Open Day is the single largest recruitment opportunity of the year, promoting our undergraduate, postgraduate and Macquarie University offerings and highlighting the student experience and great facilities.

Staff from across the University came together to plan, implement and run the day. Over 600 staff and students delivered presentations, advised prospective students, guided tours, hosted stalls and led workshops and activities.

Students experienced Macquarie’s amazing offerings, they were able to attend more than 50 info sessions across the day and engage in direct discussions with academics and current students. They visited the stalls in the Central Courtyard, participated in scavenger hunts, campus tours, games on the lawn, and more.

Head of Domestic Student Recruitment, Maria Souris, said it felt great to activate the campus once again.

“That allowed us to truly showcase what Macquarie has to offer and highlight our new facilities and Central Courtyard. Not only did we have a record number of registrations, but attendance on the day was also the highest number I have seen at my time here with over 10,000 visitors,” she said.

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The scavenger hunt was a particular highlight. The Social Media team hid red envelopes around the campus and used social media to post clues to their location. Lucky winners received free iconic Macquarie branded hoodies from the MacShop. All the envelopes were claimed after campus-wide searches by eagle-eyed Open Day attendees determined to hunt them down.

This was the first year Open Day had a dedicated app, it was downloaded by 70% of attendees. Open Day was also supported online with on-demand videos and live chat, which continued to operate until 19 August for those who were unable to make it to campus on the day.

“This is a whole-of-university event. We would not have been able to deliver what we did on the day without the support and commitment of staff from every area of Macquarie. A huge and genuine thank you to everyone involved. Each of you is integral to providing a high-level experience to our prospective students and their influencers at Open Day and  hopefully one that inspires them to choose Macquarie for their university study,” Ms Souris said.

Wally’s Walk became a sunny, vibrant hub of activity as a record number of student groups manned fete stalls and performed at the Lincoln Lawn Stage, giving potential students a taste of student life.  The DJ pumped out tunes creating an upbeat vibe for our guests, as they moved around campus to participate in the 190 lectures and tours on offer.

The four course-advising zones were busy all day as future students engaged and were inspired by our academics and student ambassadors.

The day was a huge success and the Future Students team have already started planning for Open Day 2020. The team would like to thank everyone involved in delivering Open Day 2019 – one of the best Open Days ever.

We have already received some great feedback from those that attended Open Day.

“Very informative, the lectures were amazingly planned and provided me with all the information I needed. I was able to explore all the innovative things campus had to offer. Had a blast at the Open Day! Can’t wait to apply for Macquarie!”

“It made me feel secure to apply for this university because I know that their teachers are welcoming and highly experienced in their profession and seemed like they were willing to help students fulfil their dreams, which made me feel like I would be empowered if I attended this university.”

“I absolutely loved the atmosphere and comforting environment! I am 100 per cent convinced that I want to attend Macquarie!”

“An amazing day, I learnt lots. Teachers for actuarial studies seemed really engaging and fun. All the staff were so welcoming and friendly.”

We don’t always have time during the working week, but Saturday 20 August is your chance to discover all the incredible things Macquarie is doing at Open Day 2016.

If you’re one of the many Macquarie staff who’ll be working on Open Day, you’ll already have received briefing information on where you need to be, with staff asked be ready to commence their duties at 9.30am.

If you’re not working on the day, there’s plenty of opportunities to learn something new or discover some hidden gems around campus:

• Hear from world-leading hearing expert Professor David McAlpine at his lecture ‘Communication: A fundamental human pursuit’ at 11am. He’ll give insights on how our lives are being improved by the advancements in communication technology, intervention and rehabilitation services.
• At midday, be inspired by Big History pioneer Professor David Christian as he explains his unique way of looking at the place of humankind in the context of the evolution of the universe.
• Visit the World of Engineering to test out some cool gadgets and meet some robots.
• Take a tour of the University’s state-of-the-art laboratories including the Biology Lab, Chiropractic Lab, Chemistry Lab and Physics Lab.
• Visit the world-class Simulation Hub and Virtual Reality lab.
• Check out the psychology activities centre, which will be offering a range of interesting and fun activities.
• Take part in a free hearing screening or health check.
• Visit our range of museums and galleries, or get a behind-the-scenes look at the library’s robotic retrieval system.
• Chat with members of the Sydney FC and the Sydney Rays teams at their meet and greet.

See the full range of events at openday.mq.edu.au