Conference News Supplements | Page 14

14 Academic Venues

Meet Cambridge

The Meet Cambridge venue-finding bureau tells CN it takes 4,000 enquiries per year for conferences and events .
n 2015-2016 the Meet Cambridge bureau placed nearly £ 3.5m of business in its academic venues . During 2015 87 % of enquiries that converted booked in an academic venue and 41 % of all enquiries came from the corporate sector . Benefits of such venues highlighted by the bureau include : the experience of meeting or dining in one of the world ’ s most famous institutions ; being at the heart of historic Cambridge , and being able to tap into local expertise at the cutting-edge of research . The venues are also built for learning , so delegates can fully focus on the agenda . Judith Sloane , deputy manager at Meet Cambridge , says the bureau can connect organisers with academic venues with a single enquiry to find out suitability and availability . “ We can also tap into our contacts to find world-leading keynote speakers and arrange private tours of famous buildings and art collections for groups .” Challenges involved in dealing with academic venues include availability for residential events during term time but the bureau ’ s solutions include partnering with

Inspiring for events

Living and working near Cambridge , the Inspired agency ’ s Ben Cole ( right ) knows the venues well in this major academic centre and what they can offer organisers .
Challenges to hosting a conference at an academic venue include , of course , accessibility during term times , the type of accommodation on offer and the flexibility of the spaces available for events . However , there are some significant advantages that are unique to academic venues . When running a large event with a busy programme , it can be challenging to find a single venue that can accommodate everything . Campus-based universities offer a range of spaces and accommodation all in one place , without the need for moving attendees from location to location , which can waste valuable time and detract from the overall experience . Outdoor spaces are often limited at hotels and conference centres , particularly those that are city based . Many universities have their own land which presents opportunities to create unique experiences . Some companies and brands enjoy the kudos that comes from having an association with a seat of learning . When using an academic venue , access to its broader facilities , research and thought leaders has the potential to elevate the importance of attending an event there . Being such a large academic centre , Cambridge offers a broad range of event spaces . What ’ s so wonderful about Cambridge is that people can come together for a conference or meeting in a venue with historical significance , in unique spaces which are often closed to the public . That exclusivity is part of what makes experiences held there so memorable .
St Catharine ’ s College McGrath centre hotels and other venues . “ During certain times of the year clients might have to be flexible with dates to get the spaces that they prefer ,” adds Sloane . The historic fabric of the older venues has to be preserved and sometimes this has an effect of what types of events can be hosted . Amplified music for example isn ’ t allowed in some of the older colleges and occasionally the Wi-Fi reception can be patchy outside of meeting rooms where walls are over one metre thick . But Cambridge is a ‘ connected ’ city so visitors can usually always get Wi-Fi a few steps away . Sloane says with Cambridge academic venues now being booked through to 2022 , it ’ s important to reserve early and points out that not all the academic venues are old . Contemporary academic venues include Murray Edwards College , Fitzwilliam College , Robinson College and the Moller Centre . Trends for 2017 , Sloane says , include event organisers spending more on technology , using tools such as voting keypads , WebEx streaming , photo booths and videos ; group reservations being replaced by delegates booking and paying for their own accommodation , and shorter lead-times .
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