QM News 74 (pdf 1.58 MB) - Queen Margaret University

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meeting and event technology
curriculum connects the world to QMU
QMU has completed the development
of the world’s first curriculum for
meeting and events technology in higher
education.
In partnership with MeetingMatrix
International (global leaders in meeting
and event planning technology) and
event experts from around the world,
QMU has created a curriculum guide
which will equip university students with
cutting edge technology skills in meeting
and event planning. This is the first time
that a university-level events curriculum
has had input from industry experts
from across the globe and technology
supplied by a leading commercial
company. The new technology is now
being offered by QMU and MeetingMatrix
free of charge to universities worldwide.
The curriculum guide project was
funded by MeetingMatrix, suppliers of
the most advanced room diagramming
programme and venue sourcing
technology on the global market. The
technology allows event planners and
clients to see exactly what their rooms
and events will look like even if both
parties are in different countries.
Professor Joe Goldblatt, Director
of the International Centre for the
Study of Planned Events at QMU,
explained: “Across the globe, events
are becoming extremely sophisticated
and often employ increasing levels of
technology in order to meet their goals
– whether that be in sales, customer
satisfaction, business partner relations
or costs. For example, the Edinburgh
festivals are always looking to improve
communication with their audiences by
MeetingMatrix technology allows event planners to see exactly what their events will look like
employing more advanced technology
systems which will ultimately impact
positively on sales and customer
satisfaction, as well as social welfare
and the local economy. The event
planner is also under pressure to provide
evidence of a successful outcome to
event sponsors. In order to successfully
achieve this, event planners need to be
technically savvy, whilst also have the
ability to innovate and provide direction
for the future evolution of events.
“Together with its partners, QMU has
developed a pioneering curriculum which
will equip event management students
with the technical ability and knowledge
to gain a competitive advantage in the
fast paced meeting and events industry,”
said Professor Goldblatt.
Since autumn 2011, QMU students
have been benefitting from the newly
developed ‘MeetingMatrix Meeting and
Event Technology Curriculum’.
Kuan-wen Lin, PhD student, has
worked solidly on the development of
this project for the last year. He said: “In
order to ensure that the curriculum can
be utilised by undergraduate students
and universities globally, it was reviewed
by an impressive range of international
event experts from Boston, Las Vegas,
New York, Switzerland and Hong Kong.
Thanks to the support of MeetingMatrix,
the curriculum, which has an estimated
commercial value of between £50,000
- £150,000 per year, is now available
free of charge to universities all over the
world.”
For further information on the
‘MeetingMatrix Meeting and Event
Technology Curriculum’ visit: www.
meetingmatrix.com/Site/Curriculum.html
RAISING THE PROFILE OF SCOTTISH UNIVERSITIES IN INDIA
In November, Professor Wend was part
of a delegation of four Scottish principals
and senior government officials, who
travelled to India to help raise the profile
of Scottish universities. The delegation,
which was organised by Scottish
Development International, was led by
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Mike
Russell. During the trip, Professor Wend
and Christine Bovis-Cnossen, Dean
of the School of Arts, Social Sciences
and Management at QMU, took the
opportunity to meet with potential
collaborative partners, as well as Rob
Lynes, the Director of the British Council
in Delhi. They were also delighted to
connect with a group of QMU graduates
who attended an Indian/Scottish alumni
dinner hosted by the Scottish Universities
Interaction Group. The QMU alumni
group was thrilled to make contact with
QMU staff and Mike Russell, and very
enthusiastic about developing further
networking opportunities in the future.