Leicestershire-based agency Ashfield Meetings & Events and Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) have reunited to review the pitches prepared for SHU’s ‘Managing Exhibitions, Business & Corporate Events’ module which forms part of the university’s BA (Hons) Event Management course.
A group of students from the university originally visited Ashfield Meetings & Events’ headquarters in Ashby De La Zouch in November 2017 to gain an understanding of the pressures of competing for new business in the events industry. Ashfield provided the students with a fictitious, yet realistic, event brief to respond to, worth 60% of the module. Last month, the students presented their responses back to senior members of staff from Ashfield, showing that they had considered the various elements involved in organising a full service event.
Janina Monaghan, Ashfield’s head of global sales support, commented: “It has been a real pleasure to work with Sheffield Hallam University on this project. On receipt of the brief, the students were keen to get started and their enthusiasm shone through in the delivery of their presentations. I was very impressed with the high standard.”
Students said the experience had given them the opportunity to work with a real business.
Following the presentations, the Ashfield team provided each group with feedback designed to shape the students’ final submissions.
SHU senior lecturer in events management Caroline Westwood added: “Students have relished this opportunity to partner with Ashfield Meetings & Events. The whole experience has benefitted them greatly, giving the students insight into a leading event management agency and providing them with commercial awareness. We are looking forward to collaborating with Ashfield on future projects.”
