Academics from Cambridge University,

Organised by Meet Cambridge and held at St John’s College Old Divinity School, the evening presentation and drinks reception was a ‘thank you’ to Cambridge Ambassadors who, in bringing events to the city, are playing a major role in flying the Cambridge flag on the international stage.

As well as providing visiting delegates with the opportunity to enjoy a unique Cambridge Experience, the conferences and events brought to the region are important for facilitating discussions and enabling knowledge exchange, whilst also delivering significant economic benefit to the local economy and its events supply chain.

Kelly Vickers, Director of Meet Cambridge welcomed everyone, thanking the Ambassadors for their work in winning and hosting 18 international conferences during 2018 and the first part of 2019. She said: “During this period, these events attracted more than 2,400 delegates and were worth just over £2.4 million to the local economy; we have a further 16 in the pipeline through to 2024.  

“International conferences and events are a fantastic platform for showcasing the city and for facilitating collaboration on many levels. We hope that we can inspire more academics and business people to champion and propose Cambridge as a conference destination to their respective associations and societies in the future. Our Ambassador Programme offers free help and support from the bidding stage, right through to the event and beyond.”

Dr Karen Kennedy, Director of Strategic Partnerships Office at the University of Cambridge responded by saying: “More than ever before, global engagement is important for Cambridge as we share knowledge and create connections and opportunities across the world. The Meet Cambridge Ambassador plays an important role in making this happen.”

The Mayor of Cambridge, Councillor Gerri Bird echoed the importance of bringing events to the city to share the unique buildings and the economic impact it brings to the wider community. She said: “Encouraging conferences to be hosted here is important on so many levels:  it brings employment, helps the local economy and allows us to showcase our city to a worldwide audience. We are very happy to give our support to the Cambridge Ambassador Programme.”

Meet Cambridge is the official bureau for conferences and events in Cambridge and the wider region and offers a programme of free support to anyone interested in making a bid to bring a conference to Cambridge.

01223 768740  www.meet-cambridge.com

Caption

Bringing business to Cambridge, left to right: Dr Olena Lytovka and Elmer de Vos, International Conference on Gender Studies; Kelly Vickers, Meet Cambridge; Alan Pooley, Consort and Councillor Gerri Bird, Mayor, Cambridge City Council; Dr Karen Kennedy, University of Cambridge; David Dugdale and Louise Holder, International Symposium on Equine Reproduction; and Dr Leslie Gelling, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.