Tapping into the Value of Universities for Event Marketing Efforts

An article from World PCO Alliance 

When it comes to promoting an event, many professional conference organisers (PCOs) think about the predictable tools — sponsors, general publicity, social media and other traditional methods. Yet there is one key player that is sometimes undervalued — universities.

It is known that for many association congresses, in particular scientific meetings, a great number of attendees are from academia. As a result, they are already likely to promote the event to their own internal staff and students to attend as delegates.

Yet beyond this obvious step, universities can be leveraged in other ways to serve as ambassadors for an event. Partners of the World PCO Alliance share their thoughts on reconsidering the potential of universities in enhancing an event’s appeal.
 

1. Remember the Value of a University or Research Centre 
   
   Quite often, the instigator of the bid to host a conference is within a university or research centre. They are critical partners in starting the bid process, and the academic standing of the staff and university lend weight to the success of the bid. For this reason alone, Noel Mitchell of Keynote PCO says, “These institutions are valued and essential.”
    
2. A University’s Essence Is Its Knowledge Base
   
   More than anything, universities represent research and knowledge in specialised areas, and it is this very expertise that can attract conferences and events. “Rather than focusing on marketing, highlight the knowledge offered by an institution’s faculty or researchers,” says Sumate Sudasna from CDM Thailand. “That alone will add enormous ammunition in attracting interest and participation in a conference.”
   
   Nancy Tan from Singapore’s ACE:Dayton’s Direct agrees: “A university’s value stems from its expertise and reputation within specific fields. This will attract active participation and contribute to an event’s promotional efforts.”
    
3. Universities Reflect Destination Unity
   
   When evaluating a destination’s appeal, one of the key factors is demonstrating collaboration between the private and public sectors, and universities can add tremendous credence in this regard. André Vietor, from Bco Congresos, says, “The ability to showcase the power of a unified destination is already the first step in getting the meeting confirmed, because associations like to connect to all local stakeholders; not only for promotional purposes but for creating awareness within the local community or for designing legacy programmes, for example.”
    
4. Universities Serve as a Valuable Bridge Between Academia and Industry
   
   To expand on the point above, universities can provide other opportunities for collaboration. Emerging professionals, for example, can benefit tremendously from conference’s learning opportunities while also providing industry representatives the chance to connect with future leaders in a given field.
   
   This private-public sector networking can expand even further. As Nancy Tan explains, “Our clients collaborate with the private sector to have their young professionals act as local ambassadors for invited speakers. This unique approach facilitates networking and provides emerging professionals with the invaluable opportunity to engage with experts in their respective fields.”
   
   And lastly, let’s not forget the added credibility that university experts stand to gain from their exposure as event speakers.
    

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There Is More to Be Done

While universities play a critical role in establishing an event’s value and marketability, there are some important things to consider:

• Universities Need to Embrace a “Conference Culture”

The stronger a university’s policy in backing conference bids, the greater its success in attracting an event. The university president and department Heads can set a precedent in encouraging staff to seek conferences to host. And, Noel Mitchell adds, “As professional conference organisers, we should also be reaching out to the Conference Office or other commercial centres within a university for partnership.”

Universities benefit from this “conference culture.” Jean-Paul de Lavison from JPdL International says, “By encouraging faculty members and researchers to participate actively in hosting events and being involved in various committees, they are also promoting the university itself.”

• Universities Should Think Big — But Also Small

While big conferences are always an obvious target and a nice opportunity to collaborate with the private sector, universities shouldn’t forget about small projects that often have long-term potential.

Looking ahead and considering the ever-changing landscape of events and connectivity, universities will continue to play a critical role in the success of international events. And if they are challenged – both from within and from outside players – their value can push the boundaries of what a successful conference can offer attendees and society at large.

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