Schools almost out for summer so it’s the perfect time to make the most of the fine facilities available for a meeting, event or conference in one of the country’s universities or in an academic venue. Whether you opt for a world-renown university with pages of history and heritage or decide to deliver a lesson at a university known for its sporting achievements, our A star Findmeaconference academic venues tick all the boxes for a fulfilling and successful event.
University Of Oxford, Saïd Business School
To follow in the footsteps of British Prime Ministers, Nobel Prize winners, great Olympic medal winners and international leaders, the University of Oxford should be on your lesson plan when considering an academic venue.
Located in the heart of Oxford city centre, the university’s Park End Street venue has all the latest audio visual facilities and an experienced production team to assist with events.
Opened in 2012, The Thatcher Business Education Centre impresses with three oak panelled lecture theatres, which have a Harvard University feel to them with individual desks in a horseshoe shape. Equipped with built-in translation services and power points at each desk, plus with fantastic acoustics, delegates will never have an excuse to miss a word!
The centre has additional classrooms and seminar rooms for smaller boardroom style meetings and there is an award-winning catering team who can create everything from a working breakfast through to a gala dinner.
The University of Oxford ticks all the green boxes too with The Thatcher Business Education Centre using geothermal energy for heating and cooling, rainwater for flushing toilets, solar energy contributing to the water heating and half of the centre’s roof area is green to aid biodiversity.
Day delegate rates at the famous Oxford University start from £58.
University of Leicester is a leading academic venue
An academic venue offering 4-star accredited en-suite accommodation during the summer recess is the University of Leicester, an excellent choice for residential stays at an academic venue as well as providing day delegate rates from as little as £35.
Leicester Conferences is the team taking care of the campus conference and event facilities. A wide range of rooms and set-ups are available with the Gilbert Murray Lecture Theatre the largest in accommodating up to 270 delegates.
A corporate celebratory sit-down meal for 500 guests is in safe hands with Executive Head Chef Rob Bean at the lectern! Winner of the Craft Guild of Chefs Cost Sector Chef of the Year working to individual budgets without losing out on quality and freshness is a piece of cake for the experienced creative.
University of Leeds
Notable alumni at the University of Leeds include Olympic medal winners Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee, singer, song writer and producer Corinne Bailey Rae, Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame and NASA astronaut Piers Sellers.
The campus is very diverse in architecture with a mix of Gothic revival, art deco and postmodern buildings. A vast encyclopaedic range of exhibition halls, lecture theatres and classrooms are available and the on-site dedicated event organiser from the Meet in Leeds team will help and advice on all elements, guaranteeing event planners have the perfect space for their event.
Organisers can hire the sports pitches for tournaments and all conference delegates have free access to The Edge, the university’s
state-of-the-art fitness, sport and wellness centre.
Available all year round, the University of Leeds is not just for summer breaks. Certain rooms and theatres can be hired at any time and catering can be organised to suit a range of events and budgets. Day delegate rates start at £32 and the 24-hour rate is from £79.50.
Keele University
At the centre of the Keele University campus is the historic, grade II listed Keele Hall. Surrounded by luscious green gardens and hundreds of acres of parkland, the stately mansion is a stunning academic venue which gives a lesson in style and sophistication with its period features and excellent service!
Perfect for an afternoon champagne reception with the Italian Gardens as the backdrop or a 3-course dinner for 500 guests in the ballroom, Keele University can also host exhibitions in the Alderton Sports Hall or the Exhibition Suite, which is a bright, airy and modern purpose-built space which can be hired on a full day basis.
For a boardroom meeting, the Sneyd Room is an impressive setting for up to 18 delegates. It has spectacular views over the Italian Gardens and has the additional beauty of an ante room for refreshments. Half day hire rates start from £135 for the Sneyd Room. Day delegate packages can be arranged from £30.50
For more Findmeaconference A Star academic venues follow the link.