Managers at a convention centre in the Scottish capital have launched an ‘academic
advisory board’ to help win more international association meetings.
The EICC, in Edinburgh, hopes its Exchange Initiative will raise
the city’s profile and throw a light on the research coming out of Scotland's universities.
The scheme aims to promote the role that senior academics play in
attracting international association conferences, which add millions to city
coffers.
At the same time the collaboration is aiming to increase the
international standing of the university sector and leading academics in
Scotland.
Elaine Miller, association account business development manager at
the EICC, said: “Associations conferences help position our universities, the
EICC, and Edinburgh on a global stage, whilst showcasing the leading research
coming out of our universities.
“There are also significant long-term benefits in attracting these
large-scale events, as the collaboration, knowledge exchange, and relationship
building that takes place at conferences helps to inform change and creates
lasting impact. The EICC and Exchange Initiative group recognise
these benefits and want to ensure there is more engagement with policymakers,
industry bodies, Scottish Government agencies, and other academic research
institutions.”
The Exchange Initiative is targeting meetings linked to the
following sectors: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering, IT, and
Energy.
Gary Hutchison, dean of Applied Sciences at Edinburgh Napier
University and chair of the Exchange Initiative, said: “The academic advisory
board gives us a structure, with a clear set of objectives, and platform to go
out and identify even more opportunities for the EICC, the university sector,
and the city itself. We build from an already strong base, and it’s
an initiative we are all very excited about because we know the impact knowledge
exchange will have on helping raise the bar for Edinburgh, and the economic and
social impact that will result.”
Marshall Dallas, EICC CEO, added: “The EICC has a longstanding
history of collaborating with the university sector, the academic advisory
board formalises this collaboration, and it’s an initiative that has been in
the workings for a number of years. Overall, we are confident the
Exchange Initiative will deliver a step up in the association business we
attract to the EICC, an initiative that squares well with our mission to create
an environment to inspire ideas that change the world.”
A website is set to be launched by the EICC and Exchange
Initiative early next year, which will provide a
resource and marketing tool to support ongoing bids for international conferences.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
