Campus life in phygital reality

Phygital – the fusion of physical and digital experiences – is transforming how modern consumers, and increasingly students, engage with the world. Just as Gen Z shoppers browse online, use click-and-collect, and expect immersive and compelling brand experiences, they expect the same seamless, tech-enhanced interactions in education.

The zero consumer mindset in Gen Z students

Phygital has enormous potential for managing customer experiences. Based on Batat (2022), phygital customer experience refers to dynamic connections and a blend of experiences when consumers move from a physical setting to a digital realm, from offline to online, and vice versa.

According to McKinsey & Company (2023), zero consumers are a new type of shopper defined by four key traits. They have zero boundaries as they move fluidly between online and offline channels expecting a seamless experience. There is zero midrange when they mix bargain-hunting with luxury spending, reducing demand for mid-priced options. Zero loyalty manifests in prioritising value and availability instead of brand loyalty. Zero consumers care about sustainability, but only when it is affordable and convenient – that is net zero.

The zero consumer concept can be meaningfully applied to Gen Z students by recognising how their expectations and behaviours mirror those described by McKinsey & Company.

Gen Z students reflect the behaviours of zero consumers in many ways. They expect seamless, blended learning experiences across physical and digital platforms with immediate access and digital-native communication. They are used to moving between the physical and digital worlds, spending up to six hours a day on their mobiles (McKinsey & Company 28.8.2024). As Chan & Lee (2023) state, Gen Z students tend to prefer hybrid learning approaches that incorporate technology and multimedia content, learning through images, videos, and audio instead of text. They are also value-conscious, willing to invest in premium education for key experiences while also seeking affordable online courses and micro-credentials (Hultquist & Murphy 11.2.2025; Graduate Management Admission Council 2025).

Gen Z students seem to show low institutional loyalty, frequently transferring or stacking credentials based on flexibility, career outcomes, and alignment with personal values. Stackable credentials are short, modular qualifications that can be accumulated over time to build towards a degree or advance a career (Coursera 28.4.2025). Gen Z students prioritise purpose-driven learning, favouring institutions that integrate sustainability, ethics, and social impact into their curricula and operations (Tan, Mathur & Wangamoo 2023).

Higher education institutions must therefore adapt by offering cohesive, flexible, adaptable, and value-aligned educational experiences to meet these evolving expectations.

Blending realities from businesses to campuses

Phygital, blending physical and digital elements in experiences, has become a reality in business. Gen Z consumers expertly browse online to see what is out there and then go to the store to check the best option. They may use click-and-collect services when refurbishing their apartment, browse the Ikea website and then drive to the closest Ikea store to get the item in just minutes. Virtual dressing rooms let them try on clothes digitally from home and help find the perfect fit. Smart mirrors in stores can also suggest styles, colours, and sizes, making shopping easier and more personal. Wearable devices can track their location and send them personalised offers.

In tourism destinations, QR codes help visitors learn more about landmarks or sights by linking digital information to real places. AR apps offer an opportunity to scan buildings or museum exhibits to see extra stories or 3D models. VR headsets allow travellers to preview safaris, cruise liners, hotel rooms, or destinations before booking. AI chatbots can also suggest restaurants or help transit passengers at airports. At festivals and theme parks, smart tickets and NFC wristbands let visitors enter easily, find their way, and unlock special content, blending digital tools with real-world experiences. (22 Miles 9.1.2025; Dearth 8.9.2022.)

The phygital future is already here and very much in use by Gen Z consumers.

In higher education, the phygital approach offers Gen Z students more personalised, flexible, and engaging learning opportunities. Just as virtual dressing rooms help shoppers try on clothes before purchasing, AR/VR simulations, virtual campus tours, and AI-powered platforms allow students to explore degree programmes and course content before stepping into a classroom.

Smart technologies, like wearable devices and QR codes, can personalise learning, provide instant access to resources, and offer real-time support via AI chatbots. These tools enhance physical campus life, from virtual lectures to interactive experiences like virtual lab experiments or campus previews. For Gen Z students, who expect seamless, digital-first experiences, this integration of technology into education makes learning more adaptable, immersive, and tailored to individual needs.

Phygital experiences at Haaga-Helia

Haaga-Helia is actively integrating phygital concepts into its educational offerings, aligning with the expectations of Gen Z students. Haaga-Helia provides prospective and new students with a virtual campus tour of its premises. It helps students navigate and familiarise with key areas such as classrooms, libraries, and labs before their arrival.

One of the values of Haaga-Helia is courage and the university demonstrated this by becoming the first in the world to offer a complete course on Tik Tok. During the past year, Haaga-Helia has received a lot of media attention and awards for it. The course is about entrepreneurship and it is exactly what Gen Z expects from an educational institution, offering compelling phygital experiences while earning academic credits.

There are courses that offer contents related to the phygital world, for example:

• Technology enhanced experiences in hospitality business
• Marketing and sales in metaversums
• Emerging technology opportunities
• Digital experience design
• 3AMK has offered Hackathon for crafting digital solutions for nature tourism.

Skillful blending of digital experiences with in-person encounters is what our students will learn when they study at Haaga-Helia.

Haaga-Helia is known for its innovative labs that merge digital elements in inspiring physical spaces. One of them is the Innovation Hub for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Business and Education, one of the eight Innovation Hubs of the Ulysseus European University. At the Haaga-Helia hub, the focus is on fostering AI-driven solutions. It is a place where students can experiment, innovate and learn together with staff and businesses.

Another Haaga-Helia phygital concept that has received international acclaim is the The Box. It employs XR technology, for example enabling people to visit Santa Claus Office or a vineyard without actual travel. The Box has toured the world in mega-events like the Tokyo Olympics and Dubai Expo as well as with different projects like the dissemination seminar of the Erasmus Plus SUCSESS project in South Africa (eSignals The success and impact of any project depends on engaged people).

Phygital requires some guidance

Haaga-Helia brand book advices on colours, fonts and photos that convey the brand story. What people see on campus, they will also encounter in the online channels. Pictures are of real students and staff, not generic image bank creations. Haaga-Helia colours are the same online as on campus. The colour scheme is blue and green, fitting for a modern, vibrant and international higher education institution that has Gen Z favoured values (McKinsey & Company 28.8.2024) like transparency and accountability at its core.

Also, at the heart of our strategy is enthusiasm and well-being of students and staff (Haaga-Helia 2025). There is a sense of community on our campuses. Our communcation on the digital front goes hand in hand with these sentiments in physical spaces. On campuses, there are video walls about events and updates creating a stronger sense of community. Campuses are filled with young minds who will graduate from the school that opens doors to future careers.

Haaga-Helia campus life goes all phygital when our hospitality programme moves and opens its showroom at the Mall of Tripla in 2026. The learning space will be called RestoCamp and it will showcase the latest pedagogical knowhow and innovations in tourism, hospitality and event management. The showroom will not only open doors but also take our students, staff and stakeholders to places and offer a dynamic learning environment, keeping us always on the move, embracing our phygital existence and education.

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