DkIT Event Management students and lecturers help shape the future of Ireland’s business events industry at AIPCO Educational Event
Students, graduates and lecturers from Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) recently played a prominent role in a national educational event hosted by the Association of Irish Professional Conference Organisers (AIPCO), highlighting the importance of industry collaboration and developing the next generation of business events professionals.
Held on 17 September 2026 at the RDS in Dublin, the AIPCO Business Events Educational Event brought together professionals from across Ireland's business events sector for a day of networking, knowledge-sharing and discussion on the future of the industry.
Representatives from DkIT's Department of Hospitality Studies contributed to a panel discussion entitled "Building the Talent Pipeline Together", which explored how educators, employers and industry organisations can work collaboratively to attract, develop and retain emerging talent.
Chaired by DkIT lecturer Maria Roddy-Freyne, the panel included DkIT lecturers Glenn McCormack and Róisín Carolan, alongside industry representatives Paul Murphy of AVCOM and Melissa O’Grady of Moloney & Kelly DMC – who is also a graduate of DkIT’s Event Management programme.
Current final-year student Jessica Commins and recent graduate Joshua Denny also participated, sharing their experiences of studying Event Management at DkIT and offering insights into the ambitions and expectations of young professionals entering the industry.
A group of third-year Event Management students also attended the event, benefiting from opportunities to network with established professionals, learn about emerging industry trends and explore potential career pathways within the business events sector.
Connecting Education with Ireland's Business Events 2030 Strategy
The event comes at an important time for Ireland's business events industry, following the publication of the Government's ‘Business Events 2030’ strategy, which aims to strengthen Ireland's position as a leading international destination for conferences, meetings, incentive travel and corporate events.
Business events already contribute more than €1 billion annually to the Irish economy and support approximately 22,000 jobs, with the national strategy targeting continued growth through to 2030.
At DkIT, business events form an important component of the curriculum across its Event Management degree programmes, ensuring students develop an understanding of this significant and expanding sector of the Irish economy.
Commenting on the experience, Glenn McCormack, Lecturer and Programme Director of the BA in Event Management at DkIT, said:
“This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to engage directly with industry professionals, build their networks and gain valuable insights into Ireland’s business events sector. Business events are a key component of our Event Management programmes, particularly given the ambitions of the Government’s Business Events 2030 strategy. We’re fortunate to have extensive industry experience within our lecturing team and bringing that real-world expertise into the classroom, alongside opportunities like this, is central to preparing our students for successful careers. We’re extremely grateful to AIPCO for inviting us to participate and for their continued commitment to connecting education with industry.”
The Department of Hospitality Studies extends its sincere thanks to AIPCO, particularly Conor Meany and Sarah Durcan, for facilitating DkIT's involvement in the educational event, and to the industry representatives, students, graduates and academic colleagues who contributed to its success.
