News | Monday, 9th March 2020

Student success at European hospitality event

Student project wins award at annual EMCup competition

A group of second-year Hospitality Business Management students were among the winners at an annual competition bringing together the best European Hotel Management Schools.

The EMCup saw 36 teams from across Europe compete in a “Battle of the Brands” themed event.

The group of four students won “Best Case Study (idea/pitch)” and came second in the overall competition at the European Mise EN Place Cup (EMCup), held in Maastricht, Netherlands.

Each student team was tasked with a series of assignments, beginning with creating their own hospitality-related brand campaign. The competition included pitching an academic paper to a panel of 12 industry judges, a debate round between the teams and finally the creation of a strategic plan. This was presented to all the teams and judges in the audience, who were then invited to ask questions.

Supported by Diane Connelly and Stewart Morrell, Manchester Metropolitan’s team – Josie Graham, Launa Starkey, Lisa Walton and Louis Earnshaw – were awarded for their “Generation Beez” campaign (based on the Manchester Bee), at the two-day international event.

Student Louis Walton said: "The competition was brilliant, it has given me the confidence and inspiration to develop my career in the hospitality industry."

Diane Connelly, Programme Leader on the BA (Hons) Hospitality Business Management degree at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “To be awarded at the EMCup event, alongside students from across the continent, is a fantastic achievement.”

“Our students created a compelling and creative campaign that showed an understanding of guest loyalty and the importance of being brand ambassadors.”

Find out more about Manchester Metropolitan’s hospitality degrees at mmu.ac.uk/business-school/study/undergraduate.