Online events are here to stay
During the pandemic, webinars, panel discussions, "fireside chats" and a host of other online speaking events – both pre-recorded and live – became a regular occurrence. Events like these are flexible, allowing participants to join from anywhere in the world or to watch a recording in their own time, and they have a much smaller carbon footprint than in-person events. Because of benefits like these, online events will be with us for the long-term.
One of the great advantages of online events is that they offer unique opportunities for interaction – especially using digital applications like (opens in a new window)Menti, (opens in a new window)Slido and (opens in a new window)Kahoot. And they allow for shorter meetings (sometimes only 10 or 15 minutes) which wouldn't seem worthwhile for an in-person event but are perfect for a coffee break.
(opens in a new window)#ICYMI you can now catch up with all UCD's (opens in a new window)#COVID__19 related webinars & online conferences in a new section on our (opens in a new window)#COVID19 response website - see the latest @UCD_Foundation Special Briefings, (opens in a new window)@ucdgearyinst Social Science Perspectives & (opens in a new window)@UCDALUMNI 'In Conversation' series (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/ZonYasp32A
— UCD Research (@UCD_Research) (opens in a new window)June 23, 2020
See a range of Covid-related web events from UCD Research, UCD Foundation, UCD Alumni Office, UCD Leadership in Healthcare Conference, and UCD Geary Institute for Public Policy.
Join thought leader Barry Winkless, head of Cpl Recruitment's Future of Work Institute on our (opens in a new window)#ZoomForThought 15-min chat series, to learn about "The future of work". Next Tues, July 21st, 2pm, via zoom. Register @ (opens in a new window)https://t.co/Lyf5E9jhfg (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/6xWOyY2qMk
— UCD Discovery (@UCDDiscovery) (opens in a new window)July 16, 2020
Learn more about UCD Institute for Discovery's thought leadership web series Zoom for Thought.
Tips and resources
- Zoom Pro meetings are available for UCD faculty and staff.
- If you need an alternative to Zoom, you can try other services like Adobe Connect, Go To Webinar, and BlueJeans Virtual Events. Here's a list of (opens in a new window)10 alternatives.
- A professional web-based service can manage your online event for you, handling everything from hosting and streaming to attendee registration. These services can be very expensive at the upper end of the market. UCD has used (opens in a new window)WebinarNow, for a less expensive option.
- See our advice on YouTube for events to use the platform for live streaming and for scheduling pre-recorded events, and see our guide on video tools for editing your recording into a polished video.
- UCD University Club offers hybrid and virtual event services, including access to audio-visual equipment and external contractors if needed. See the club's brochure for their service offering and prices.
- Be aware of what's happening in the community. There may be events aligned to your research topic, so engage with them. Offer to attend, speak or create a bespoke session that brings you and your research closer to the community. For example, here's UCD at the (opens in a new window)National Ploughing Championships.
- If you don't have the budget for a professional web event service, but would still benefit from some help, you can hire a video editor to produce a professionally-finished video from recordings you've made yourself. UCD's contractor (opens in a new window)Laura Molloy has produced such work for UCD Research, like our Kids' Covid Q&A with Dr Tony for UCD Festival: