Study In Europe 2017: Report

Transcription

1 Study In Europe 2017: Report 1. Record Numbers at 11 th Edition Study In Europe, the popular annual education fair organised by the European Union Delegation to Singapore, closed with record numbers. This year s edition focused on quality, diversity and opportunity, saw a total number of 1,900 visitors, up from 1,500 last year and 900 in Study in Europe 2017 was held on 30 September 2017 at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre. The 11 th edition of Study In Europe brought together 13 European countries, each of which had their individual booths to share specific information on the range of study programmes offered by each country. The annual event aims at providing information on lesser known aspects of studying in Europe. The countries represented at the fair were: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom also marks 30 years of the European Union s most successful student exchange programme Erasmus+. It has allowed students, researchers and academics from around the world to study or work in Europe over the last 30 years. Singapore, as Erasmus+ partner country, is offered a vast range of opportunities. Singaporean students can benefit from credit mobility, joint Master's degrees and very comprehensive scholarships covering tuition fees, cost of living and travel expenses. This year, four Singaporean students have been awarded the Erasmus+ scholarship. Thus in terms of numbers and the in-depth exchanges, the event was a success. 2. Accessible, Informative & Experiential With 7,500 Singaporeans enrolled in European universities, Europe is on the radar for Singaporeans seeking higher education options. This year the fair also aimed at attracting other nationals in the region and non-singaporeans living in the city-state. Apart from presenting opportunities of mobility for students at different educational levels (from Bachelor to PhD), Study In Europe 2017 provided information on how to access traineeship and teaching programmes abroad as well as how to apply for scholarships and funding offered by the European Union and other participating countries. 1

2 Several Singaporean students helped participating countries by sharing their experiences of studying abroad, while parallel sessions held through the day were most useful in explaining in detail the educational systems of the individual countries. The European Union presented updated information on the programmes falling under the Erasmus+ scheme and how to apply for them. The feedback received showed that visitors found the fair most useful to learn about opportunities to study in Europe. Feedback also highlighted that following the event a third of the respondents now wants to study in Europe, while half confirmed their desire to pursue higher education abroad. The event was shared by the Delegation with higher education counsellors present in Singapore and among schools and universities which invited their students to participate. 3. Endorsements The event got extensive Twitter traction by various embassies, universities as well as ambassadors who were present at the event. The EU Ambassador-designate to Singapore Ms Barbara Plinkert and several ambassadors who attended the event endorsed the fair on their social media was commended on "a great show, building long-term links between Asia and Europe," by Irish Ambassador Geoffrey Keating. 2

3 Overall, both Facebook and Twitter were excellent social media platforms to share information before, during and after the event. These platforms also helped raise overall event awareness. 3

4 4. Media Advertising & Digital Marketing As part of the marketing strategy for Study In Europe 2017, two print advertisement spaces were secured in TODAY and The Straits Times newspapers and were published in the week leading up to the fair. (Annex A) A digital marketing campaign to reach out to the various target audiences in order to increase brand awareness and interest about Study In Europe 2017 were rolled out on the three most popular online and social media platforms via Google, Facebook and Instagram. (Annex B) Media Coverage Please see Annex C for highlighted media coverage clippings. 4

5 ANNEX A: Advertisements In TODAY, 27 September

6 In The Straits Times, 30 September

7 ANNEX B: Highlights of SIE 2017 Digital Marketing Campaign GOOGLE: Achieved a high click-through rate (CTR) for the advertisements and the top 5 keywords searches were: 1. Universities in Europe 2. Study Abroad 3. Study Abroad Programs 4. Study Abroad Scholarships 5. International Studies Scholarships The better performing Google SEM ad is (Refer to image below): Facebook: The Side Session schedule featuring the sessions by all the participating European countries listed in the post has the highest click-through-rate with a reach of 3150 people: 7

8 Instagram (IG): We received positive engagements from all the SIE 2017 IG adverts aimed at youths as they are more engaged on Instagram. The best performing post is below at 1,380 8

9 Annex C: Highlighted media coverage A listing of SIE 2017 in The Honeycombers Singapore online, 3 September

10 A listing of SIE 2017 in Expat Living online, 9 September 2017 A listing of SIE 2017 in Our Parenting World, 11 September

11 A listing of SIE 2017 in The A List, 11 September

12 A listing of SIE 2017 in Tabla!, 22 September 2017, Pg 19 A blurb of SIE 2017 in the New Markets section of The Straits Times, 25 September 2017, Pg B8 12

13 A listing of SIE 2017 in Le Petit Journal online, 25 September 2017 Event listing in the LIFE! Section of The Straits Times, 30 September 2017, Pg D8 13

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15 A post-event article of SIE 2017 in ScandAsia Singapore online, 3 October

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18 Conclusion: Overall, the event was a success. The social media campaign contributed greatly to raising the profile and awareness of Study In Europe Both visitors and participating nations were happy with the result. Moving forward, the online promotional strategies will continue next year. Based on feedback received this year, sessions dealing with language barriers in Europe and greater information on programmes offered at the Bachelors level will be included in the next edition. Prepared by: Press & Information Section EUinSingapore Web: 18