As part of our ongoing commitment to promote Sheffield as a conference destination, we collaborate closely with our partners at Marketing Sheffield to raise the profile of their Conference Ambassador Programme. A city wide initiative aimed at supporting academics, medical specialists and experts from industry in bidding for conferences to be hosted here.
Last year, in partnership with Marketing Sheffield we hosted the International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM) 2024, the first to ever be held outside of the US – a landmark achievement for the University and city.
The bid was put forward by Peter Mylon, one of the Senior University Teachers in Engineering, who reached out to us for help. We quickly saw the potential for Peter to become part of the Ambassador Programme and benefit from the range of valuable support available, including:
- Pulling bid content together – including city and venue images
- Identifying the best venues and hotels, obtaining costs and availability
- Recommendations for event management companies
- Ideas for special experiences and offers for delegates
- Advice on funding streams available
After an incredible coordinated effort from everyone involved, we welcomed over 250 delegates from across the world. The annual event provided a platform for academics to share their knowledge, showcase innovations, and discuss best practices for making these spaces thrive – and we couldn’t think of a better setting than Sheffield.
The main event took place in The Diamond – the University’s iconic engineering building, located in the heart of the city. The venue’s dynamic space and state of the art facilities provided the ideal setting for the event, utilising the ground floor lecture theatres, exhibition areas, computer and work rooms and the Moonscape exhibition and catering area. A delicious range of catering was provided throughout the day to delegates, including a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan options which were very well received by attendees from around the world.
A welcome drinks reception was held in the iconic Winter Garden, and there was also a trip to local beauty spot Chatsworth House and the Cutlers’ Hall, providing delegates with a glimpse into Sheffield’s rich history. At Cutlers’ Hall, delegates were greeted by the Master Cutler before enjoying a formal dinner there. Throughout the event, attendees took part in workshops, panels and collaborative discussions that covered a wide range of topics, including innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability, and how to engage communities.
Sheffield’s own award-winning inventor and advocate for STEM education, Ruth Amos, delivered an inspiring speech, sharing her journey, insight and inventions with an enthusiastic crowd. This was made possible following a successful application to Visit Britain’s International Delegate Growth Fund which Marketing Sheffield facilitated. The funds secured enabled Peter to ensure their keynote speaker was of national and international appeal. The event received glowing feedback from guests, though its success was perhaps best captured by Peter Mylon himself, saying:
The energy throughout the symposium was palpable, and it was clear that the discussions, panels, and workshops resonated deeply with attendees. For me, seeing so many participants leave inspired, eager to implement new ideas in their own makerspaces was a great reward for all the hard work we put in to organise it.”
We are excited to continue our partnership with Marketing Sheffield to showcase the diverse range of venues we have at the University of Sheffield and to build our reputation globally.
Our collaboration with Marketing Sheffield is of immense value for the conference and events team at the University of Sheffield, and we really appreciate the support they offer to help raise the profile of Sheffield as a potential city to host a conference. We are able to work together to showcase not only our fantastic venues here at The University of Sheffield, but also venues and activities in the wider city to benefit the city economy as a whole. There is inspiring and ground-breaking academic and medical research taking place within the city, and our partnership with Marketing Sheffield allows us to help facilitate these connections and work together to bring world renowned conferences to Sheffield.”
Looking ahead, we’re thrilled to announce that one of the next city-wide collaborations will be taking place later this year, which will be led by another Ambassador for Marketing Sheffield, Professor Claudia von Bastian, from the University’s School of Psychology, and Vanessa Loaiza from Colorado State University, who previously worked at the University of Sheffield.
The European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCOP) will be joining us in September with over 1000 delegates. Whilst plans are still underway, we can reveal that events will be taking place in The Octagon, The Diamond and other iconic venues across the city, such as Cambridge Street Collective and Kelham Island Museum. To celebrate the city’s diverse environment, there will be a programme of activities across the city and surrounding areas to get involved with, such as a Park Run in Endcliffe Park, a walk in the Peak District, a visit to Chatsworth House and a city tour, including a trip to the industrial heart of Sheffield, Kelham Island. Claudia said:
While exciting and a fantastic opportunity, the thought of hosting an international conference felt also quite scary at first! The support by the University and Marketing Sheffield, their invaluable experience, and meeting other Ambassadors has entirely taken off the scariness of this endeavour. Now we can’t wait to welcome our colleagues from near and far to Sheffield, and proudly showcase what our City has to offer!”
Claudia has also recently featured in the Inspirational Women showcase celebrating and recognising inspiring women in the university community and their remarkable achievements.
If you are interested in hosting an event or conference at the University of Sheffield, and finding out more about the support available through Marketing Sheffield, please get in touch.
Gemma Tissington, Ambassador Manager, says of our partnership,
We collaborate closely to bring both national and international conferences to the city, to the point where many organisers consider us an extension of their team. Whenever possible, and when requested, we prioritise hosting academic-led conferences at the university. Beyond that, we offer our expertise to ensure you get the most out of hosting an event in Sheffield—whether it’s advising on social programs, venues, or accommodation. Additionally, we can support with writing any event bids. Regardless of who you reach out to first, you’ll have access to all of these services at no cost.”
If you are interested in learning more about anything mentioned in this article, or would like to access any support in bidding to host an event, then please contact Gemma Tissington to discuss by emailing: Gemma.Tissington@sheffield.gov.uk.
To find out more about our venues at the University of Sheffield, and how we can help you plan your event, please get in touch with the team at WithUS at conferences@withus.com or call 0114 222 8822