At IMEX Frankfurt 2025, the #DESIGNtoCHANGE PODcast conversation series featured an insightful discussion with Amber Herrewijn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-herrewijn-48166112/ ) from NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Hosted by Roel Frissen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/roelfrissen/) in the Event Design LAB℠ onsite at #IMEX, the session explored innovations in the business events industry and event management education.
Amber, representing BeFuture, a Co-European funded project involving six countries including Spain, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, discussed efforts to drive sustainability and innovation in an industry largely unchanged for four decades. The project's acceleration program grants support initiatives like Konferli for sustainable associative conferences and InnoFest, which bridges the gap between festivals and business events.
NHL Stenden's master's program in International Leisure Tourism and Events Management, featuring a diverse cohort from seven nationalities, incorporates the Event Canvas methodology and the EDC Event Design Certificate Program. The curriculum adapts to industry changes, including AI's impact, focusing on developing tech-savvy, resilient professionals. Students like Judy from Taiwan gain practical experience at IMEX, engaging directly with industry leaders.
Amber highlighted the contrast between festivals and business events, noting how festivals create temporary cities that offer controlled environments for innovation and trial-and-error approaches. This comparison underscored the need for more experimentation in the business events sector, which often faces constraints due to client expectations and stakeholder pressures.
The conversation explored the shift towards a Human to Human (H2H) approach, moving beyond traditional B2B models. Amber addressed generational differences in networking, noting how the absence of cell phones in earlier generations fostered better social skills – a challenge for today's young professionals at events like IMEX and the Future Leadership Program.
NHL Standen's design-based research philosophy, where students tackle real industry challenges, was presented as a bridge between theory and practice. This approach provides value to both students and industry partners, preparing graduates for the evolving global events landscape.
The session concluded by emphasizing the need for ongoing innovation in event design and execution. From sustainability initiatives to creating meaningful human connections, the discussion highlighted the importance of adapting to changing industry demands to ensure the continued relevance and impact of business events in the future.
Speakers
Roel Frissen
Managing Partner / co-founder
Event Design Collective GmbH
Amber Herrewijn
Senior lecurer / Researcher
NHLStenden University, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
A full overview of Key Takeaways, Idea Cloud and Summary can be found here courtesy of SnapSight in 70 languages :https://www.snapsight.com/live-channel/8ed20a47-6702-4120-9f7b-7373448cf19c/ad387ee1-521d-43ca-932c-64921fa6b1a5/attendee?tab=takeaways
