International conference marks 10 years of Higher Education Sector collaboration in Cambridge
Client: Lean Higher Education
Type of event: International conference
Venues: Cambridge Union Society, Hilton Cambridge City Centre and Fitzwilliam College
Lean Higher Education is a global network dedicated to continuous improvement and lean methodology in higher education. The network marked its 10th anniversary with an international conference in Cambridge - the perfect backdrop to support the ‘innovation meets tradition’ theme.
The three-day conference was attended by approximately 170 delegates, representing 10 countries and 77 universities globally. Attendees included higher education professionals, as well as consultancy firms and others associated with the sector.
Why Cambridge?
Guided by the theme “Sustainability in Lean: Bridging Innovation and Tradition,” the event highlighted the critical role of sustainable practices in continuous improvement and higher education.
The role of innovation and tradition was perfectly brought to life by Cambridge, a city that has been known for academic excellence for more than 800 years and a hub for innovation.
The team also committed to a wider sustainable theme throughout the event, demonstrating that conferences can make simple swaps to be kinder to the environment; such as reducing plastic by using reusable lanyards and name cards, giving vouchers instead of ‘goody bags’, and coordinating the event alongside visits to other UK universities to make it as seamless as possible for international delegates.
Venues chosen with purpose
The organising team, from the University of Cambridge, worked closely with Meet Cambridge to find a practical space for the conference format. Three distinct venues were chosen, each with a unique purpose:
For day one, Cambridge Union Society fit the ‘innovation meets tradition’ theme and lent itself perfectly to plenary sessions. It gave delegates a flavour of Cambridge and the history of the city.
The next venue was Hilton Cambridge City Centre, chosen for days two and three. The venue offered the perfect space for parallel sessions and the entire conference suite was available to them for a seamless experience.
Finally, the conference dinner was held at Fitzwilliam College, to give delegates the ‘college experience’. With its seasonal menu, Fitzwilliam College fit perfectly with the event's sustainable practices. Fitzwilliam was chosen for its stunning dining room and capacity for post-dinner entertainment and dancing, for a memorable evening.
A true partner
Linda Spinks, Continuous Improvement Lead, University of Cambridge said: "Thank you to Meet Cambridge for coordinating our initial enquiry – the service was great. It was fabulous to work with a team that had in-depth knowledge of the venue. We’re also grateful for the introduction to Opening Doors & Venues as our professional conference organiser. By the time we were finished, they truly felt like part of the team, having been engaged and supportive from day one"
Delegates felt the event was positive and inclusive, with the sessions providing a good balance; “the gala dinner was a more relaxed way to socialise with others, the food throughout the three days was fab and we really appreciated the regular breaks".
