Feedback
“The event went well. The Murray Edwards AV team was on hand to make sure we could test the videos and presentations beforehand and we also had help setting up the stage for our panel. The networking space allowed participants to mingle and build their networks after the event and the catering team was there to serve drinks and nibbles.
“The events team was highly professional throughout the booking and planning process. Freya Vaughan (Marketing & Events Officer) was particularly helpful in the lead up to the evening, providing great ideas and suggestions to help market and promote our event. We were really impressed with the level of customer service and support including having our event shared on the Murray Edwards Events’ social media pages.
“A big thank you to the team for all their help in making our event a success. As a small group who volunteered our time to organise the evening, having this level of support was much appreciated.”
Background
The Africa Technology Business Network (ATBN) works to support inclusive digital innovation in Africa. In February 2018 it co-organised a one-off event with Watipa, a social enterprise that provides consultancy services in international development and runs a scholarship programme for young leaders across Africa and other developing countries. The event was entitled ‘Unlocking Potential: Driving Gender Equality in Africa Through Education, Technology & Enterprise’ and was supported by Cambridge Social Ventures.
Held at Murray Edwards College, this brought together 45 attendees from the Cambridge community of academics, activists, entrepreneurs, students and residents with a common interest in women’s empowerment and development in different countries in Africa.
The format included presentations and a discussion panel with women leaders, who work to support female empowerment in Africa and nurture the next generation of African women leaders. The panel discussion was followed by an audience Question & Answer and networking drinks and canapes.
Client Brief
Eunice Baguma Ball, Founder & Director ATBN, and co-organiser of the event with Watipa, said: “The main criteria for choosing the venue was the location. We wanted our event to draw participants from in and around Cambridge who are passionate about gender equality.
“The fact that Murray Edwards is a college for women aligned well with the theme of our event and we felt this would add value to your community as well as to the event itself.
“Murray Edwards provided an excellent space and support which exceeded our expectations. We were able to incorporate multi-media into the event showing a series of videos and presentations to highlight some of the points being discussed. This added to the audience engagement and was particularly key as we were able to give participants a better idea of some of the initiatives being carried out on the ground in Africa.
“The calibre of the audience we were able attract demonstrated the advantages of using an academic venue. Participants were knowledgeable and informed about the issues which made for an insightful discussion. We benefited from the combination of world-class conference facilities located at the heart of the Cambridge knowledge-base and community.
Date of event:
6th February 2018
Type of event:
Presentation, Discussion and Networking Evening
Group size:
Facilities used:
Buckingham House Conference Centre
Lecture Theatre
Foyer for networking and drinks
