MyCEB launches digital platform to produce professional congress organisers

Business events industry leaders say Malaysia lacks the expertise to organise international meetings and exhibitions. (Facebook pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) launched its latest initiative to stimulate the business events industry today.

Created in partnership with the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) and the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), the webEDGE platform provides an online development course designed to produce Professional Congress Organisers (PCOs).

Those who complete the programme will receive a diploma that can set them on the path to be an IAPCO certified PCO, the highest level of industry certification.

Malaysia currently has no IAPCO certified PCOs.

Tan Mei Phing, MyCEB director of business events, said local events companies were previously unable to meet global standards.

“We’ve realised that while we’re securing events, we need homegrown companies to be able to manage these events at an international level.” she said.

KLCC general manager Alan Pryor said this has been a problem for some time, noting that Malaysia’s PCOs “lack international certification” and “the full range of services in comparison to their international peers”.

Pryor believes the webEDGE platform “will improve Malaysia’s competitiveness internationally”.

The programme was created specifically for Malaysia and, according to IAPCO, should take six months to a year to complete, depending on how fast the applicants are able to complete the modules.

Martin Boyle, CEO of IAPCO, said he believed this would allow Malaysian PCOs to adapt to the changing events planning landscape.

“The education has developed past just the practical elements. This adds the holistic approach that clients are really looking for.

“There’s been a shift from clients directing, to industry professionals suggesting and recommending to clients what would work best for them,” Boyle said.

The launch was held as part of MyCEB’s Malaysia Business Events Week, a four-day conference bringing together meeting professionals to share skills and insights into the industry’s future after Covid-19. - FMT