International School of Brussels Empowers Families with State-of-the-Art Admissions Center Experience Driven By Prysm Application Suite
A 170-year-old chateau is not the most obvious home for one of the most advanced student admissions offices in the world. Located five miles outside of the Belgian capital city, the International School of Brussels (ISB) has created an innovative space on the ground floor of the former Château Bischoffsheim – known as the Experience Room – for visiting families and prospective pupils.
David Willows, director of admissions and advancement, and the driving force behind the ISB Experience Room, recalled, “We wanted to reimagine admissions; to inspire people and to create a sense of awe and amazement. We knew that if we got it right, we could not only deliver a powerful experience but also give families the opportunity to learn about themselves. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that parents and children are fully equipped to decide if ISB is indeed the right choice.”
He continued, “We had the concepts mapped out for the majority of the room but were missing the piece that would actually engage people. As soon as we saw it, we knew that an interactive digital display was exactly what was needed to help complete the vision.”
In It for The Long Term
Collaborating with England-based Prysm partner Urben Technologies and architects tp bennett, the ISB team co-created the blueprint for what was to become the Experience Room. One of the hurdles to overcome came from the age and historic significance of the chateau; necessitating the involvement of an architect and local authorities.
“Urben was very inventive in finding creative ways that we could make this all work in our unique building,” commented Willows. “The Urben team was continually involved; this clearly wasn’t a one-off sale for them. Everything was planned and executed really smoothly and professionally. There was a true sense of partnership and commitment to making the project a success.”
ISB deployed an Avocor display running the innovative Prysm Application Suite, integrated into a custom Media Wall housing constructed by Urben Technologies. Modern interior design techniques tastefully blended with the space’s traditional architectural elements combine to create a feeling of purpose and sophistication. “The building reflects our past, the technology reflects our future,” noted Willows.
A Gamechanger
The Experience Room is one of the first stops on the tour for all families considering ISB for their children. “People immediately gravitate to the interactive display – It is the perfect vehicle to instantly get visitors involved and participating,” Willows observed.
Leveraging the Prysm Application Suite (PAS) visual collaboration software, the ISB team created a ground-breaking game that uses the integrated display unit to provide a context in which families can surface their own priorities and preferences around the process of making the optimal choice of school. Willows reflected, “Frequently this is the first time a family has actually had a conversation about what is personally important: Every member now gets a voice. Prysm has given us the tools to turn the traditionally uninspiring admissions process into an engaging, interactive learning experience for each visitor.”
Information shared in the game is then use by the ISB admissions staff to tailor the school tour to ensure that family members are shown exactly what they need to see in order to make an informed decision. The interactive display also is used to communicate information about the school and provide access to responses to a series of frequently asked questions.
“We’re able to utilize documents, graphics and full-screen videos to interactively present the school in a totally new way,” remarked Willows. “Using Prysm’s remote participation capabilities we can even engage family members and staff that were unable to physically attend the meeting.”
The Prysm Application Suite is compatible with a wide range of non-Prysm LCD displays and video wall arrays. PAS enables ISB to access Prysm’s full set of industry-leading touch-screen capabilities, data manipulation and remote access functionality. “The Prysm Application Suite drives the whole experience, but I still feel that we’ve only just scratched the surface of what can be achieved,” exclaimed Willows.
Transforming the Trajectory
The PAS-powered room has not only transformed the experience for visiting families but also the ISB admissions team. Willows explained, “We now have access to tools and capabilities that we never had before and we’re excited! The team has enthusiastically embraced the Prysm-enabled display and found it very intuitive and easy to use.”
The interactive experience also is having an impact on business aspects of the school. “We’re getting a lot of attention as we demonstrate and share our progress. It’s unquestionably increasing our brand recognition and reputation, and we’ve already seen a measurable uptick in applications since bringing the room online,” stated Willows.
He concluded, “One of the things I’ve learned is that we can’t fully anticipate the future unless we work with great partners. Backed by Prysm, Avocor and Urben Technologies, our Experience Room is an excellent example of collaboration and what can be achieved by working together.”
“The partnership is helping us move in a direction that we haven’t previously been able to go. It puts us on the cutting-edge of not only what admissions is like today but what it will be like in the future.”
Organization: International School of Brussels
Industry: Education
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Size: (Pupils) 1,500