Student recruitment events

It is important that you contact the Student Marketing and Recruitment Team as early as possible - ideally 18 months before your event - so we can advise and support you accordingly.

Planning an event

There are three key points to consider before planning an event:

• What is the reason for holding the event? What do you hope to achieve?
• What do you want people to understand when they leave the event? What are the key messages?
• What would success look like?

Timing

Consideration needs to be given to the date and timing of events over and above the availability of the key participants/what is convenient to the organiser.

• What else is taking place in the University/externally which may clash?
• Does a clash have an impact, for example to our reputation, or both striving for the same audience or involving similar staff?

When planning an event, you should contact the Student Marketing and Recruitment Team as early as possible, so that we can check that your proposed dates are not in conflict with other significant activities using Columba and BrightPod.

Location

Consideration needs to be given to the format of the event. For example:

• Does your venue need to be physically accessible? Many campus venues are not DDA-compliant as part of the Equality Act. How will people with limited mobility get to the event?
• How will hearing or visually impaired people access the event? Contingency funds need to be available for sign language interpreters to be provided if requested.
• Is the event structured to ensure that it is open and inclusive to the intended audience? For example, are you just speaking to the audience with no interaction or inviting comments or questions? Are you hoping for more interactive activities? Do you need a lecture theatre? Do you need roving microphones for questions?

To book a venue on campus, contact Central Teaching Spaces (57305) or complete their online form.

Match your venue to your activities. For example:

• do you need a large foyer for academic or guest interaction, with smaller rooms off the foyer for subject-specific talks or taster sessions?
• do rooms need to have audio-visual equipment?
• does the venue allow catering? 

Format

Base your activities on the information needs of your target audience – are you targeting potential applicants or offer holders? Include as many opportunities for personal interaction as possible; prospective students like to meet academic staff and current students, ask questions and gain a ‘feel’ for the University. You could include:

• opportunities to chat to academics and current students
• introductory talks for potential applicants or more detailed talks for offer holders
• taster activities (sample lectures or practical tasks)
• tours of the campus and/or subject-specific facilities.

Pick the most appropriate staff member to deliver the activity. This may not be the most senior lecturer – an enthusiastic and knowledgeable PhD student, or student ambassadors, can be more engaging.

Promoting an event

Evaluating an event

Anyone responsible for running events and engagement activities should be prepared to evaluate the success of the event in order to improve practice, demonstrate impact and to provide a record of achievement.

For more information, please contact the Student Marketing and Recruitment Team.

Resources

• Event brief (example)
• Event planning template
• Event schedule (example)
• Useful contact list