul Hays for driving this and coordinating with enthusiasm from conception to delivery. A pleasure to see your vision come to reality and look forward to where this goes.
Kia ora Adrian – thanks so much for that, it was definitely a team effort – but I really appreciate it! Ngā mihi, Paul.