How to attract more university students to conferences and seminars?

To attract new students, universities and colleges must now adopt innovative communication strategies tailored to the expectations and habits of Generation Z. A thorough understanding of this target audience is essential for building an effective digital presence, fully leveraging the potential of social media, email marketing, and campus events. By combining a personalized approach, engaging content, and an optimized user experience, institutions can significantly enhance their appeal and boost enrollment.

Summary :

1. Understanding students' expectations

2. Optimize communication with students

3. To offer real added value to students

Understanding students' expectations

Understanding students' motivations

1. Developing your network: Events offer a unique opportunity to interact with professionals and other students, thus expanding your circle of contacts.

2. Obtaining academic credits: Many participate in order to validate credits needed for their coursework, by actively engaging in learning that is worth additional or mandatory points.

Identify the barriers to participation

Despite the value of conferences and seminars for their professional development, many students choose not to attend. Lack of time is often the primary reason given. Between classes, studying, and part-time jobs, finding time to attend these events proves difficult.

Cost can also be a significant deterrent, especially when events take place far from campus. Between registration fees, transportation, and accommodation, the budget can quickly become prohibitive for a student.

Finally, the conference topics are not always aligned with students' interests. Subjects that are too specialized or far removed from their immediate concerns struggle to attract them.

To overcome these obstacles, organizers could consider reduced rates, or even free admission for students. Offering shorter, more interactive formats, at the end of the day or on weekends, would also encourage their attendance. Finally, the themes would benefit from being more closely aligned with their expectations, for example, in relation to career prospects. These are all avenues for increasing student participation.

Optimize communication with students

Leveraging digital channels

To effectively attract new students, it is essential to fully utilize digital channels. Here are some concrete avenues to explore:

1. Social media: Create engaging and authentic content on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. For example, video testimonials from current students sharing their experiences or immersive stories showcasing life on campus.

2. Personalized email marketing: Segment your contact database to send relevant emails based on each prospective student's profile and interests. Remember to include clear CTAs that link to dedicated pages on your website.

3. Targeted campaigns: Use the advanced targeting options of Facebook Ads or Google Ads to reach your audience where they are. For example, target young people aged 17-25 interested in specific topics related to your courses.

4. Online events: Organize webinars, live Q&A sessions, or virtual open houses to present your offering interactively. Promote them on your social media and website.

By combining these different levers in a coherent way and by offering quality content adapted to the expectations of your target audience, you can significantly strengthen your visibility and attractiveness to students.

Personalize the messages

Addressing students in a personalized way is essential to capturing their attention and sparking their interest. A generic message risks getting lost among the multitude of solicitations they receive.

Adapt the tone and content to the student's profile: their age, level of study, and intended field of study. A high school student considering their future will appreciate a reassuring and informative approach. A master's student will likely be looking for details about career paths and opportunities.

Highlight testimonials from students or graduates with similar career paths. Show them that your institution has helped others succeed and thrive. This will strengthen ties and create a sense of belonging.

By making each student feel recognized and valued individually, you maximize the chances of capturing their attention and convincing them to join you. This personalized approach makes all the difference in a competitive environment where every application counts.

Mobilize student ambassadors

Enlisting students to promote your institution to their peers is a powerful tool. Their authentic testimonials and generational connection make them credible and inspiring spokespeople for prospective students. They can share their experiences of campus life, courses, and atmosphere through various formats: video testimonials, social media posts, participation in open house events, and more.

However, implementing a student ambassador program requires a significant investment. They must be carefully selected, trained for their role, and supported in content creation. Their involvement must also be recognized and valued through benefits (scholarships, priority course selection, etc.) or certification of their skills.

By defining a clear and motivating framework, your institution can turn its best students into true allies to boost its appeal. It's a win-win strategy, where ambassadors gain skills and visibility, and the school increases its impact on its target audience.

To offer real added value to students

Emphasize the professional aspect

University conferences and seminars offer students invaluable opportunities to expand their professional network. By attending these events, they can meet experienced professionals from the business world and the research community. These exchanges allow them to discover new horizons and broaden their contacts.

However, some students still perceive these events as purely academic, without direct relevance to their future careers. It is therefore essential to highlight all the networking opportunities they offer.

Promoting testimonials from alumni who benefited from pivotal encounters at these events can be highly persuasive. Offering practical workshops led by professionals or speed-networking sessions are all ways to highlight the "real-world" aspect of these gatherings. By clearly positioning your events as springboards to employment, you will give students new reasons to attend.

Offer incentives

• Offering bonus credits or points that count towards the validation of certain modules or course units can be a great incentive for students.

• Offering certificates of participation that can be added to a CV. A plus for their career path and future employability.

• Organize a prize draw with attractive prizes (laptop, gift voucher, concert ticket...) among the participants.

• Offer exclusive goodies to participants: t-shirts, mugs, stickers featuring the event or university logo. A nice souvenir that will generate buzz about your event.

• Offering very advantageous rates, or even free access, for students will remove the cost barrier that may deter some.

Attracting and recruiting new students is a major challenge for higher education institutions today. By combining an optimized digital presence, a deep understanding of student expectations, and personalized communication, your school can build an effective recruitment strategy. Tools like marketing automation or dedicated solutions such as Emundus simplify application and admissions management, ensuring a smooth and engaging candidate experience. Leveraging these tools gives you every chance of making this academic year a success!