UFI, the global association of the Exhibitions industry, has launched a new UFI-accredited qualification: the UFI Certified Professional (UCP).
Kai Hattendorf, UFI CEO and managing director, said members had been requesting an UFI endorsement of its education, so they could signal to employers and peers that they have obtained outstanding industry training. “Therefore, we are very pleased to introduce the UCP designation, a new, flexible approach in our industry serving different educational needs around the world,” he noted.
The launch of the UCP designation signals a new step in UFI’s evolution of its educational offers. In 2017, UFI and the Venue Management Association (VMA) began offering the UFI-VMA Venue Management School in Asia. And in 2020, despite the pandemic, the association launched the UFI-Exhibition Management School, and the first classes have already taken place for Asia and the Middle East and Africa region.
Both programmes will now form the core of the UFI Certified Professional designation, which is available to industry professionals who complete ten credits’ worth of training across various topics. Participants need to complete either the UFI-VMA Venue Management School or the UFI-Exhibition Management School programmes.
Participants will achieve the remaining credits from specialisation modules. These can be picked from educational offers provided both by UFI and its UCP partners, who will deliver UCP-approved training around the globe. These modules vary in topic, and allow the programme to be flexible according to participants’ individual interests and professional goals.
Three educational partners have been selected for the programme initially: MBB-Consulting Group (UK), Virtual Events Institute (USA) and Rego (UK).
The UCP is a self-paced programme, meaning there is no time limit or minimum duration. It is fully customisable, allowing participants to choose the timelines, topics and locations that suit them best. Additional benefits beyond the classroom include networking, specialisation and career development.
Matthias Tesi Baur, founder of MBB-Consulting Group, said: “The exhibition industry is facing huge challenges and changes in the years to come, and will need to attract diverse and widely skilled talents for that journey of change. Ongoing education and training play a vital role, ensuring young, skilled people join our industry and stay. The UFI Certified Professional programme is a great way to increase the attractiveness of our industry and to make us collectively stronger.”
Sophie Ahmed, CEO of Virtual Events Institute, added: “We will provide UFI members with the knowledge and skills to create new experiences, capitalise on new revenue streams, grow their brand and break into new markets. We are delighted to be working with UFI to help its members maximise their success.”
Rego CEO, George Stylianou, said: “Becoming an UFI education partner has presented us with a fantastic opportunity to share The Rego Approach, a unique body of learning, developed over the last 25 years, to empower our people to consistently deliver stellar results. We very much look forward to working closely with UFI to further develop professionals across the exhibitions industry.”
Visit: www.ufi.org/education/ucp for more information on modules and applications.
