Looking into the future with... Maarten Sauter, Erasmus University RotterdamLooking into the future with... Maarten Sauter, Erasmus University Rotterdam
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Looking into the future with... Maarten Sauter, Erasmus University Rotterdam

There's little that's more enjoyable than looking ahead, thinking outside the box, and dreaming about the future without reservation. That requires an open mind and creativity, qualities that are abundant in the events industry. In the "Looking into the Future with..." series, we speak with event managers, venue managers, creative minds, and clients. This time, we speak with Maarten Sauter, head of the Events & Experience department, part of the M&C department at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). Events and communication have been a common thread throughout his career: ‘I think events are a great way to showcase what your organization stands for.’

As head of the Events & Experience department, the corporate events department of Erasmus University Rotterdam, he always enjoys talking about his own field. Within EUR, there are even several departments and teams that work in this field. In addition to the Corporate Events team, which is responsible for the opening of the academic year, the celebration of the Dies Natalis (the university's anniversary - 110 years in 2023), and the Rotterdam Lecture, there is also a communications team that handles the organization of the Bachelor's and Master's Open Days, and a university-specific department, the Bureau of the Beadle, which is responsible for the ceremonial side of academic events, such as promotions and inaugural lectures. ‘Issues such as the entire transition during the pandemic, the development of the teams, and the way we as a university respond to event trends are overarching things that I am concerned with.’

Why the events industry?

‘I love the variety, the excitement, and the build-up to events. The events industry also attracts a certain type of people, with whom I resonate well. But in addition, I think events are a great way to showcase what your organization stands for. You can give people an experience and a feeling during an event.’

‘The overlap between multiple fields or the fields you come into contact with is precisely the way I think you should approach the profession and the vision I always emphasize within my team. You can no longer get away with just the logistical part of the organization. The benefit lies in the tension between marketing, event management, but also, for example, the social media strategy - you really need to develop in breadth to be able to put on a good event.’

What learnings have you taken from the past few years?

‘During the COVID-19 crisis, "hybrid event management" was a buzzword, and everyone had their own definition of the term. At the university, hybrid event management has really proven its value. We are not going back to fully offline events. Our definition of hybrid is that you aim for a full experience for both offline and online participants and that there is also interaction between the two. We have found that this way of organizing events allows us to reach new target groups. For example, with information events such as the Bachelor's Open Days, where you are dealing with both an international audience and prospective students who, for whatever reason, cannot attend the Open Day in person. You become more inclusive with your events as a result.’

In addition to reaching new target groups, Maarten also cites sustainability as one of the major benefits. ‘At promotions, there is always a commission present, often with international members. Before the pandemic, an international commission member had to fly back and forth in a day to attend. That is no longer necessary. You now have a choice, which I think is the beauty of hybrid event management. It's no longer either/or but both/and. I really think that choice is an added value.’

What other changes have come about as a result of this hybrid format?

‘If you opt for the complete experience and choose a professional recording of your event, you are creating content that you can reuse. We are happy to share that content with the EUR community after the event. A professional recording of speakers and academic 'rising stars' during events like Dies Natalis is valuable content. We are now also applying elements that were found to be important during online programs to keep people engaged in live events. More speed, more variety. Although we were forced to do so during the pandemic, we found that the same rules apply to people in the room. Do people lose interest online? They also do so in the room. So hybrid has definitely not remained just a buzzword. I can imagine that it doesn't work out that way for every organization, but hybrid event organization has really proven its worth for the university.’

What trends do you foresee?

‘What I find a very interesting development is AI. Such as ChatGPT, for example. That chatbot with artificial intelligence has sparked a lot of discussion. Should we fear it or embrace it? It offers opportunities and threats, but it is definitely here to stay. I find that very interesting: how can we possibly apply AI in our industry? What impact will that have on the events we organize? For example, as a creative sparring partner during a brainstorm about a certain concept? The chat as a conversation partner? Or simply as a handy online translation tool. When thinking about this, very crazy ideas come up and it really makes you think. It's very cool to experiment with those kinds of ideas. Looking to the future, I find it very interesting to see how AI will further enrich our field.’

What is the coolest event you have worked on?

‘I am proud of all the beautiful events my team organizes, but one that stands out for me is the last opening of the academic year. The theme was AI, and we had a great speaker in Refik Anadol who fit perfectly within the theme. It was really a long shot to invite him, but we succeeded! Refik Andol is an artist who uses AI and huge datasets to create incredibly beautiful visual works of art. He operates at the intersection of science, art, and the social, which also fits perfectly with the values of our university.’

‘With large projectors, a large artwork was created in the auditorium, in which everyone was immersed. Working in collaboration with B agency, many things came together: content, creativity, visualization. The academics in the room were amazed. I am very proud that we were able to bring him here, but also that we were able to show it in such a way. Our auditorium is normally a somewhat bare space for 900 people. That we can do this with our auditorium was very cool! Those are really the beautiful events: a wow factor and strong content.’

What is the secret ingredient to making an event unforgettable?

‘The core of a university is research, science, and education. The ability to discuss, disagree, and come up with a solution. I think that should always be reflected in our events. But at the same time, it also has to be interesting for the people in the room. And that target audience is broad: from first-year students to fourth-year students, and from scientific staff to people working in professional services. So you have to develop a program that is interesting for multiple target groups, but also requires making choices. That is a nice challenge. Form and content, that is important for every event, but especially for a university.’

Do you have a prediction for 2023?

‘After the hectic COVID-19 period, I do not wish for major changes in the industry in the near future. It is now time to learn from all the beautiful lessons and build on them.

 

Photocaption:

As I mentioned before, inclusivity is very important to us. This also applies to our stage guests. During the last Dies Natalis, the majority of the stage guests were women. Our rector is a woman, honorary doctorates were awarded to women, and many awards in various categories were also won by a woman. Moreover, on that day, the hall of fame with all female professors was also unveiled. I think it is beautiful that, not through conscious choices but through academic achievements, a stage full of women was created. And that a discussion arises about what 'inclusivity' actually means, fits perfectly with the core values of our university.

Tekst: Mahlee Plekker

Vertaling: ChatGTP