But don’t worry – the Future Students team has got this. Along with colleagues across Group Marketing, the team has been working very closely to bring together a world class Open Day event and have switched the focus and redirected resources quickly and efficiently to an entirely online format.

Last year saw the Future Students team having to get creative with how to deliver their largest recruitment event of the year in an online format. Through clever innovations and rapid upskilling of our talented student ambassadors, the team was able to deliver an exceptional virtual event.

Around 6000 prospective students logged in to Macquarie’s virtual Open Day and ‘Open Day on Demand’ following the event – a platform that allowed students to access the content for a month afterwards.

“After the success of last year’s online format, we had already planned for Open Day 2021 to be a hybrid event, with some online components,” says Director of Undergraduate Future Students, Maria-Kirkpatrick-Jones.

“Now with the event fully online again, we’ll be improving what we did in 2020 to create greater opportunities for students to speak one-on-one with academics and find out everything they need to make decisions about their future.”

Open Day is not the only way for prospective future students to experience the campus. In a new campus tour video produced just this month, students can get a sneak peek into campus life, even though they’re unable to visit at this time.

“We’re planning to offer campus tours as soon as we’re safely able to,” says Maria. “Coming to campus is a big part of the decision-making process when choosing a university and there will be opportunities for students to get the Macquarie vibe before commencing study in 2022.”

Even though the Open Day event is fully online, it still involves academics and professional staff across the university, and Student Ambassadors in the led up to Open Day and on the day of the event.

“We are working on providing an exceptional online experience for our prospective students for Open Day 2021 and we thank all the Macquarie staff involved in this event for their patience, understanding and ability to change with us as we pivot to deliver an entirely virtual Open Day.”

The Open Day 2021 website is now live, check out the program at openday.mq.edu.au.

David shares data on how nations – including Australia – are coping with managing the COVID-19 pandemic, and reflects on what this means for staff and students at Macquarie.

He delves deep into the world of COVID-19 vaccines, providing analysis on how the rollout is proceeding both here in Australia and internationally.

He also paints a stark picture of the impact of the pandemic on global mortality rates and the battle that is being fought across the world to vaccinate populations, while dealing with COVID-19 variants.

View earlier instalments in the COVID-19 Insights Video Series >>  

Enter Customer Experience Manager Kevin Raccani and Group Marketing’s Digital Team, who embarked on the ambitious task to significantly improve the user experience and operational efficiency of the site through a new design system tool called GEM (Global Experience Macquarie).

GEM provides University staff with consistent and easy-to-use design templates and web elements, as well as clear guidelines for creating and maintaining webpage content (including tips on writing for the web)

Working closely with stakeholders, the Digital Team have now successfully ‘GEM-ified’ the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science and Engineering and MQ Health sites, with the existing ‘Connect’ section and the ‘About’, ‘Study’ and ‘Research’ sections planned to follow in 2021.

1) In a nutshell, my job is to…
Lead a team of UX and UI Designers to constantly improve the user experience for visitors to the Macquarie University website, and assist with guidance for similar improvements to our staff and student portals as well.

2) My definition of success is…
Successfully spreading the GEM Design System across the public-facing website.  As our teams introduce the new designs onto more areas of the site, engagement will increase and our productivity will too.

3) This year I want to…
Stay safe from the Covid-iocy, maintain a productive team and GEMify as many parts of the website as possible.

4) The scariest thing I’ve ever done is…
Sing in a band.  Performing in front of a live audience for the first time would rank up there as one of the scariest things I’ve done.  Luckily a large contingent of the audience were friends.

5) As a kid, I was…
Short for my age.  After leaving year 12, I grew 15cm.  It certainly gave me a different perspective on people, being the smallest person in those formative years.

6) My guilty pleasure is…
Australian Rules Football.  My wife is also a fanatic, which has certainly helped our marriage.  Our holidays interstate almost organise themselves around the football fixture.  This season has been an exception, of course.

7) The most important thing I’ve learned this year is…
How resilient and agile Australians are.  Most of our people have responded so well to this pandemic that I can see a promising light at the end of the tunnel.

8) I’m happiest when…
I am surrounded by friends and family, relaxing with their jokes and stories.

9) If I had the day off today, you would find me…
Taking a day trip to a scenic venue around Sydney (we have so many to choose from), and enjoying a lovely take away or dine-in meal.

10) To me, the best thing about the Macquarie community is…
The friendly atmosphere.  I felt really welcomed here when I joined nearly two years ago, and you still experience that feeling when you meet new people in each area of the University.  Best of all is the collaborative approach we have in the Digital Team, which makes working an enjoyable experience.

The Property team carried out a quick and cost-effective renovation to scale-up MI’s Virtual Open Day events to a whole new level of sophistication, combining live presentations from the MI Global team with crosses to Macquarie academics and rich brand content co-developed by MI and Group Marketing to suit each market.

