Taking place at the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas from October 17-19, this year’s IMEX America education programme, an important adjunct to the show’s business and networking engine, reportedly combines education, entertainment and clever new formats to appeal to seasoned veterans, industry first-timers and everyone in between.
Tahira Endean, Head of Programming at IMEX, says this year’s programme has been designed with one eye on helping people navigate the future: “The demands on experience design are always evolving, which means we approach each education programme with a clean slate.” According to Endean, IMEX has developed a “pick and mix” of formats. Attendees can stop by for a few minutes to listen in if they pass a session that takes their fancy. Above all, “we’ve designed content that’s unexpected and prompts people to think about themselves, their roles and their talents differently – if they come away with three to five learnings they can immediately apply, then we’ve done our job”, says Endean.
All of it is delivered within six tracks: Technology and innovation; Trends and research; People and planet; Business practices; Experience design and the increasingly popular Event marketing. Attendees can choose from over 150 sessions, many of them taking place on the show floor’s newly redesigned, multi-theater Inspiration Hub, sponsored by Webex.
According to a press release, visitors can expect the unexpected at EventProfs Unplugged – a series of interviews with senior industry leaders in a chat show format. “We’re experimenting with some new formats at the show, and this is one of them. We don’t know what’s going to happen and that’s what I love about it – it’s going to be dynamic and surprising,” says Endean. “This is where education meets entertainment.”
Encore, Maritz Global Events, DRPG and PCMA are among the organizations sharing new ways to use technology. Sessions cover AI, the metaverse and hybrid events, centering on real-world experiences and how these technologies are being applied.
IMEX America 2023 reportedly also marks a “new milestone” in the development of the Google Xi CoLaboratory. With a focus on collaborative exploration, learning and growth, Google and various exhibiting partners and speakers have devised a special programme of sessions and spaces focused on experience design and the principles of belonging.
Acclaimed disability advocate, Maayan Ziv, founder of AccessNow and part of IMEX AVoice4All – thought leadership – in association with Destination Toronto, will also be sharing her specialist knowledge: “We’ve seen a considerable shift since the pandemic – an acceleration of organizations’ awareness and understanding of accessibility. It’s a potent economic driver that brings benefits for everyone.”
In line with current trends and preferences, well-being activities will be embedded across the show and in various styles designed to offer life-hacks, learning, coaching, fitness, nutritional and mental health guidance.
Full details of all education sessions can be found here. All IMEX professional education, including the show’s specialist events for association, corporate and agency planners, is provided free of charge.
