Are you ready for the Return of the Higher Education Conference?
By: Kim Fisher
Industry events and conferences are back in full swing! Admittedly, I was both timid and excited as the EACUBO Spring Gathering approached. Would it be that familiar, comforting experience or a strange, somewhat unrecognizable gathering of like-minded peers? With one event complete and many more on the calendar, I’ve listed my initial takeaways. I hope this list helps prepare you and gets you excited for what is to come!
Finally, Together Again: While the carefully curated event content was outstanding, the moments of human connection stole the show! Awkward as it was initially, caution gave way to connection as attendees laughed and shared their stories over lunch or engaged with each other in the exhibit hall. Everyone was excited to be in the same space. Kudos to the event organizers who worked hard to creatively build these opportunities into the conference agenda!
Talent Strategy: The Great Resignation is on everyone's mind. Attendees in leadership roles did not attempt to hide concerns regarding staff turnover and their struggle to attract qualified talent. Those in individual contributor roles were not shy about sharing their stories of leadership turnover at their institutions. The unique benefits and large salaries of corporations are increasingly challenging to compete with. Thankfully, the community is engaged on this topic – both online and at the conference – regarding strategies to combat the exodus and attract new talent. Here are some of the conversations I found interesting.
New Technology: Technology swaps and additions are actively happening in higher ed. Many of the institutions we spoke with were either changing, or preparing to change, their campus ERP. With new technologies entering the market regularly, institutions are frequently evaluating their current systems, identifying critical gaps, and seeking to replace or supplement their systems based on those gaps. Because integration strategies and services have matured in recent years, this paves way for institutions to consider niche solutions to fill those gaps, in a way that complements existing campus systems. This is great news for us here at Allitix! We are confident our Connected Planning Solutions will not only fill some of those critical gaps but also bring the level of data transparency higher education has been seeking.
Shaking Off The Dust: We conference warriors are rusty! Anyone who has recently traveled or restarted a component of their job that they have not done in 2 years will tell you that it takes some time to get back into the swing of things. That means we are likely to make a few mistakes. In my case, I completely neglected to bring along a branded table skirt to use in the Allitix booth. Oops! The conference logistics team came to my rescue, and everything worked out. If we remember to give ourselves and those around us some grace, we will get through those mistakes with a smile on our faces and perhaps some new friends who help us find a table skirt.
Swag: Finally, you may be wondering about the conference swag. Rest assured, vendors are still giving out some good stuff! What I found particularly interesting is that there seems to be a shift; a decent portion of exhibitors gave away goodies for the “now” – candies, chocolates, even charcuterie boards in a cup (very creative)! It may just be my take, but I see this as a gesture of encouragement to be present, or “in the now.” Rather than focusing on how to make our work lives more fun with gadgetry, let's focus on how we make this very moment better. And when was the last time a delicious cookie did not make your life just a little bit sweeter?
All in all, I am ecstatic that conference season is back in full swing. The first dance jitters have passed! I look forward to seeing your beautiful smiles in the months to come... with my Allitix table skirt this time.