BCD Meetings & Events and ACA Live have pledged to support the REACH University Scholarship Initiative for the 2024 student intake at Bournemouth University.

The REACH (Race Ethnicity And Cultural Heritage) events scholarship initiative was launched in 2022 by Robert Kenward and Gabrielle Austen-Browne to help Black, Asian and unrepresented minority ethnic students to study event management degree programmes. The initiative provides a £5,000 yearly scholarship to support with living expenses.

Michelle Biggane, head of talent acquisition UK, BCD Meetings & Events said: “We are excited to be sponsoring future talent in their educational pursuit within the meetings & events industry. Here at BCD M&E, diversity, equity and inclusion is a core pillar of our value proposition, and a foundation we’re proud to be actively prioritising.”

Alex Crawley, client director, ACA Live said: “At ACA Live, we’re investing in the next generation of talent and helping to break the vicious cycle of a lack of diverse representation within the events industry. The REACH events management scholarship helps us to redress the balance, directly benefiting students from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.”

REACH is an ongoing campaign, which will continue to work with a new university each year and the founders are actively looking for more companies to come on board and help increase the diversity of the events industry.

The initiative is working with Bournemouth University to support students wishing to study on the 2024 intake, and previously worked with both Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Hertfordshire.

Companies that are interested in supporting REACH can contact Gabby Austen-Browne ([email protected]) or Robert Kenward ([email protected]) for more information.