LT6089 - Conference Management (2026/27)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2026/27 | ||||||||
| Module title | Conference Management | ||||||||
| Module level | Honours (06) | ||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2026/27(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) | No instances running in the year |
Module summary
The principal aim of this module is to provide students with insight into and appreciation of how conferences and the wider corporate events sector operate, with a focus on the design and management of events across various industries, as well as their complexities—particularly i the roles they play within the broader tourism and events sectors.
To this end the module seeks to explore both the supply and demand sides of the industry, including examining the roles of organisers, venues and suppliers along with the full spectrum of activities that take place before, during, and after a conference as well as the importance of technology in conferencing experiences. Students will also explore the purpose of these events, their scope and value within the broader business tourism landscape and consider current trends and emerging issues that influence how such events are planned, hosted, and managed in an evolving global context.
Aims of the module:
1. You will develop an in-depth and critical understanding of the conference sector within the events industry, including its purpose, structure, and role within the broader events and tourism contexts.
2. You will critically explore current issues and trends affecting the conference and business events sector and engage with these critically to generate informed ideas and potential solutions.
3. You will gain insight into the organisational and managerial skills required to design, plan, and operate conferences and other corporate events effectively.
Prior learning requirements
No prerequisites. Available for Study Abroad? YES
Syllabus
Diversity of types and categorisations · Key stakeholders and their motivations · The role of tourism bodies and DMOs · Role of these conferences in relation to the wider business events sector, tourism and other industries · Sector environment including factors influencing conference patterns, organisers’ choice of venue and alternative provision of facilities in a range of sectors. · Strategies and policies adopted by conference organisers and venue suppliers in terms of management, operations and marketing including as reactions to the changing environment, complexity and dynamism in the conference market. · Sales and selling in conference management. The formulation of conference packages, sponsorship packages, delegate plans (including delegate acquisition) and the functions of conference and event organisers and co-ordinators. · Programme development · Feedback analysis and management including business development and growing conferences and the conference sector.
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
This module will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and support sessions, enhanced by a range of additional activities throughout the academic year, including external visits to conferences and other relevant events. With a strong focus on industry practitioners and student-centred learning, the module emphasises concepts of action and experiential learning. Students will be expected to attend conferences—either in person or virtually—as part of the module assessment. They will also be encouraged to volunteer to gain practical insight into the administration and on-the-day running of conferences (and other relevant events). Where appropriate, lectures will be delivered by industry experts as guest speakers, providing students with valuable real-world perspectives.
Lectures, which will incorporate multimedia tools—such as videos, graphics, images, and hyperlinks—to support a variety of learning styles, will explore the intricacies of these types of events and their management implications. Seminars will afford students a space to consolidate their learning, engage in discussion and debate and work towards completing the assessment. Students will be encouraged to contribute relevant examples from their own contexts and reflect on the relevance of the content through the lenses of their own personal experience.
Active participation is expected in all sessions and students are required to come to sessions prepared, which will entail a certain amount of guided and self-guided independent study. Weblearn will be used for the distribution of module material and it will also be used as an interactive platform for communication between students and tutors, for example, to direct students to particular readings or to provide news about the module or the module content and offering timely personal feedback following formative and summative assessments.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the role conferences play within the events and tourism sectors, including their benefits to destinations, related industries, and stakeholders. (LO1)
2. Evaluate supply and demand dynamics in the conference sector and identify potential for future developments and challenges. (LO2)
3. Critically appraise operational, and marketing practices in conference management and their effectiveness and implications for different conference types. (LO3)