Obituary - Vicky Harris

Vicky had been an employee of Leeds Polytechnic/ Leeds Metropolitan University for some twenty years, including a period as Head of School and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Cultural and Education Studies. During her period of leadership, she was instrumental in elevating the status of hospitality management education nationally and in establishing a new field, events management, which subsequently became a phenomenon internationally.

Vicky was an innovator. She pioneered new courses, notably, but not exclusively, in events management. Working closely with Rai Shacklock, Julia Tum and Glenn Bowdin, she championed the first events management degree programme in Europe, a ground-breaking development that was pursued in the face of derision from some quarters. Its phenomenal success led to replication in many other universities in the UK and across the world. It also precipitated the creation of what was, for many years, the world’s largest grouping of events management academics in the form of the UK Centre for Events Management (UKCEM). UKCEM recently celebrated its twenty fifth year in existence.

In spite of her success at her own university, Vicky’s impact was probably most marked on the national stage. In 2004, she hosted a gathering in Leeds that led to the creation of the Association for Events Management Education (AEME). This was to quickly become the national subject association, a development that ensured representation in national policy circles which continues to this day.

Her roles encompassed becoming the inaugural Chair of the QAA Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism (HLST) Subject Benchmark group, a QAA Subject Assessor and an Executive Committee member of the Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME). Each role was undertaken with a characteristic determination to get things done. In that she succeeded spectacularly.

Vicky is survived by husband Trevor, daughters Caroline and Louise, and five grandchildren.  A donations page in support of Alzheimer's Research has been created in Vicky’s memory.

To find out more about the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management visit our website