78710 - Management of Cultural Events (LM)

Learning outcomes

The student has a general knowledge of the meeting industry. In particular s/he knows the aspects related to the economic value, the marketing techniques applied to the meeting market and the modalities of the approach to the demand, as to satisfy its needs and requests. S/he knows how to apply the main methodologies and instruments to the planning and organization of meetings and events, with special reference to the medical sciences association meetings market.

Course contents

The course aims to provide students an overview of the meeting industry, as well as the basic elements for the acquisition and the organization of a meeting, with particular reference to the association market.

The topics that will be covered include:

- Meeting industry: value, characteristics, trends, jobs
- Requirements and conditions of success
- Supply chain: venues, main suppliers, quality standards
- Meeting planners: different companies and services
- Marketing strategies: how to promote a venue or destination, bidding process for the acquisition of international association meetings

- Convention bureau: role and main activites
- Segmentation by initiator: main markets, characteristics, needs, approach and management
- Different kind of events: characteristics, purposes and formats
- Main steps and techniques for planning, communicating and organizing an event.

Readings/Bibliography

Handouts of the topics covered by the teacher will be provided and will be made available to students online before the beginning of the course, as well as a list of reference texts.

Teaching methods

The course foresees lectures planned in the second term.

Assessment methods

The exam is oral.

To their choice, students can integrate with a project work (Power Point presentation of approximately 15 slides) on one of the following topics:

a) Presentation of a conference destination or venue.

Aim: develop the presentation of a destination or venue by illustrating and emphasizing fundamental aspects that are elements of choice in the meeting market.

b) Project of an event.

Aim: build the project of an event. The project must be congruent with and exhaustive of the various aspects that are taken into consideration when planning an event (kind of meeting, aims, participants, venue, programme, organizing services, etc.). It can refer to the association, corporate or other market as preferred by the student.

How to prepare the project work will be illustrated during the course.

Teaching tools

Handouts of the topics covered by the teacher during lessons will be made available to students online before the beginning of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Gentile