The event
From 1-3 December, at The QEII Centre in the heart of Westminster, central London, Reimagine Education brought together university and business school leaders, education technology pioneers and experts from organisers QS Quacquarelli Symonds, to discuss strategies to drive innovation in higher education.
Featuring a full conference programme, an awards ceremony and networking sessions, this year’s event focused on the theme ‘Mind the Gap – It’s getting wider’ – debating the growing divide between universities which are seizing new opportunities and futureproofing their models, and those which are following outdated structures and slow-moving policies.
The location
The QEII Centre was chosen for its prestigious central London location, directly opposite Westminster Abbey – an iconic setting that attracts senior academic leaders, policymakers, and global delegates.
London is a global hub with multiple international airports and excellent public transport links. The venue is easily accessible by underground and rail, making it convenient for an international audience.
The event used a variety of different spaces at The QEII Centre including the third floor – a versatile and self-contained group of spaces comprising the Britten, Whittle and Fleming. The event also used the fourth-floor rooms including the Westminster, St James, Abbey, and Moore – all with impressive views of some of the most iconic landmarks in London, including the London Eye, Big Ben and the Shard.
Sound and vision
The QEII Centre’s in-house audio-visual and event IT team, QEII Live, delivered a seamless audio-visual environment for the event. A total of 24 technicians supported six conference rooms, working across 38 channels of radio microphones and 24 laptops. The team also utilised the venue’s digital signage system, including the video wall, registration screens and room screens, all featuring custom content, alongside printed branding such as wall vinyls and lectern logos.
The plenary room was equipped with dual projection screens, a printed backdrop, LED uplighting and Slido for audience interaction, with a remote presenter joining via Zoom. Additional lighting was introduced to transform the space for the dinner and awards ceremony.
Fuelled for success
The venue’s award-winning on-site caterers, QEII Taste, curated a local, seasonal menu designed for a multi-day event and an international audience, ensuring variety, flexibility, and no repetition across services.
Catering was delivered via buffet stations, allowing delegates to explore a range of dishes at their own pace while accommodating different dietary preferences. Each service featured multiple plant-based options to support inclusivity and reduce environmental impact, with all desserts entirely plant-based.
For the QS Awards Dinner, both the starter and dessert were plant-forward, while the main course was halal to meet the needs of the delegate audience.
Maninder Sahota, Strategic Engagement Manager, QS Quacquarelli Symonds said:
“We collaborated with QEII for our flagship awards show and conference. They are a fantastic venue to work with and felt like they were part of our internal teams from the very beginning right up to the post-delivery actions. The entire team at QEII are very generous with their time and always offering to provide assistance – and mainly ensuring that there is always calm amidst the chaos of onsite event execution.”