City ambassadors at LJMU gain recognition for £775k economic impact of academic conferences

Four LJMU academics have been recognised by Club Liverpool for their roles in bringing education and research conferences to the city that boosted the local economy by £775k.

The annual awards were hosted at Knowsley Hall on 12 March, bringing together Club Liverpool Ambassadors from a range of disciplines who have helped to bring international conferences and events to the city region in 2023, generating £10 million of economic impact benefiting hotels, restaurants, event spaces, and tourist attractions.

Ambassadors recognised from LJMU, and presented certificates of recognition by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Mary Rasmussen, were:

• Professor David Putwain, School of Education, for bringing The Psychology of Education Section Conference which contributed over £75,000 economic impact to the city region.
• Professor Zara Quigg, Public Health Institute, with Andrew Bennett from Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, for bringing The International Club Health Conference which contributed over £220,000 economic impact to the city region.
• Professor Mike Riley, Director of the School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, for bringing The Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference which contributed over £280,000 economic impact to the city region. Mike’s certificate was collected by his colleague Fiona Borthwick.
• Ian Whitfield, School of Justice Studies, for bringing The Police Education Conference which contributed over £200,000 economic impact to the city region.

Club Liverpool is a partnership between Liverpool Convention Bureau and ACC Liverpool with 300 Ambassadors currently on board, including 62 from LJMU.

The network of influential Ambassadors is composed of members of associations and comes from a range of fields including medics, academics, and professionals based in the Liverpool City Region or with a strong connection to the city. Each Ambassador works together with Club Liverpool to bid and host conferences in the region.

Ambassador conferences take place at a wide variety of venues across Liverpool City Region and can vary from 50 delegates to over 5,000.

Howard Lewis, Chair of Club Liverpool, said: “Club Liverpool plays a crucial role in securing international, high-profile events for the city. These conferences not only showcase the incredible research and innovation occurring within the city but also draw thousands of delegates, filling hotels and venues, fostering new collaborations and partnerships, and consequently generating millions of pounds in economic impact for the region. I’d like to send a huge thanks and congratulations to our ambassadors for their incredible work.”