University Challenge Returns for Second Year with Fast Forward 15

27 January 2026 (Last updated: 27 Jan 2026 12:53)

Fast Forward 15 (FF15) has announced the return of its University Challenge, now in its second year, continuing its mission to nurture the next generation of event industry professionals through real-world, commercially driven experience.

This year’s Challenge welcomes teams from across the UK including Surrey, Sheffield Hallam University, Leeds, and Greenwich, with all participants currently studying for an Event Management degree. The initiative provides students with hands-on exposure to the realities of professional event delivery, supported by mentoring from experienced industry leaders.

The inaugural University Challenge was an outstanding success, with the quality of entries demonstrating exceptional creativity, strong commercial awareness, and the highest standards of event execution. The competition proved fiercely competitive, with the top three teams finishing within just points of each other. Ultimately, the “Bark in the Park” team from Sheffield Hallam University claimed victory, narrowly edging out the other finalists.

Reflecting on the experience, Cerys Dutton, one of the members from the winning Bark in the Park Team, said:

“It was an honour to be selected to participate in the University Challenge. Everyone at Fast Forward 15 was super welcoming and guided us throughout the competition. For our event I was the Operations and Safety Manager, and through this role our mentors Debra & Rose taught me so much about what to look out for and how to effectively communicate with suppliers and contractors.  Having ‘Winner of the University Challenge by FF15’ on my CV has significantly boosted my career opportunities. It has  highlighted to prospective employers that I have the potential to manage complex events.”

Another Team Member Maisie Bushell had this to say: “Bark In The Park was an amazing experience, and it demonstrates that I have the skills and experience to succeed in the events industry. The opportunities to connect with experienced event professionals were incredible. I can’t thank Fast Forward 15 enough.

The third team member Jessica Bronell-Burgess summarised by saying “During the University Challenge, we were privileged to be invited to be part of a panel at International Confex at ExCeL London, attend the Fast Forward 15 Mentoring Awards, the FF15 Graduation and Inauguration—where it was announced that we’d won the Challenge—and the Meetings Needs Showcase. We were immersed in the real events industry - It truly was the experience of a lifetime.”

Building on this success, the second year of the Fast Forward 15 University Challenge aims to further strengthen the bridge between academic study and industry practice, giving students unparalleled access to professional networks, mentoring, and career-defining opportunities.  All three girls from the Bark In the Park Team (and many others from teams across the competition) have gone on to obtain fantastic positions in the events industry and are currently exploring the potential of their chosen career to the full.

Fay Sharpe founder of Fast Forward 15 had this to say: “The University Challenge is about giving emerging talent a genuine platform to shine. The standard of work we saw in the inaugural year was exceptional, with students demonstrating not only creativity and real commercial thinking but also outstanding professionalism and high standards in event delivery. Seeing how much confidence, capability and ambition the Challenge unlocked in the participants reinforced exactly why Fast Forward 15 exists. We’re incredibly proud to be welcoming a second year of universities and can’t wait to see the innovation and energy this next cohort will bring to the industry.”

Fast Forward 15 remains committed to developing future leaders in the events industry and looks forward to another year of innovation, collaboration, and outstanding student achievement.

Applications are now open:  https://zealous.co/fastforward15/opportunity/fast-forward-15-mentoring-awards-26/

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