A four day Executive Certificate in Event Management is set to kick-off in London on 31 January 2011

University of Westminster seeks to train event professionals of the future ahead of 2012 Olympics

The University of Westminster has today announced a new date in its training calendar for 2011 with the internationally renowned, four day Executive Certificate in Event Management set to kick-off in London on 31 January, providing the city’s events professionals with a great opportunity to add value to their careers.

Organised in conjunction with the Australian Centre of Event Management (ACEM), based at the University of Technology, Sydney, the course will be presented by Dr Rob Harris, an innovative leader in international events education. Dr Harris is also a co-author of Event Management, one of the most widely used texts dealing with the area in the UK. Rob will be joined by Paul Gudgin, a former Director of the world’s largest arts festival, The Edinburgh Fringe. Paul’s work in the events field was recently recognized by the University of Edinburgh through the awarding of an honorary doctorate.

“Event management is a key growth area for local economies and increasingly demands professionals with recognized skills, trained in the art and science of event management,” said Dr Rob Harris, co-presenter at the Executive Certificate in Event Management at the University of Westminster. “This is especially true for London as the 2012 Olympics fast approaches and the opportunities to leverage this event for the purposes of conducting a range of sporting, business and celebratory events increase.

As one of the world’s most creative events cities, London is the perfect location for event professionals to add value to their career with a professional qualification and network with the leaders of the industry, their fellow students and future colleagues.”

David Jamilly, the co-founder of market leading party planner and prop hire company Theme Traders, who was involved in the Queen’s 80^th birthday party and recently featured in Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire, took the course in 2008 whilst researching suitable training programmes for his employees. He said: “I started my events business in 1990 when event management wasn’t even a recognised profession, way before there were any professional qualifications on the subject. It has since grown to become a hugely popular and highly competitive market where a contemporary, academic qualification in event management is vitally important for prospective employees.

The Executive Certificate in Event Management

The Executive Certificate in Event Management is by far the best short course out there. The content is in-depth and diverse and it’s taught by true leaders in the industry who have an abundance of experience and knowledge. I have sent six of my employees on the course and intend to send several more next year. It’s an absolute must for anyone looking to boost their credentials or those seeking to gain a foot-hold in the industry.”

The Executive Certificate in Event Management is designed to provide a foundation of key skills and knowledge associated with the creation and delivery of corporate (e.g. product launches, conferences, functions, fundraising events), private (e.g. parties, weddings) and public events (e.g. festivals, street parades, fairs and sporting events). It is intended to both enhance the professional skill and knowledge base of those already employed within the event industry and to serve as a sound platform for people wishing to launch careers in event management.

Lorna Ashcroft, event organiser for The Arsenal Football Club plc, also took the course and said: “It was an intensive and highly topical course. I was able to take on board the processes taught and within one day of getting back to the office I could already see visible improvements in the projects that I was working on thanks to the clear and logical processes taught on the course. I think my career will benefit a great deal from four days of study.”

The 2011 Executive Certificate in Event Management takes place from 31 January - 3 February at the University of Westminster’s Regent Street campus, Oxford Circus in central London.