OpenApply Admissions Conference Portugal

Empathy is a core ingredient in successful stakeholder engagement in a school.

Discover how we can leverage empathy, happiness, passion, transparency, and transformation to craft powerful stories that resonate with our school communities. Storytelling is integral to marketing/enrollment/admissions but how can we then celebrate these stories and strategize to foster the success of our students equitably?

In terms of ‘inclusivity’ ‘pluralism’ ‘diversity’ - what are we doing to build classrooms that ought to be representative of a wider audience and not only those who can afford our schools? Similarly, do we have a voice (as Admissions folk) at the big table? Diversity isn’t just for the student body but also within the decision-making level at a school. Admissions is an important voice.

This session will include insights, gained from working with students, staff, parents, and alumni/donors on

Establishing a strategic approach towards enrolment, with one important ingredient, 'SOUL'.
Practical tips for enhancing stakeholder engagement through storytelling.

Founded in 2020, TASIS Portugal is the newest member of the TASIS family of schools joining three renowned schools in Switzerland, England, and Puerto Rico. Amazingly, next year TASIS Portugal will be the largest TASIS school enrolling over 960 students. Learn about the transformation of a former commercial center (shopping mall), the silver lining presented by opening in a pandemic, and how integral a modern enrollment management team is to success. Partners like OpenApply –with us from day one—also play a key role in sustaining/growing enrollment.

At Villiers School, empathy and belonging are at the heart of our international admissions process. We understand the importance of connecting with families from diverse backgrounds and ensure that every applicant feels heard and valued. Our admissions approach goes beyond forms and interviews, focusing on building meaningful relationships that reflect our commitment to fostering belonging. By embracing each student’s unique cultural perspective, we create a supportive environment where all students feel they truly belong. This empathy-driven approach ensures that every student, from the moment they apply, is welcomed into the Villiers School community with care and understanding.

Every school has a story, but is yours reaching the right audience in the right way? This interactive session will guide admissions, communications, and leadership teams in creating a tailored content strategy that resonates with their unique school community. Learn how to align messaging with admissions goals, leverage data-driven insights, and ensure consistency across platforms. We’ll explore real-world examples, workshop audience-specific messaging, and provide actionable steps to refine your school’s content plan. Walk away with a customizable content framework that strengthens your school’s presence and deepens engagement with prospective and current families.

Your school’s homepage is just the beginning. While it’s a vital first impression, families looking to enroll won’t make their decision based on a homepage alone. This session dives deeper into the pages that truly impact admissions—those that tell your school’s story, answer key questions, and inspire action. From tuition transparency to student life and application support, we’ll explore what matters most to prospective families and how to optimize these pages for conversion.

To help school admissions teams learn how to balance data-driven decision-making with empathy in order to create more inclusive, fair, and community-centered admissions processes. Look at strategies for using analytics not just to process applications efficiently, but to truly understand the students behind the numbers.

In this panel discussion, Tom will engage with our expert panel to delve into the following topic aligned with the conference theme:

1. Empathy Elevates Education
2. Challenges & Opportunities
3. Analytics & Forecasting

How admissions teams engage with families of neurodiverse applicants speaks volumes about a school’s values, vision, and reputation. Whether the answer is yes or no, every interaction must be rooted in empathy, care, and respect.

Drawing inspiration from the SPAN Speaker Series featuring experts from SENIA International and parents of neurodivergent students, this session explores best practices for fostering meaningful and transparent conversations with families. Participants gain insights into how to:

• Balance honesty with compassion when discussing admissions decisions
• Support families through the process with sensitivity and clarity
• Ensure that every interaction reflects the school’s commitment to inclusion
• Position admissions as a bridge to trust rather than a gatekeeper

Expect discomfort, reflection and practical strategies that strengthen relationships, uphold integrity, and reinforce your school’s dedication to welcoming all learners.

We will break into small groups to discuss topics such as:

1. Data & Analytics
2. Parent Experience
3. Re-enrolment
4. Marketing

To create the perfect recipe for building strong connections with prospective parents, the admissions team needs to first ensure they have the right ingredients—namely solid relationships with key stakeholders within their own school. However, just like in a complex dish, each stakeholder brings their own unique flavor to the table, with different needs and perspectives that can sometimes clash. This can make crafting those relationships a bit tricky. In this presentation, you’ll have the chance to explore how to blend these varied perspectives with a dash of empathy, a sprinkle of courage, and a pinch of tact, all while improving the way you connect with prospective families and making the enrollment process run more smoothly.

This session is in the format of a job-alike meeting in which professionals working in alumni relations share their best practices, challenges, and innovative strategies for fostering meaningful connections with former students. Topics will include alumni engagement, networking opportunities, communication strategies, event planning, and leveraging alumni support for school initiatives. Participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss successful programs, and explore new ways to strengthen alumni ties. Whether your school has a well-established alumni network or is in the early stages of development, this collaborative session will provide valuable insights and practical takeaways to enhance your alumni relations efforts.