Presenters work with an ‘election style’ interactive touch screen, allowing them to guide audiences through study and degree options, and explain the new blended teaching mode that enables them to commence study in their home country while borders remain closed.

“With the border closed this year and for the foreseeable future, MI has found new ways to take the Macquarie story to the world,” says Nicole Brigg, Pro Vice-Chancellor International. “The studio is one of a number of significant innovations. It provides cost-effective, time efficient, and very polished digital capability, allowing us to host a wide range of online events and activities.”

The team’s Virtual Global Open Days have generated more than 17,500 registrations so far from across the University’s key markets: China, India, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, Brazil, Nigeria, Greater Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, Mongolia and South Korea, and Nepal.

The Virtual Open Days for India, Sri-Lanka, Hong Kong and Thailand saw the talented MI Global team and Macquarie academics working together to deliver Bloomberg-standard reporting.

“It’s amazing to present the University like a TV anchor,” says Zarana Shah, MI’s Senior Country Manager for South Asia. “Supported by this technology and a professional team – it’s a level of innovation that really differentiates us from our competitors.”

The feedback from partners and government representatives has been extremely positive, with Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) Nicole Brigg even receiving praise that Macquarie’s digital marketing was the most sophisticated among Australian universities recruiting internationally.

The series provides insights for the Macquarie community, with David analysing where we have got to in managing the pandemic in Australia, what lies on the horizon with vaccines, and the global impact of COVID-19 as the Northern Hemisphere braces for a second wave in its winter months.

In Part One of the series, COVID-19 Insights – Australia and New South Wales, David delves deep into the data to provide a range of thought-provoking points into transmission risk of COVID-19 and some powerful conclusions for mitigating the spread of the virus.

While the virus continues to dominate the airwaves, David also shares his reflections on the specific impact of COVID-19 on the tertiary sector and the public health systems in place which have helped Australia achieve an enviable position in the management of coronavirus across the globe.

The COVID-19 Insights series provides up-to-date analysis on the pandemic which is a viewing necessity for staff and students alike.

Part 1 – Australia and NSW

Part 2 – Global Trends

Part 3 – Testing, vaccines and immunity

One Macquarie team who excels at networking is Advancement. Based in the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) portfolio, their duty is to create and nurture relationships with alumni, friends, donors and other supporters, to help advance the University’s teaching and discovery mission.

We asked the team’s Director of Development Ben Jordan (pictured) to give us some tips for building a network.

What’s the first thing you do when you walk into an event where you don’t know anyone?
I find some fellow “outsiders” first.  These are the easiest people to start talking as they feel as lost as I do. I find them by looking for people who are standing tentatively by themselves or in a pair, wandering around looking at the pictures on the wall, or just staring blankly around the room.  They often welcome your advances and feel as relieved as you to be talking to someone else.

What are your favourite conversation starters?
I always find talking about the location or the venue a great conversation starter.  You might be in an interesting room, city or have visited somewhere interesting that day.  

You must get introduced to a lot of people in your work. Any tricks you use for remembering people’s names?
It’s really important to not treat an introduction as a formality.  When I am introduced to someone I make sure that I’m fully present, aware and invested in that moment.  It makes a huge difference in remembering their name.  As soon as I hear their name, I mentally repeat it to myself three times while looking at their face.  This helps me to associate the person’s name to their face.

What should I do after meeting a useful/interesting contact at an event?
I always send a follow up email the next day that either asks for a follow up meeting, an introduction or even some feedback on something you discussed with them.  I will also connect with them on LinkedIn, but this alone is not enough.

The worst thing to do is to do nothing!  Following up is the most important thing, or you may as well have not met the person. 

How useful is LinkedIn as a networking tool for people in our sector?
LinkedIn is a great tool, but it has to be used effectively to be of any use.  I find it most useful for identifying people’s networks and then finding the path of least resistance to that person.  LinkedIn groups are also a valuable source of information, ideas and support.

Finally, LinkedIn can be great for building your personal brand.  You can share your insights and experiences to connect with people within and beyond your network.  This can lead to some new and exciting opportunities and connections.

Any useful tips/strategies for ‘pitching’ an idea or a request?
Think about your audience and what motivates them. Tell a compelling story that has real world impact. Be passionate. 

How can the Advancement team help Macquarie staff/centres connect with potential supporters?
Talk to us!  (mqadvancement@mq.edu.au) Our job is to tell the story of Macquarie University to a broad and diverse audience.  We need to understand the challenges you are hoping to solve, the solutions you foresee, what you need to take you there and, most importantly, the difference this will have the world.

Well, not exactly. This year ­– ­as you might have noticed – things are a little different.

Open Day is the University’s biggest recruitment event, traditionally attracting 8000+ people to the campus each year for a mind-boggling schedule of activities and activations (a ‘massive beast’, is how the Future Students team describes it).

This year, with COVID-19 limiting face-to-face events, the Future Students team is aiming for 10,000 people to join Open Day Streamed on Saturday 15 August.

