A global leader in online creative training, CG Spectrum delivers high-end, industry-connected education to students across more than 90 countries. With instructors based in nearly 40 countries, the organisation sought to enhance engagement, streamline operations, and scale its delivery. To achieve these goals, CG Spectrum turned to Slack — not just as a communication tool but as a virtual campus that centralises learning, collaboration, and student support.
Slack as CG Spectrum’s virtual campus
In 2018, CG Spectrum replaced outdated forum-based communication systems with Slack, creating a dynamic, interactive environment where students could collaborate, ask questions, and receive real-time support. Beyond academics, Slack has been key to fostering a strong sense of community. Dedicated channels and interest-based groups have enabled students to connect socially, even in a fully remote setting.
“Slack has become a core part of our school experience,” said Jeremy Chinn, Chief Creative Officer at CG Spectrum.
“It’s not just a tool for communication — it’s where students connect with mentors, collaborate on projects, and truly feel part of the community. We wanted to re-create the dynamics of a physical campus, where students can interact casually and collaborate on group work, no matter where they are.”
It’s not just a tool for communication — it’s where students connect with mentors, collaborate on projects, and truly feel part of the community. We wanted to re-create the dynamics of a physical campus, where students can interact casually and collaborate on group work, no matter where they are.
Improving student retention with Slack lists
Earlier this year, CG Spectrum introduced Slack lists to improve student retention. Prior to this, identifying disengaged or struggling students was challenging. Now students showing signs of difficulty are placed into a designated Slack list, where mentors and support teams can track progress and address potential issues proactively. This system ensures that interventions happen early, helping students stay on track and receive timely support.
“Slack lists allows us to monitor student progress in real time, ensuring we can step in early when issues arise. This approach has directly contributed to higher completion rates and greater student success.”
Slack lists allows us to monitor student progress in real time, ensuring we can step in early when issues arise. This approach has directly contributed to higher completion rates and greater student success.
Scaling classes globally with Slack
With students and instructors across multiple time zones, CG Spectrum needed a platform that could scale efficiently while maintaining the personalised approach that is core to its mission. By integrating Slack with its proprietary student tracking tool, called Raphael, CG Spectrum has been able to streamline operations and scale quickly.
“Slack enables us to manage hundreds of classes, students, and staff with a small core team,” said Chinn. “It keeps our communication organised, ensuring that as we grow, we can maintain the same level of efficiency and personal connection.”
“Unlike traditional forums, Slack has revolutionised how we manage group projects and foster collaboration across time zones,” he added. “It’s more than just a communication tool — it’s become central to how we work as a team.”
Looking ahead, CG Spectrum envisions AI agents improving the student experience at scale. “We’d love to train an AI agent to support our TAs, answering basic questions and providing real-time support at hours when instructors aren’t available,” said Chinn. “AI won’t replace the human touch, but it could help with answering common queries — especially across time zones — adding an additional layer of support for students.”
