Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) 2006 Professional Education Conference-Europe (PEC-E) kicked off at the Davos Congress Centre, welcoming 472 attendees from 27 countries and a focus on…
Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) 2006 Professional Education Conference-Europe (PEC-E) kicked off at the Davos Congress Centre, welcoming 472 attendees from 27 countries and a focus on strengthening MPI’s presence and the meetings profession throughout Europe.
In the past 12 months, MPI has grown its European membership to over 1,550; added a chapter in Spain bringing the total chapter count in Europe to 11; increased partnerships with organizations such as MCI and Toronto Unlimited, and appointed five European members to serve on the 2006-2007 International Board of Directors, which will strengthen the global vision of the organization.
Didier Scaillet, MPI/s Director of European Operations said, “As MPI continues to increase its influence throughout Europe and define meetings as a profession globally, MPI members can expect the best education, chapter programs and a lifelong career path to make themselves a strategic asset in the business world.”
MPI Chairwoman Christine Duffy, President and CEO of Maritz Travel, and Chair-Elect Mark Andrew, CHA, CMP, held a press conference to highlight the following:
MPI Foundation Europe Capital Campaign: The MPI Foundation has existed since 1984, and in that time, it has provided over US$10 million for visionary research and education for meeting professionals. The MPI Foundation Europe was founded in December 2004, and launched FOCUS 2006, the first capital campaign for the European meetings industry, designed to strengthen the meetings profession and promote the strategic value of meetings. The campaign, which ends here in Davos, exceeded its goal of € 500,000, raising a total of € 600,000. Funds will go towards programmes and research specifically for the European members of MPI.
MPI Member Solutions is the global meetings industry’s first initiative to define meetings management as a recognised, respected profession and create personalised career paths for meeting professionals through the industry’s first standardised job descriptions, skills and core competencies. Launched by MPI in January 2006, but being officially kicked off for European members here in Davos, MPI Member Solutions is a new way of doing business for MPI but most importantly it’s about defining the profession and helping meeting professionals become more successful and evolve to positions of strategic influence in business. The three components of MPI Member Solutions are:
- MPI Professional Pathways: your online skills self-assessment based on the industry`s first core competencies, skills and job descriptions for meeting professionals. After completing the skills assessment, you’ll immediately and receive an online report of jobs, articles, books, courses and events best suited for your career goals
- My MPI: your personalized website delivering education, content and information specific to your member profile, preferences, and results of your skills assessment
- MPI Resource Center: your one-on-one center for membership services, jobs, career resources, conference registration, the MPI Bookstore, peer-to-peer assistance and more
CultureActive Tool: The CultureActive Tool is a Web based, integrated component within MPI Member Solutions that will enable MPI members and their organisations to foresee and understand how others communicate and interact based on their cultural influences. This business tool provides instant feedback on the characteristics and traits of over 60 national cultures with recommendations for personal and business interactions to develop successful relationships and minimize cultural collisions.
The CultureActive Tool advances the execution of the strategic plan, Pathways to Excellence by:
- Providing effective and comprehensive education on global communication, business strategies and product deliveries.
- Enabling meeting professionals to increase their influence with senior management and leadership on conducting business globally.
- Ensuring that MPI continues to be the premier marketplace with greater depth and scope of cultural competencies.
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