The pandemic and its aftermath have given the international education sector a unique opportunity to evaluate the relative advantages and disadvantages of in-person vs virtual student recruitment fairs.

Initially, the benefits of virtual events seemed so compelling that some organisers announced they were pivoting wholly to virtual; however, after the COVID-19 period, in-person events quickly regained prominence. Educators, who had experienced 'virtual fatigue' due to two years of exhaustive 100% virtual exposure, were eager to transition back to face-to-face interactions.

Of course, the two models are not mutually exclusive, and in this PIE Chat Live, we will be exploring both how the student recruitment fair has evolved recently and its place in the international education sector going forward. In particular, our focus will be on investigating whether virtual events should aim at merely mirroring in-person recruitment fairs or delivering a distinct approach besides the obvious technology-enhanced experience.

Furthermore, we'll delve into the potential of modern technologies, including the application of artificial intelligence and intricate matching algorithms, to amplify the ROI of both in-person and virtual recruitment efforts.

We're thrilled to have FPP, a leading global organiser of student recruitment fairs, joining us. They will delve into the insights garnered from both virtual and in-person events, offering strategies to optimise the overall experience and efficacy of recruitment fairs. Their expertise will shed light on how each type of event can mutually enhance and enrich the experience of the other.

This PIE Chat Live is indispensable for international student recruiters worldwide who seek to gain insights into cutting-edge innovations within the realm of recruitment fairs and how to maximise their potential while working with constrained budgets.

Chair, Helen Packer, Senior Reporter and Digital Strategist, The PIE

Exploring the evolution of student recruitment events: lessons learned from in-person and virtual