Basic Event Information
Date: 1 March 2021 – 30 November 2021
Location: SKKP online Academy educational platform
Organiser: SKKP Polish Conference and Congress Association
Client: Polish MICE industry: employees of the tourism industry as well as people looking for employment in the tourism sector, students and graduates
EVENT CATEGORY: CATEGORY B2I
EVENT SUBCATEGORY: Best Educational Event / Training
EVENT FORMAT: DIGITAL
Event description and key objectives
During the total collapse of the tourism industry caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, the reconstruction of the market required, first of all, education, advice, a new recognition of trends in the tourism and meetings industry and adapting its offer to the demand. In order to meet these needs, SKKP started a series of 10 trainings entitled “Management in the MICE industry” offering basic knowledge about the MICE industry, but adapted to the new realities related to COVID-19. The main objectives were to help the industry become more agile and overcome crisis by providing them with the knowledge that can be easy accessible and available in a virtual space, while a live trainings and meetings were not possible. The knowledge from experts-practitioners enriched with case studies and know-how from international organizations.
Key challenges
The key challenge was a limited budget. SKKP main income comes from membership fees so there was a need to find additional funds from the external sources. We managed to get a financing from the national program of the Ministry of Labor, Development and Technology. Another challenge was to find right trainers who had a knowledge and practical experience and more over were willing to record their trainings and conduct live workshops. Each of them had to conduct 10 hours of LIVE workshops to every training they recorded. We also had a limited budget for promotion so we mainly used our social media profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn to promote the event. We managed to receive a free media support from our key industry portals MeetingPlanner.pl and ThinkMice.pl which regularly published press releases related to our event.
Creativity
One of the SKKP strategic goals is to raise knowledge and skills of the Polish industry in order to develop and maintain a professional conference services in Poland. To fulfill this goal, in October 2019 there was a SKKP Academy launched offering LIVE trainings. At the outbreak of the crisis associated with COVID-19, there was a sudden need for knowledge transfer and access to proven know-how from international organizations regarding ways to deal with this unique situation. Reliable and checked information is necessary to make right decisions. But because in person gatherings were forbidden, SKKP team came up with an idea to create an event “Management in the MICE industry – training series” on an online platform. It is a knowledge compendium of MICE but updated with examples of how other organizations are dealing with a post pandemic world, what are the best solution etc. It provides industry with inspiration and encourages to implement creative solutions in their businesses.
Innovation
We have prepared and recorded 10 following trainings:
1. Characteristics of the meetings market in Poland and in the world after the pandemic
2. Virtual and hybrid events
3. New technologies and digitization in the MICE sector
4. Security and safety of the organization of post COVID 19 events
5. World trends in the organization of events
6. Business networking in the new normality
7. Marketing communication, PR and social media
8. Professional organization of post COVID-19 events
9. Stages and new criteria for acquiring MICE sector events
10. Characteristics of the “Event manager” profession and new perspectives. Each training consists of two parts: theoretical (1.5 hr.) and a practical workshop (1.5 hr.). Trainings could be taken individually or in a package. The participant who decided to take a package of 10 trainings was additionally required to submit a written paper. After positive verification of 10 tests and the written paper, he received the “Event Manager” certificate.
Execution
• Six expert practitioners with over 10 years of experience in the industry were selected for recording of training sessions • SKKP obtained funding for the implementation of the project in the period from March 1 to November 30, 2021 from the Ministry of Labor, Development and Technology
• At that time, the courses were available free of charge to employees of the tourism industry, people seeking employment in the tourism sector, students and graduates of tourism faculties.
• The visualization and graphic design of the project were created (including PowerPoint presentation, certificates, promotional materials etc.)
• Training sessions were recorded, which, along with reports and additional educational materials, were successively placed on the platform
• Convenient registration was ensured – to participate in training and workshops, you needed to simply register on the platform and after receiving the activation link, you could take part in the courses at any time you choose
•10 Universities offering tourism specializations were acquired for cooperation
Measurable results
The results achieved significantly exceed the assumptions initially planned in the project:
• 878 certificates of completion of individual training courses were issued (450 certificates were assumed to be issued)
• 113 people completed the full cycle of 10 courses and received the SKKP Academy Event Manager certificate
• The platform currently has over 600 active users (150 users were assumed)
• Cooperation was established with 10 Universities across the country, with which Letters of Intent were signed (cooperation with 7 universities was assumed). They are:
- Higher School of Tourism and Ecology in Sucha Beskidzka
- Higher School of Tourism and Hotel Management in Gdańsk
- Vistula Main School of Tourism and Hotel Management in Warsaw
- Cracow University of Economics
- University of Europe Fr. Józef Tischner in Krakow
- Pedagogical University of National Education Commission in Krakow
- Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw
- WSB University in Warsaw
- University of Economics in Katowice
- Academy of Physical Education in Katowice.
Communication
• The project significantly raised the profile of the SKKP and the Academy itself
• We strengthened our brand as the experts on the Polish market
• We gained a positive image as a reliable partner
• We got a great ROI – small investment and a great media coverage
• We experienced a significant raise in the number of our website visitors as well as the Facebook and LinkedIn page
• Thanks to the access to the e-learning platform, the industry has the opportunity to constantly improve its qualifications and adapt the methods of providing its services to the new reality after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The use of sustainable practices
• We have started a cooperation with 10 Universities. They will keep using recorded trainings to enrich their lectures. The project is just a start of a long term cooperation. Two of the Universities have already asked SKKP for a patronage over their MICE related studies. With another one we will begin a research project on the legacy of business meetings.
• Certificates issued for participants will be an additional asset to their resumes. Their competences increased, they got new skills, which will allow to overcome the negative effects of the pandemic
• SKKP ONLINE ACADEMY is the only e-learning platform in Poland dedicated to all those interested in raising qualifications in the field of management and organization of events. It offers trainings as well as Polish and international reports and publications, related to the meetings industry.
• The platform will continue to be developed. SKKP will publish on it new trainings, reports and educational materials on a regular basis and as needs arise.
