Just like on the Brightlands campuses, innovation in our sector is about cooperating and about connecting. In order to present an interesting programme online, different things are needed than for a physical event. You have to entice participants much more to register and to actually participate. The chances of them cancelling is much higher. We are working more with communication agencies and graphic designers to make the invitation and the programme exciting. With for example, polls, chats and quizzes we trigger interaction and try to engage the audience. Far more than in the past we use streaming platforms and professional moderators. In addition, our suppliers are reinventing themselves very quickly. It is fascinating to see how developments accelerate.

Previously our focus was much more on the long-term, we work on congresses for 2.000 participants which will only take place in three years’ time. In this time sometimes something has to be in place within three weeks. A major challenge, but certainly fun to do. I expect that when the corona crisis is over, we will not completely go back to the way things were. A blended variant of online and physical events will emerge. The best of both is then combined. Nevertheless, meeting in person remains to be very important. It would be nice if that could happen again soon. Because the hunger for real encounters is great. Human contact is essential and irreplaceable.