Professional Event Management Masterclass

Professional Event Management Masterclass

Introduction

Malaysia’s events and business tourism sector continues to be a significant economic driver, contributing billions of ringgit annually and supporting a wide ecosystem of venues, suppliers, and professional service providers. As the industry matures, expectations around governance, safety, sustainability, inclusivity, and return on investment have increased substantially. Many event delivery challenges today arise not from creativity, but from gaps in structured planning, budgeting, risk management, stakeholder coordination, and post-event evaluation, particularly within regulated and corporate environments.

This two-day Event Management Workshop is designed to address these realities by equipping participants with a practical, end-to-end understanding of professional event management within the Malaysian context. Covering the full event lifecycle, from initiation and concept development to delivery, shutdown, and evaluation—the programme integrates key considerations such as regulatory compliance, organisational policies, accessibility, risk management, and sustainable event practices. Participants will also be introduced to best-practice tools, project management frameworks, and the strategic use of AI to enhance event planning, programming, and operational effectiveness.

About the presenter

The workshop is led by Dr Rob Harris, a globally recognised event management educator with extensive international and regional experience. Dr Harris has developed and delivered event management programmes up to Master’s level across the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, China, New Zealand, and Australia. He is co-author of leading industry texts including Festival and Special Event Management, Event Management, and the Regional Event Management Handbook, and serves as a judge for the Australian Event Awards. A Fellow of the Asia Pacific Institute for Events Management and an adjunct academic at the University of Technology Sydney and Taylor’s University Malaysia, Dr Harris brings a rare blend of academic rigour, industry insight, and regional relevance, ensuring participants benefit from both global best practices and practical, real-world application.

Up-coming Intake date: 10-11 June 2026 | 100% Online | Download brochure to reserve your seat(s) or,
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Outcome

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

- Build an appreciation of external and internal factors with the potential to impact the event management planning and delivery process
- Develop the ability to create an event concept capable of delivering upon an event’s stated purpose(s)
- Develop an understanding of the event initiation, planning, delivery, shutdown and evaluation processes along with key practices associated with each of these steps
- Engage participants in the use of selected ‘best practice’ event management tools and processes including the use of AI.

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No	Topic	Topic Description
1	Introduction to event management	Understanding the event planning context Legal and regulatory considerations Organisational considerations – internal policies/rules/procedures and other considerations e.g. insurances Defining, and understanding the needs of event stakeholders and attendees (including attendees with disabilities) An overview of steps in the event planning process
2	Project managing events (I)	Establishing an event’s purpose, goals, and objectives Event work breakdown structures
3	Event scheduling and management tools	Gantt charts Production schedules Run sheets Checklists The event manual
4	Event project management (II)	Event concept development (including the use of AI) AI and event programming and theming Staffing events (including volunteer management)
5	Event budgeting	Role of event budgets The event budgeting process Issues in event budgeting
6	Venue/site selection, layout and design	Venue/site selection Venue/site options Venue/site inspection checklists Site/venue plans
7	Event control, monitoring, shutdown, evaluation and review	Event control and monitoring tools (e.g. observations, checklists) Event shutdown – sequencing and issues Evaluation and review approaches Event finalisation (e.g. actual vs projected costs/income, supplier payments, event manual completion)
8	Risk management and sustainable event management	Types of event related risks and the risk management process Identifying risks and their likelihood and consequence Risk treatments Developing risk management documentation Types of event environmental impacts Sustainable event management practices Accreditation and standards in the event sustainability area Developing an event sustainability plan Workshop review

Expert

Dr. Rob Harris

Dr. Rob Harris - Former Director, Australian Centre for Event Management, University of Technology Sydney; Adjunct Professor, Taylor’s University, Malaysia; UTS Business School Associate; and Professional Fellow, Asia Pacific Institute for Events Management. Dr. Harris has an international reputation as an event management educator having developed and delivered programs through to Masters level in locations around the world including the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, China and New Zealand, as well as throughout Australia. He is a co-author of the texts Festival and Special Event Management, Event Management and the Regional Event Management Handbook. Dr. Harris serves as a judge for the Australian Event Awards and is a Fellow of the Asia Pacific Institute for Events Management. Additionally, he holds adjunct academic positions at the University of Technology Sydney and Taylors University Malaysia.