Training & Education

INVEA provides customized Exhibition Venue Management training and education courses in close cooperation with Prof. Dr. Jörg Beier, Managing Director of the Transfer Center „Exhibition, Congress and Event Management (ECE)“at the Cooperative State University Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.

I. Introduction

INVEA offers a wide range of education and training programs to their clients with a core focus on the topics of venue management and event operations in order to improve the management skills of our clients and partner companies in particular. Training in the field of venue management is the main emphasis, as the partner companies are essentially venue operators.

However, events of various types are increasingly being managed by the venue operator itself. It is therefore recommended that venue managers also obtain basic understanding of how these events can be planned and implemented.

To meet these expectations, we have developed a diversified program that considers the different requirements.

II. Leadership Training Program

A. Target group-oriented objectives

Top and Middle Management: We assume that the participants possess a higher education or academic background. If they or single managers additionally possess experiences in the MICE industry, it is welcome. However, most of the new staff might be fresh in the industry. The objectives for these groups should be the following:

• The designated managers should get a specific overview about the MICE industry, its specific market conditions and the economic and regional political significance.
• The managers should be skilled to recognize the specific functions and disciplines, which are relevant for managing a venue.
• They should be able to analyze the operative interfaces of the venue functions and understand their interrelationships.
• Moreover, they should be competent to link the facility and business management functions in order to fulfill their clients’ expectations.
• Also, they should be able to operate own events – e. g. exhibitions, conventions and special events.

B. Structure of the Leadership Program

The program includes two training stages for two different target groups and training objectives. For venue managers, the basics of venue management are presented. For the target group of event organizers, the program is adapted and covers the principles of event operations.

In the second stage of the training program, both target groups are offered in-depth content on leadership.

Each part of the program can be chosen separately and will be certified accordingly.

If a participant chooses a module from the first and second level and the leadership programs successfully completed, he or she will receive a "Venue Management Leadership" certificate from a German Chamber of Commerce.

The content of each module is described in the following chapter.

The training program can - depending on the requirements - also be offered as an e-learning study program. In this case, the following procedure is intended:

• Duration: Five weeks per module
• The participants get a paper for each subject
• Brief online presentation
• Short video clips for essential topics
• Group assignments
• Q&A
• Multiple choice tests

From a pedagogical and learning efficiency point of view, we offer different modules that are complementary, but can also be delivered as stand-alone units.

The venue business (1 day): Principal understanding, markets, economic functions, supply & demand, involved service providers, venues as a service provider for events, organizational structure and functions, process of an event.

Venue management – essentials (2 days): Strategic and operational FM, computer aided FM, special tasks. Infrastructure of a Convention Center, perspectives of exhibitors, visitors and partners. Business functions, marketing the venue, selling advertising opportunities, trends in the meeting industry.

Project management as basic competences (2 days): Basics of project management for MICE projects (project definition, planning, realization, competition). Congress management: partners, choosing a destination, setting the program, catering, exhibitions, budgeting, evaluation

The organizer business (1 day): Principal understanding, markets, economic functions, the organizer side, supply & demand, involved service providers, organizational structure and functions, event and exhibition procedures.

Project management as basic competences (2 days): Basics of project management for MICE projects (project definition, planning, realization, competition). Exhibition management: stakeholders, program development, feasibility study, budgeting, evaluation, pricing.

Marketing & Sales (1 day): Marketing principles; market research; organizers and marketing instruments: traditional and digital tools. Sales process, rebooking, reporting, procedures

Participation in exhibitions – the exhibitor view (1 day): Internal exhibition check, selecting the right show, participation concept, stand management, promotion concept, follow-up measures.

Leadership and Team Management (2 days): Leadership principals, basics of team management; managing intercultural teams; change and strategic management; intercultural management; risk and crisis management

Business operations (2 days): International contractual law, intellectual property right, view on labor law, occupational health and safety at work, insurance, international payment procedures, consular services and visa regulations, logistics

Special subjects: Green Events / Sustainability (1 day), the need for sustainability, event structures and green elements; new event formats, online and hybrid events, streaming, setting up own event formats; new trends and developments; sustainable venue management, operation and technology