Virtual Visit Days 2021 - Guest Guidance

Thank you for your interest in attending one of our virtual visit days at the University of Leeds. The following is some useful information about how our event will be run and gives guidance about how you can prepare in advance to get the most out of the day. 

You will be joining us online to watch an academic presentation about studying at the University of Leeds. There will then be the opportunity afterwards to ask questions. To prepare, you might want to have a think about what questions you would like to ask us. You should also consider how you will watch the presentation. Get ready to be somewhere:

1. quiet, where you are unlikely to be disturbed
2. with a device that will have sufficient power for around 90 minutes of video (or near a plug-socket!)
3. in a room/space with a good broadband connection

After the academic presentation some of our events may incorporate an optional event (such as a tutorial session or extended question and answer session) that are staged on a free video-calling service called Microsoft TEAMS. Similar to the video-calling service Zoom, TEAMS allows participants the opportunity to interact with a host and to ask questions using a microphone and web-camera. If your event includes a session on TEAMS then you should note the following: 

1. the event is optional and you do not have to participate 
2. you may wish to download the TEAMS application to your laptop, tablet, PC or phone beforehand (although the TEAMS event is accessible from some web-browsers)
3. you should be aware that, similar to Zoom, TEAMS will use your camera and microphone as soon as you join the TEAMS event. If you wish to turn these off/mute these please do so on the day. 
4. it may be possible for other guests to view your name or email address as soon as you join the TEAMS event. 
5. it may also be possible for other guests to send an ‘instant message’ to you within TEAMS

We want to ensure that you enjoy the experience and that the virtual event is staged in a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. Only people who have been authorised by staff in advance may attend, any uninvited attendees will be removed from the session. If you sign up with a name that we do not recognise, we may need to remove you from the session. Please do not take photographs of your screen or share any images of the online session, this is for your safety as well as the safety of other participants and staff. 

Just as you would respect others in a physical ‘face to face’ academic environment, it is important to respect other participants and members of staff throughout the virtual visit day. Please bear in mind that your fellow guests may be joining the meeting with limited functionality on their device, or their wi-fi speed may be restricted. You may also be very familiar with the concept of video-calling, whilst it may be a new experience for other guests. We therefore appreciate your patience if sometimes information needs to be clarified or repeated for the benefit of some in the audience. 

We would also ask you to be aware of your surroundings. For example, if there are any unexpected noises please mute your microphone as needed, until you are safely able to re-activate. We also recommend blurring your background so that when appearing on camera, you'll appear nice and clear whilst everything behind you is subtly concealed. You may also want to make a test TEAMS call with a friend or family member before the event, to try out the service in advance and familiarise yourself with the settings. 

If you have any access requirements to enable you to engage with this opportunity or if you have any further questions please contact: artsadmissions@leeds.ac.uk

Introduction to Microsoft TEAMS
Microsoft TEAMS technical support
Joining Teams meeting without using a Teams account
Online safety advice
Microsoft Privacy Statement