This year will see the 31st ECM Summer School take place in Dresden, Germany, 26-30 August 2017. The renowned educational programme on the Meetings Industry will provide at least 50 new delegates with the basis and know-how to progress a rewarding career in the sector.
Ongoing education and professional training are crucial to face the continuing changes of the Meetings Industry. Since 1987, i.e. 30 years, the ECM Summer School sets out the background and context of the Meetings Industry (key players, exhibitions, press, social media, sustainability, clients, intermediaries, RFP and decision making processes) with a focus on European and international best practices. The set-up of the event enables maximum interaction between students and the experienced meeting professionals that compose the faculty. The format of the school also guarantees participants to meet with as many counterparts as possible whether for challenging speakers in plenary sessions, group work, networking or socialising.
Course content is adapted to staff who are just starting out in the sector and who quickly want to get up to speed, coming from convention bureaux, hotels, PCOs, DMCs, airlines, conference venues, congress centres, convention centres, exhibition centres and suppliers of ancillary and other products.
"Last year in Zagreb we celebrated the 30th edition of the ECM Summer School. This school has always been the bridge to a successful career in the Meetings Industry, and has graduated more than 1,600 students - many of whom have gone on to become industry leaders. It's a real pleasure to organise this year's edition in beautiful Dresden" said Bettina Bunge, ECM Vice-President for the Meetings Industry and Managing Director at Dresden Marketing Board.
"Despite tackling up-to-date issues like new technology, hybrid meetings and green meetings, the winning formula has remained the same: a unique opportunity for young professionals just entering the Meetings Industry to spend three days with some of the biggest names in our business" continued Pier Paolo Mariotti, course leader.
The faculty is not made up of academics but experienced senior experts with a "tell it as it is" angle based on many years hands-on experience. The faculty are all members/partners of ECM and give their time on a voluntary basis - a way of giving back to the Meetings Industry: Lone Alletorp Callard (Wonderful Copenhagen), Nalan Emre (IMEX Group), Luca Favetta (Professional Convention Management Association), Paul Flackett (IMEX Group), Cain Leathem (GB Fitness), Heike Mahmoud (Visit Berlin, Berlin Convention Office), Nicola McGrane (IAPCO), Christian Mutschlechner (Vienna Convention Bureau), Miguel Neves (IMEX Group), Dr. Julia Schellong (University Hospital Dresden), Christine Shimasaki (DMAI), Dennis Speet (ICCA), Anja Stas (FMCCA), Daniel Waigl (CIRSE), Anne Wallin Rodven (InspirAR) and Kerstin Wunsch (tagungswirtschaft) led by the course leader Pier Paolo Mariotti, CMP CMM (EURAC Convention Center).
The ECM Summer School qualifies for CMP certification and every student getting an ECM Summer School diploma is also eligible to receive 17.75 Clock Hours for their overall CMP certification.
"With more than 15,000 events and 1.35 million attendees a year: Dresden is one of Germany's top ten convention destinations - and is increasingly attractive as a place for the Meetings Industry. Clients benefit from top class convention infrastructure, excellent range of art and culture and fair prices. The city not only has a strong cultural attraction, it is also home to numerous research institutes and universities, among them the TU Dresden, which was honoured with the title of 'elite university' in 2012" concluded Bettina Bunge.