Case Study: EUNIS (European University Information Systems) achieves a secure, engaging 'Virtual Helsinki' congress with 600+ global attendees with Zoom Video Communications

EUNIS2020 Brings ‘Virtual Helsinki’ to Attendees with First Digital Congress

EUNIS is a nonprofit network of European higher-education institutions focused on IT collaboration and best practice. When its 2020 Annual Congress in Helsinki was canceled due to COVID-19, the organizers faced the challenge of recreating the in‑person experience—networking, SIG collaboration and community spirit—in a fully virtual format on short notice.

They hosted “Virtual Helsinki” on Zoom, using secure webinar features and support from the Zoom team to run parallel sessions, keynotes, workshops, fitness and mindfulness breaks, and even virtual saunas. The three‑day event drew 640 registrations from 35 countries with 497 attendees (78% attendance), delivered over 30 sessions, earned strong delegate feedback, and prompted EUNIS to explore hybrid formats for future events.

EUNIS

Gill Ferrell

Relationship Manager and Learning and Teaching SIG Leader