Top 10 Academic Venues: Keele University Events and Conferencing

Pictured: The Westminster Theatre

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Staffordshire’s Leading Academic Venue

Keele University Events and Conferencing (KUE&C) is surrounded by 600 acres of parkland, which is also home to Keele University campus. This award-winning academic venue has a wide range of meetings rooms and exhibition space which can cater for any size of event up to 600 delegates. The extensive conferencing and leisure facilities onsite provide a vast selection of options for event organisers and the events team will tailor their service to meet organisers’ requirements, making each event truly unique. In addition, the events team can offer a complete conference management service, allowing event organisers to hand over the reins and take part in the event themselves.

KUE&C offers a diverse range of facilities across campus from the impressive Grade II listed Keele Hall, with its incredible heritage and views over spectacular gardens, to large flexible spaces available in University vacation periods. These include lecture theatres, exhibition space, meeting rooms, specialist facilities, sports facilities and grass pitches not to mention several choices of eateries, where all food is carefully prepared and delivered in house. There is also en-suite accommodation for over 1000 people available during summer vacation periods.

Located in the West Midlands, the Keele is easily accessible by the M6 Motorway, Manchester and Birmingham International airports and is under 2 hours from London by train, making it a great central location when your delegates are travelling from all parts of the UK.

Comprehensive Refurbishment

KUE&C have relaunched their campus facilities after a comprehensive refurbishment of three key areas in the university.

With technology at the forefront, Dorothy Hodgkin lecture theatre has undergone complete refurbishment giving a modern, airy feel to its key conference space. With the latest AV technology installed this great space has new LED lighting designed to provide the perfect learning environment whilst maximising energy and carbon savings. To complement the auditorium, two new meeting rooms have been added, making Dorothy Hodgkin a perfect self-contained venue within the university campus with a mix of tiered and flat floor space for conference organisers.

Chancellor’s Central (formerly Chancellor’s Building Exhibition Suite) has undergone refurbishment responding to feedback from both the student population and conference delegates to deliver bright, open spaces suitable for anything from a quiet seated area to catch up to an extensive business exhibition and networking area. As the largest teaching facility on the Keele University Campus, conference and event organisers can now host their events all under the Chancellor’s Central roof. Conference and teaching space are complemented by a range of open plan refreshment and relaxation areas, a choice of catering options and an extensive exhibition area perfect for business networking events.

Completing the trio of projects is the development of 453 brand new ensuite bedrooms on campus. Barnes is one of the student accommodation blocks which, during the summer is used for residential conferences and summer schools. The new design was influenced by the students talking about how they would like to see the space and key elements they would like to have in their accommodation. The new blocks consist of a number of flats, with large communal area so guests can socialise and relax together. Each bedroom has its own ensuite shower room, double bed, plenty of storage and desktop workspace. For conference and event organisers, there is also the flexibility of a choice of inclusive conference packages to suit client budgets and requirements.

New in 2019

Recent investment and redevelopment at the university sees the launch of the Sustainability Hub and The Smart Innovation Hub* opening in September 2019.

These two additions to the portfolio of venues will provide accommodation to support the creation and growth of innovation-led businesses, alongside major new facilities to enable the University to grow its established programme of collaborative research, development and innovation support to local firms. Both new spaces are perfect for networking events, product launches and training. Be among the first to experience these outstanding new facilities by contacting the Events Team today at conferences@keele.ac.uk or at 01782 732020. 

This content is sponsored by Keele University.

Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com