Applications remain high at UPEI despite change in recruitment methods

Recruitment methods have changed at UPEI due to COVID-19, but the applications and interest have remained high, university officials say.

Sarah Roach, manager of domestic recruitment at UPEI, said normally recruiters would be travelling around the country and meeting students and guidance counsellors, but due to travel and health restrictions, most of the meetings have moved online.

Only recently have they gone back into P.E.I. schools to meet face-to-face with students, though usually just one-on-one or with a small group.

"We're very happy to be back in front of real students and not sitting in Zoom rooms anymore," she said.

We've seen an increase in our applications as a result of attending these different types of virtual fairs.— Sarah Roach, UPEI

"It's nice because the students are able to have that undivided attention and we're able to meet with them individually and talk about their own academic goals and what types of things they'd like to pursue. So although it does take much more time, I think the conversation quality is much better."

All meetings outside the province are still done online, often through virtual recruitment fairs. And though they miss the in-person connection, Roach said they are able to reach more people.

"We're getting a really great response and we've seen an increase in our applications as a result of attending these different types of virtual fairs. I think ultimately we're still waiting and the students will be waiting to see what travel is like come September."

International recruiters have also moved online, and have shared resources with the domestic recruiting office. Other staff at the university have also helped out with recruitment, even if it's not their regular job, Roach said.

UPEI will host a virtual open house on Nov. 20, which will be another collaborative effort, she said.

Officials at the school said the total number of undergraduate and graduate students is 5,143 this year, up from 4,926 last year, an increase of 4.4 per cent.

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