ApplyBoard was in the house again this year for North America’s largest tech conference! Collision Conference, held every June in Toronto, “brings together Fortune 500 companies, groundbreaking startups, and world-class speakers” and we were thrilled to be among them. Attracting nearly 40,000 attendees from around the globe, Collision is the perfect platform for us to share how ApplyBoard is reshaping the future of education with innovative tools like Abbie, our all-in-one study abroad advisor.
“From ApplyBoard Co-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri’s speaking panel to showcasing Abbie at our booth, as well as engaging with partners, investors, students, and industry members, we were able to showcase ApplyBoard’s mission and how we’re using innovative tech to bring it to life,” explains Brooke Kelly, ApplyBoard’s Manager, Public Relations.
Keep reading for some highlights from this year’s conference!
Sidd Sengupta, Product Manager 6, and Haitham Amar, Head of Data Strategy and Analytics, demonstrate how Abbie is truly like having your very own guidance counselor at your fingertips, 24/7!
Showcasing Abbie, the First-Ever AI Study Abroad Advisor
Abbie was unveiled to the world on Tuesday and we couldn’t think of a place we’d rather be to mark this milestone than Collision! Members of ApplyBoard’s Product and Marketing divisions were excited to be on hand at booth E123 (in a prime spot near Centre Stage!) to showcase the first-ever AI advisor designed exclusively for studying abroad.
Learn more about how Abbie is the fastest and easiest way to navigate the student journey!
Over our three days at booth E123, we had the opportunity to connect with friends old and new, including both recruitment and institutional partners, some of our initial seed investors, and friends from TD and Communitech. But most meaningful of all was meeting students who have used the ApplyBoard platform to help make their study abroad dreams come true. It’s a gratifying reminder of how the work ApplyBoardians do every day is helping to unlock students’ potential around the globe.
Meti Basiri joins Iryna Volnytska, Michael Ellison, Tom Simon, and moderator Emily Ragobeer for a conversation on the role AI will play in the future of learning.
The Role of AI in the Future of Education
ApplyBoard Co-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri hit the Future Societies stage on day two of Collision for a conversation exploring the role AI will play in the future of learning and how it can empower students and educators in a way that doesn’t compromise critical thinking. He joined an incredible panel of industry experts, who, like ApplyBoard, are all working to help break down barriers to education. The panel included:
- Iryna Volnytska, President at SET University
- Tom Simon, President of Higher Education & Virtual Learning at Pearson plc
- Michael Ellison, Co-Founder & CEO at CodePath.org
The wide-ranging conversation touched on the importance of responsible Generative AI in education, how AI can personalize education and critical thinking, the importance of data security, and more.
ApplyBoard has been using AI to simplify the study abroad journey since we began our mission to educate the world in 2015. It has allowed us to support students from over 150 countries, expanding their access to education and encouraging global student mobility.
“When I was applying to study abroad, the process was labour intensive, time-consuming, and very confusing,” recalled Meti. “I had to physically mail large documents, visit multiple study abroad agents, and even go to a different country in order to kick-off my study abroad journey. 13 years later, tools like our ApplyBoard platform make this process easier, removing barriers to studying outside your home country.”
ApplyBoard’s proprietary AI helps match students with the best schools and programs for their education goals, providing targeted recommendations with our program matcher tool. Students can easily find, apply, and get accepted to schools around the world and be guided throughout the entire journey. From accessing information about their chosen program, country, and institutions, to taking advantage of testing services, loans, and more, ApplyBoard has them covered.
The conversation, occurring the same day as our release of Abbie, couldn’t have been more timely. Meti explained that AI tools, such as Abbie, help level the playing field and can be used to enable a deeper understanding for students. Meti compared Abbie to a traditional high school guidance counselor, but said that with Abbie “you have that in any language and at your fingertips 24/7. We’re very excited that we can utilize years of data that we have gathered and bring that opportunity to every student around the world, accelerating student mobility and accessibility”.
“AI is just the starting point and a pivotal point in accessibility for education,” explained Meti.
We can’t wait to see where it takes us next.
