Sponsored content
Plug in to a city: Making local partnerships work in Melbourne
IN MELBOURNE, ORGANISERS AND ACADEMICS WORK SIDE-BY-SIDE TO CREATE REAL- WORLD OUTCOMES, AND BUILD EVENTS WITH A LEGACY
G ood conferences leave a
footprint; great conferences leave a lasting legacy – a research partnership, perhaps even a policy change. As well as being a benefit to the industry and to the world, this is, of course, also an ideal situation for the organiser.
This legacy model is one that Melbourne, in Australia, does exceptionally well. Universities, researchers, hospitals and local experts are all deeply embedded in the local events community.
Here, we’ ll explain how the city turns short-term events into long-term impact.
Team Melbourne: A citywide support model Melbourne’ s success in this space is the result of a model led by the Melbourne Convention Bureau( MCB) called Team Melbourne. It’ s a coordinated, citywide approach that connects organisers with the right people, early.
Every event is different. Some are initiated by local academics that MCB has worked with in the past. Others begin with MCB identifying an opportunity and then finding the right local partners to help shape a winning bid. That might be a university
department, a major hospital, a policy body or a commercial research institute.
From there, the timeline can stretch across years – from qualification and bidding through to hosting and delivery. But that longer lead time allows real relationships to develop between organisers and local stakeholders.
Case study: 2024 World Congress on Menopause One of the clearest examples is the 2024 World Congress on Menopause, held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre( MCEC).
Below: 1. Melbourne Environmental science and engineering research centre at Monash University
2. Melbourne World Congress on Menopause at MCEC
The event was led by professor Susan Davis AO, director of the Women’ s Health Research Programme at Monash University and a member of the Club Melbourne Ambassador Programme. She worked closely with the Australian Menopause Society, Monash University and MCB to build the programme over several years.
“ The success of this event was underpinned by strong collaboration between the International Menopause Society, the Australasian Menopause Society and the Melbourne Convention Bureau,” Davis said.“ The Australasian Menopause Society played a vital role in mobilising local networks and attracting a significant contingent of Australian delegates.”
She continued:“ Melbourne’ s standing as a hub of academic and clinical excellence in women’ s health also contributed significantly to being chosen as the host city. We boast one of the highest concentrations of leading researchers and clinicians in this field within Australia.
“ This local depth of expertise not only strengthened the programme’ s content but also meant rich interdisciplinary engagement for local and international attendees.”
How to make the most of local networks We asked professor Davis how event organisers can make the most of local expertise and networks in Melbourne. She broke it down into three key steps: 1. Engage with national and international organisations“ The first step is to identify national organisations most closely aligned with the event’ s focus and to establish early engagement with their international counterparts. Collaboration between these societies is highly effective in broadening reach and relevance.” 2. Identify and involve local opinion leaders“ Equally important is identifying and involving local opinion leaders.
48 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 136