Ulster University Business School has launched a sector-specific postgraduate programme in partnership with the European Arenas Association, welcoming its first cohort of venue professionals onto an adapted MSc Business in Technology pathway. The initiative represents the first tailored postgraduate route for arena operators across Europe.

Reporting from insidermedia confirms that the programme has been designed to address strategic, technological and operational challenges facing modern venue management. The collaboration reflects growing demand for structured leadership development as the European arena sector undergoes rapid transformation.

Professor Gillian Armstrong, pro-vice-chancellor and executive dean of Ulster University Business School, said: "This partnership with the European Arenas Association demonstrates our commitment to meaningful collaboration with industry. By adapting a proven postgraduate programme to meet the specific needs of the arena sector, we are supporting the development of confident, future-focused leaders and contributing to the long-term resilience and growth of this important industry."

The programme is delivered part-time through blended learning, enabling professionals from across Europe to continue working while pursuing postgraduate study. The curriculum builds strategic insight, leadership capability and transformation expertise through applied, practice-focused modules.

Helen McKenna, programme director and senior lecturer at Ulster University Business School, said the curriculum has been carefully tailored in collaboration with the association. She noted that the programme explores how data, technology and innovation can be applied to create strategic value while equipping professionals to address sector-specific challenges.

Robert Fitzpatrick, president of the European Arenas Association and visiting professor at Ulster University Business School, described education as fundamental to the industry's future. He characterised the partnership as a long-term investment in senior talent, ensuring arenas remain culturally relevant, operationally innovative and economically resilient.

Discover how this European partnership is shaping arena sector leadership development.