Harry Potter Meets Immersive Networking at The College of Extraordinary Experiences

Skift Take
The College of Extraordinary Experiences, a five-day immersive event in a medieval castle in Poland, breaks traditional conference norms through its unique participant engagement and learning approach. Here's how this innovative event creates meaningful connections.
Director Claus Raasted explains that the event was founded on two key questions: "What if you sat at a table with a Formula One race car driver, a Hollywood filmmaker, a professional jazz musician, and a surgeon?" and "What happens when you actually create that table?"
What began as an experience design education event evolved into something else. "We don't need to teach people about experience design," Raasted notes. "It works much better if we get them together, and then they will teach each other." The College functions as a "networking event with learning opportunities more than a learning event with network opportunities."
The College of Extraordinary Experiences was one of six events featured in Skift Meetings' Best Business Events of the Year 2024.

Creating Immediate Connection
The event tackles the common conference challenge of first-day awkwardness head-on. "You arrive and you're excited, and you've got your nice badge... and then you go through the doors... Like, what do I do now? Who are my friends?" Raasted explains.
While the core experience begins at the castle, the journey actually starts at the airport, as participants begin meeting each other, particularly during the bus ride to the venue. However, the real magic unfolds at the castle.
Their solution draws inspiration from Harry Potter: "People are sorted into houses, they get costumes, they kind of leave the normal world behind. They get told a little bit about what this place is and what the hell is going on." By the end of day one, participants have established trusted connections that carry them through the rest of the event.
This approach reflects Raasted's broader philosophy about meaningful onboarding. It helps that he spent many years in the live-action role-playing (LARP) field, creating immersive experiences in a consumer context. “Never underestimate the powers of ritual and interactivity," he advises.
While this type of activity may seem only feasible for smaller events, Raasted says the same ideas can work for events of all sizes. For larger gatherings of 1,000-2,000 people, he recommends dividing participants into smaller groups, creating shared emotional experiences (like group singing), and designing intentional onboarding journeys rather than simply distributing badges and opening doors.
Offering Structured Freedom
Most of the content at The College of Extraordinary Experiences is presented over two days of professor-led classes. Participants rotate between six classes, repeated six times, on a wide range of topics. On the fourth day, the College introduces a "white space" concept where any participant can run a session and post it using a simple train station-inspired booking system in which participants can reserve rooms only one hour in advance.
The train station board shows only activity titles, not presenters, and "experienced trains leave every hour on the hour." This approach allows organic contribution while maintaining just enough structure to keep things running smoothly.
The College doesn’t have "attendees" who need to be kept engaged; they have "participants" who actively shape their experience. "I've never once asked myself how we would keep people engaged," Raasted explains. "It's more a matter of saying 'Here's a full day you can use as you wish. By now you know the space, the vibe, and the way the College functions. Now go do what you want!'"
Thoughtful Goodbyes
Unlike typical conferences that end with a scattered exodus, the College dedicates an entire day to meaningful farewells. "We know from experience design that openings and closings matter a lot," Raasted emphasizes.
All participants receive diplomas and pins. However, one special feature of the offboarding process is a personalized envelope hung up for each participant. In this envelope, others can leave notes of appreciation to read when they return home. This collective closing ritual marks the transition back to the regular world. However, as Raasted notes with pride, "Getting people to leave is one of the things we find hardest... because they're having a good time."
Financial Design That Builds Community
The College takes an unconventional approach to pricing that reflects its community-minded philosophy. Rather than a standard ticket price, participants choose between three tiers: €2,800, €5,600, or €8,400. All attendees receive identical experiences regardless of their payment level. "If you pay more and can afford it, somebody else can pay less," Raasted explains. "And that allows us to have more diversity of participants."
This sliding-scale model, complemented by a limited number of free "fate option" tickets, deliberately creates a diverse mix of participants. When potential attendees ask why they should pay more than the minimum, the answer is simple: it's about contributing to the community. While some naturally opt for the lowest tier, others pay more, understanding that their higher contribution enables broader participation.