Pre-Conference Sessions

Graduate management education institutions are operating in an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving environment. Changing candidate expectations, shifting market dynamics, and advances in artificial intelligence are transforming how prospective students discover, evaluate, and engage with business schools. To remain competitive, marketing, recruiting, and admissions professionals must adopt integrated strategies that strengthen institutional brands, create meaningful candidate experiences, and support enrollment goals.

This one day course equips GME professionals with practical tools and frameworks to align brand strategy, content development, recruitment efforts, and emerging technologies. Participants will begin by exploring current market trends and research shaping the future of graduate management education, examining how schools can use data, competitive intelligence, and audience insights to refine their positioning and strengthen their value propositions.

The course then focuses on developing content and engagement strategies that support successful recruitment outcomes. Participants will learn how to align marketing initiatives with enrollment objectives, design audience-centered journeys, and create compelling content that resonates with prospective students at each stage of the decision-making process. Special attention will be given to how candidate journeys are evolving in an AI-enabled environment and how institutions can create more personalized and relevant experiences.

Building on these foundations, the course concludes with a practical exploration of how AI can enhance the effectiveness of marketing and recruitment teams. Participants will examine emerging tools and applications that support audience segmentation, content creation, campaign optimization, lead nurturing, and performance measurement. Throughout the discussion, emphasis will be placed on maintaining authenticity, strengthening human connections, and ensuring strategic oversight.

Through case studies, peer exchange, and hands-on exercises, participants will leave with actionable strategies they can apply immediately to strengthen their institution’s brand, improve candidate engagement, and enhance recruitment performance.

Yield is often treated as a short window of activity—an admitted-student event, a series of emails, or a last-minute outreach push. In reality, yield is the cumulative result of decisions, experiences, and signals candidates receive across the entire journey, long before an offer is made. When yield strategies are fragmented across marketing, admissions, financial aid, and advising, even strong programs can struggle to convert interest into commitment.

This interactive workshop reframes yield as a system, not a single moment or tactic. Participants will analyze where and why yield is lost across the candidate journey, examining how messaging, timing, financial considerations, and student support intersect to influence final decisions. Through guided diagnostics, cross-functional simulations, and collaborative design exercises, attendees will develop coordinated yield strategies that move beyond one-off events and communications.

The session equips participants with practical tools and a customizable yield playbook they can adapt to their institution—helping teams align efforts, reduce friction, and improve enrollment outcomes in a cost-sensitive and competitive market.