Keynote given at the the 2nd International Planning and Creativity Competition, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China on the 18th December 2020

1. Dr James Kennell
Business School
Tourism Research Centre
Events
Management
Higher
Education:
Current issues
in the U.K.

2. Deputy Head of Department of Marketing, Events and
Tourism
50+ publications –Events Management, Tourism
Recent work:
• Events and Memory Studies
• Sustainable Events
• Artificial Intelligence and Events

3. Events Management Higher Education in
the UK
Undergraduate (BA, BSc) - 387 courses offered by 105 HEIs
(UCAS, 2020)
Postgraduate (MA, MSc) – 51 courses offered by 26 HEIs
University of Greenwich
BA Events Management 2008-
MA International Events Management 2010-

4. Higher Education
Value
Professionalisation
Creativity and
Technology

5. Rapid expansion and lots of skills gaps
Higher Education in events expanded
alongside this
Still a belief in some parts of the industry that
everything can be learnt ‘on the job’
Higher Education provides the industry with
a workforce who know about strategy,
leadership, marketing and much more
Is this a generational issue? Or is it about
curriculum design?
What is the Value of Higher Education for
Events?
(Fullard, 2019)

6. Most events management
degrees are taught in business
schools
Industry has huge needs for
creative thinkers and creative
practitioners
Business schools are not very
good at this
Events management graduates
miss out on jobs
How do we teach about creativity and
technology?
(Jackson et al, 2016)

7. Event Management is an emerging
profession
It has specialist education, professional
bodies, some social standing
It lacks consistent and transferable
qualifications and progression
opportunities
When there is a crisis (COVID-19) it can
be ignored
Are we developing professionals or a
profession?
(Bladen & Kennell, 2014)

8. Higher Education
Value
Professionalisation
Creativity and
Technology
Explain the skills and
experience of our
students to industry –
through events and
public relations work
Create partnerships between
events management
faculties and arts and
technology faculties to
develop new curricula
Work alongside industry, as equal
partners, to shape the development
of a true ‘profession’

9. 谢谢
j.s.kennell@greenwich.ac.uk

10. References
Bladen, C., & Kennell, J. (2014). Educating the 21st century event management graduate:
Pedagogy, practice, professionalism, and professionalization. Event Management, 18(1), 5-
14.
Bladen, C., Kennell, J., Abson, E. & Wilde, N. (2017) Events Management: An Introduction
2nd ed. London: Routledge
Fullard, M. (2019) Event Management Courses: A Degree of Certainty. Conference News.
Available from: https://www.conference-news.co.uk/features/event-management-courses-
degree-certainty
Jackson, C., Morgan, J., & Laws, C. (2018). Creativity in events: the untold story.
International Journal of Event and Festival Management. 9 (1): 2-19