Zapopan, Jalisco; October 10, 2023.— For the second consecutive year, students from the School of Institutional Administration (ESDAI) at the Universidad Panamericana Guadalajara campus had the opportunity to participate in the PCMA Global Student Competition, in which they were named finalists.
What is the PCMA Global Student Competition?
PCMA is an international association for the meetings industry with a presence in 59 countries. To connect students with the industry, the Business Events Industry Challenge is held each year, encouraging teams to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the industry by planning a successful event.
Target
The main objective of this challenge is to create an innovative proposal for a variety of events, including meetings, incentive trips, exhibitions, trade shows, consumer fairs, conventions, conferences, congresses, and product launches.
Evaluation
The aspects evaluated include the development of ideas and the event concept, relevance to the industry, strategic and operational planning, marketing strategies, innovation, commercial viability, and presentation and teamwork skills.
Regional Achievements
This year, in Latin America, a total of 18 teams participated, representing 14 universities from various countries, including Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, and Panama, among others.
On this occasion, the team consisting of María Inés Rojas Barba, María José Ortega Macazaga, Ruth Sofía Rodríguez Rivera, and Sofía Alejandra Valencia García— ninth-semester students in the Business Administration and Hospitality program — was selected as one of the five winners of the regional semifinal.
This means they will represent the region in the global finals, which will take place this coming November.
“Thank you to the Universidad Panamericana for giving me the opportunity to have this experience, where I was able to apply all the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my degree program. I’d also like to thank the PCMA team for guiding us every step of the way.”—María José Ortega Macazaga.
A Taste of the Future
The event proposal submitted by the team is titled “Taste of the Future.” This event offers a comprehensive academic program that includes lectures, workshops, and a trade show. Its main focus is to address the issue of food waste in the hospitality industry, one of the primary sources of this problem. A key feature of this proposal is the incorporation of artificial intelligence as an innovative tool to tackle this challenge.
Mentoring
To carry out this successful project, the students received valuable mentorship from three experts in the events industry—Alejandra González, David Hidalgo, and Norma Bock—under the coordination of Dr. Ana Gabriela Ramírez Gutiérrez.
“This is the second time we’ve participated in this competition and been selected as finalists from Latin America. Without a doubt, it’s a great opportunity for our students to demonstrate the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired throughout their studies; it also allowed them to network with professionals in the industry and challenge themselves to create a viable and innovative event.”—Dr. Ana Gabriela Ramírez Gutiérrez.
Universidad Panamericana ’s Guadalajara campus congratulates the ESDAI students and wishes them the best of luck in the next stage of the competition, which will take place this coming November.