The switch to online recruitment events has required a lot of innovative thinking, as Maria Kirkpatrick-Jones, Director (Undergraduate) explains.

“We’ve had to rethink how we would deliver all our events, not knowing how long COVID and its associated restrictions would last,” she says. “It’s not just about lifting physical events and putting them online. We had to analyse what we are trying to get out of these events in order to rethink and engage with our audiences effectively.”

One of the biggest challenges has been the rapid upskilling of our student ambassadors – a team of enthusiastic Macquarie students who provide first-hand advice and insights to people considering study at Macquarie.

“Our ambassadors are trained at the beginning of the year and we focus on personal communication and face-to-face presentation skills – so they’re used to talking to people, not to camera,” says Maria. “We had to quickly skill them up on filming and on-camera presentation techniques and they’ve done an amazing job with this.”

Another priority item that needed a rapid solution? An amazing Open Day website to keep attendees online and help them navigate the campus virtually. The result? Working closely with Group Marketing, a mammoth collaborative effort led to the creation of an incredible purpose-built site, incorporating gamification to help keep young audiences engaged.

The centrepiece for Open Day Streamed will be the live broadcast, with student hosts manning the Studio Central and chatting with academics and university representatives, Today Show style. Pre-recorded segments will showcase all the University has to offer, and live Q&A sessions will provide personalised advice.

Far from seeing the change to online as a setback, the Future Students team is excited about being able to reach new audiences in the new format.

“For the first time, our Open Day will be more inclusive and accessible to regional and international students,” says Future Students Project Coordinator Leisa Griffin. “It’s fantastic.”

Students who register for Open Day Streamed will go into the draw to win a $1000 JB Hi-Fi Voucher.

Australian actor Samuel Johnson OAM, who won the hearts of Australians when he was crowned Dancing With The Stars winner last year, has chosen to partner with Macquarie University in the fight against cancer.

One of Macquarie’s most respected emerging leaders, Fiona recently participated in Harvard Business School’s prestigious High Potentials Leadership Program, where she says her most important lesson was to ‘listen like you are wrong’.

(1) In a nutshell, my job is to…
Drive collaboration across the DVC Engagement portfolio and to help us work effectively and efficiently to recruit students, build Macquarie’s brand, raise money and work with industry.

(2) The question/ phrase I hear most often in my work is…
Do you have a minute?
Can I grab you when you get a sec?
I just need a minute.
This will only take a couple of minutes.

(3) The thing I find most rewarding in my role is…
Helping people navigate the tough stuff.

 (4) This year I want to…
See my nephew.

 (5) The bravest thing I’ve done is…
 Try and be a leader.

(6) A place that’s special to me is…
The edge of a field on the west of Edinburgh where you can sit alone on the gate and gaze out at the hills, the city and the sea in complete peace. 

(7) My father always told me…
If you don’t have anything sensible to say, then don’t say anything at all. (Harsh, but he had a point!)

(8) My guilty pleasure is…
…not something I feel guilty about. A good life is all about balance. 

(9) My hidden talent is…
Creating something from nothing: cooking up a meal from a seemingly empty kitchen.

(10) A moment I’ll always remember is…
My graduation day when I saw my Dad, who four years earlier had tried to talk me out of “this whole posh uni nonsense”, crying with pride

Called ‘squads’, these teams comprise of communication, digital and event specialists, delivering to 12-month marketing plans with the support and resources of the wider Group Marketing team.

“This new service model responds to the need across the University to have more direct access to our specialists in Group Marketing,” said Chief Marketing Officer Elizabeth Horbach. “It is a shift in how Group Marketing operates, to a new ‘Agile’ way of working where we divide our work into 90 Day Commitments, and collaborate deeply with our stakeholders to deliver on their needs.”

Meet your dedicated squad on the Group Marketing webpage >>

In addition to the dedicated squads, faculties and offices will also be supported by two new Planning Directors, Fiona Rooney (offices) and Mark Fallon (faculties), who will drive the delivery of the 12-month marketing plans.

A new way of working together

Group Marketing’s new service model is underpinned by the introduction of Agile Marketing, a set of processes and tools used by many leading organisations to bring greater efficiency, collaboration and responsiveness to their activities.

Macquarie staff should notice improvements, including:

• Increased speed and efficiency of execution through enhanced communication channels to Group Marketing, improved planning and project management processes, and more opportunities for optimisation of activities across cross-functional teams.
• Better response to customer needs and dynamic conditions through greater collaboration with stakeholders and more frequent feedback loops.

Elizabeth says feedback on the new model has been positive: “Stakeholders can clearly see how a more collaborative and planned approach to marketing will help them achieve their desired outcomes.”

How should I request work from Group Marketing in the new model?

The Group Marketing website outlines specific contact points for marketing requests in each faculty or office, but in general:

• Large campaigns should be discussed with the relevant Planning Director.
• Smaller projects can be briefed into your relevant squad.
• Small, ad hoc requests can be made via OneHelp or the appropriate self-service option.