Photo: T. Karl, A. Königstein 
Photo: T. Karl, A. Königstein 
Photo: T. Karl, A. Königstein 
Photo: T. Karl, A. Königstein 
Photo: T. Karl, A. Königstein 
Photo: T. Karl, A. Königstein
Our very first Showabend took place in 1987, arising as a result of a seminar on Tourism run by Prof. Harald Bartl, the former Head of Department. The seminar was centred around hospitality (entertainment) at hotels or during club holidays and often culminated in an elaborate show held on the final evening. This practical part of the seminar then turned into a show evening to share the students’ efforts with the rest of the university.
After Prof. Bartl left the university, Prof. Jan Drengner and Prof. Hans Rück started to run the Showabend back in 2012, organising it as a business case study for Master’s students, or as an elective module in the field of Events Management for Bachelor’s students studying Tourism and Travel Management.
The event programme is focused around a central theme which serves as the mantra for the evening.Students have the opportunity to put their professional event management skills to the test - from designing and planning the event to implementing organisational measures and ensuring a successful outcome. And they have to do all this whilst assuming full responsibility and taking full control over the budget. (This isn’t a drill - it is a real event with a real monetary budget!)
Over the years, more and more departments have been getting involved in the Showabend, evidence of the positive response to this extraordinary event, and it has developed into an experience which can be shared by all at the Hochschule Worms, thanks to the volunteers and variety of acts involved.
For Bachelor’s and Master’s students:
Students will be assessed on their theory-based approach to designing and planning, as well as their ability to schedule an event, bring it to life and follow up post-event. To this end, students will be assigned an area (location, communication, marketing/finance, scheduling, controlling).
Special Business Administration Studies (SBWL)/Areas of Specialisation: Events Management; preferable if the student has already specialised in this SBWL area of specialisation.
Ideal number of participants: 5 Master’s students, 20 Bachelor’s students
Number of credit points (CP):
- 10 CP for Bachelor’s students (students would take both elective modules: Showabend I = event design and Showabend II = bringing the event to life),
- 9 CP for Master’s students (Showabend case study)
By realising the event, students will learn how to develop an idea into a concept and then into a finished product, in terms of both theory and practice. What's more, students have to work together on the project in practice-oriented teams, an exercise which encourages the development of social skills and provides them with optimal preparation for their future careers.
Every student on the course will gain the following skills in events management:
- a theory-based approach to designing and planning, as well as the ability to schedule an event, bring it to life and follow up post-event
- agile project management following the SCRUM framework and using the “Confluence” and “Jira” software packages
Students can also gain more specialised knowledge according to their individual areas:
Scheduling
- Developing an event concept (formulating and presenting ideas)
- Drawing up an itinerary
- Preparing the event location
- Briefing staff
- Synchronising performances and technical systems (coordinating lighting and sound systems)
- Guaranteeing the dramatic composition and continuity of the show programme
- Guaranteeing that the event production and staging runs smoothly
Location
- Booking an event location
- Obtaining all necessary permits/insurance policies (GEMA [Society for musical performing and mechanical reproduction rights], food hygiene regulations, regulatory authority etc.)
- Staff costing/scheduling
- Coordinating event technology
- Preparing the event location
- Planning the catering and drinks service
- Guaranteeing that the event runs smoothly
Marketing/Finance
- Drawing up a sponsoring concept
- Acquiring and taking care of sponsors
- Developing a sales and marketing strategy
- Guaranteeing that the event runs smoothly
- Controlling finances/managing the budget for the entire duration
- Balancing and closing accounts
Communication
- Developing a communication strategy for the event (e.g. identifying specific channels of communication to reach the target audience)
- Producing means of communication (programmes, flyers, posters)
- Implementing online marketing strategies
(communicating on social media, a website for the event) - Guaranteeing that the event runs smoothly
Controlling
- Evaluating the event (creating online surveys, analysing data, processing results)
- Following up post-event
Gaining an overview of the progress made by each of the individual areas in terms of both content and time is just one of the challenges posed by the Showabend. What's more, teachers would like to be able to provide students with quick and efficient support in between lessons. To this end, web-based tools, such as Confluence and JIRA from Atlassian, are put to good use for planning the Showabend, enabling this event to be offered as one of the Hochschule Worms’ innovative modules.
Drengner, J.; Rück, H. (2016): Ansätze für ein umfassendes Controlling von Marketing-Events, in: Zanger, C. (Hrsg.): Events und Tourismus, Wiesbaden, S. 224-240. [further information]