The REACH Events Scholarship Programme, which aims to encourage people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds into the events industry, has announced a new university partner and is calling for industry pledges to enable more students to be supported by the programme.

Created in 2021 by an industry task force led by Robert Kenward, Event First Steps, and Diversity Alliance, REACH aims to increase representation of young people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds on events management degree programmes, by providing students with a £5,000 a year scholarship to support with living expenses.

At The Meetings Show last week, Kenward announced the University of Hertfordshire as the new partner for the programme, with scholarships available for students on its Event Management degree available from September 2023.

The Meetings Show has pledged to support a student through the three-year REACH programme at the University of Hertfordshire, alongside emc3 and acalive.

REACH is now calling for more events industry companies to support the initiative.

The launch university partner for the programme was Manchester Metropolitan University, and TRO, DRPG, Identity, Mash Media, thehub.jobs and because creative experiences are supporting six students with scholarships on the Event Management degree programme over the next three years.