International Festival & Event Management

Festivals and events are among the most economically significant and culturally important activities in the contemporary leisure and tourism economy. From music festivals and sports events to international trade fairs and community celebrations, the events industry employs large numbers of skilled professionals and generates substantial economic activity in the communities that host events. At Edinburgh Napier University, the BA International Festival and Event Management is a four-year full-time programme that develops the full range of management and strategic skills this demanding industry requires, with a year abroad available to broaden your international perspective.

The programme covers the complete lifecycle of event management: planning and design, marketing and audience development, operations and logistics, financial management, and the post-event evaluation that drives continuous improvement. You will learn how events can be used to support local economies and communities, as well as the broader cultural, tourism, and economic policy contexts within which major events operate. International events management requires particular cultural sensitivity and the ability to work across different regulatory, logistical, and cultural environments, and the programme develops these capabilities alongside the operational skills that all event management requires.

Edinburgh Napier offers options including a twenty-four-week work placement, providing direct professional experience that complements the academic content and builds the industry connections that career entry requires.

Graduates of festival and event management programmes work across the events industry in roles including event coordinator, festival manager, events marketing manager, venue manager, event producer, and operations director. The sector spans music and arts, sport, corporate events, hospitality, charities, and public sector organisations, giving graduates a wide range of potential employers. The international dimension of the degree, combined with the work placement option and the year abroad, makes graduates particularly competitive for roles in organisations that manage events across multiple countries or at international scale.

Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in event management, tourism, or hospitality. The combination of management knowledge, operational experience, and international awareness that the Edinburgh Napier programme develops is well matched to the demands of a fast-moving and globally connected industry.