It is, perhaps, fair to appreciate how far technology has come, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many institutions are making use of digital platforms to give people a chance to explore the world from the comfort of their homes. From museums and aquariums to educational institutions, many have opted for live screenings or virtual tours.
Among hospitality schools, both Les Roches Global Hospitality Education and Glion Institute of Higher Education (GIHE), have been offering virtual campus tours. While the former has campuses in Switzerland, Spain and China, GIHE has two campuses in Switzerland (Montreux and Bulle) and in London, the U.K.
On a tour
At Glion, one can choose from multiple guided tours in a week. The process is fairly straightforward. First schedule a tour date and choose a suitable time on the website. Twenty-four hours before your booked slot, you will get a set of instructions and a link, which will be activated to give you access to the tour.
Once you enter the site, you have to key in your details and create your own avatar, which you can customise to your preferences — from hairstyles, outfits, skin tone and so on. You will then be placed in a waiting room that overlooks Lake Geneva, which can be clearly seen through the windows. There may be other people — or avatars — in the room already; either other students from around the world (if there are multiple bookings for the same slot) or your campus tour guide. One character you certainly will not miss at any point of the tour, regardless of the location, is Ruben — an ever-present information guide in a sharp suit.
What makes this virtual experience unique is its interactivity. You can move from one spot to another to get a better view of the location and even chat or talk directly with the other avatars in the room. The tour begins with a virtual meeting with your guide who welcomes you and gives you further instructions. Every location you visit may have videos or special characters to introduce you to the place. You can ask questions at any point, as the guide will be by your side at every step. Your parents can also experience the tour with you and ask questions or clear their concerns.
Apart from being user-friendly, this is a good way to get a feel of the institution and an opportunity to get acquainted with all three campuses without worrying about distance, travel and time zones.
“Sometimes it’s in these adverse situations that you have a solution for something that you did not necessarily think about in the past,” says Georgette Davey, Managing Director, GIHE, about continuing with the virtual Open Days. Although these tours were initially designed as a temporary substitute, she hopes that, in a post-COVID world, more students will be able to see what Glion has to offer. “The tours can also be more personalised,” she adds. “We can organise for students to walk and talk around campus with an admissions coordinator or faculty, for example, to counsel and further help with any concerns. The options are plenty.”
“Many international students are still asking about programmes,” says Adrian Artimov, Regional Director to South Asia, Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa at Sommet Education, of how these Open Days have been received. “More students have registered for the virtual tours and shown a keen interest to learn more about Glion, despite the situation.” With its semester pushed back to start in October, there also plans to introduce a blended learning programme called Glion Connect to accommodate international students who may not be able to travel then. It hopes to approach ‘virtual’ study in a manner that uses technology to ensure students feel immersed and engaged both with the programmes as well as the student life at the institute.
While the future seems uncertain, the use of the digital space is one way of overcoming challenges. By blending virtual experiences to mimic real-life scenarios, we can be assured that students will continue to benefit.
