"The Olympic Legacy – People, Place, Enterprise" will be held tmorrow and Friday at the university’s Thames-side campus at Greenwich.

 

The site has been designated as part of one of the official Olympic zones for the 2012 Games, where the Modern Pentathlon and equestrian events will be staged.

 

James Kennell, from the University of Greenwich Business School, said: “The world’s eyes will be on London in the summer of 2012.

 

"It is a fantastic opportunity for London and the UK, but what will happen when the last race is run and the cameras have gone?

 

"What will be the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the nine billion spent on them?”

 

Tourism, enterprise, education and social and cultural regeneration will be on the agenda, with presentations about the successes and failures of past Olympics, contributions from expert researchers and views from some of the key people responsible for ensuring the legacy of London 2012.

 

Looking forward to the Beijing games, Dr Kerry Jones, associate fellow at Chatham House, will examine their impact on China’s vision of itself and, looking back at former games, Dr Beatriz Garcia from Liverpool University will analyse Cultural Olympiads in previous host cities and comparing these to plans for London 2012.

 

Education can support the Olympics and its legacy, according to another conference speaker, Gareth Smith, Deputy Director of PODIUM (the Further & Higher Education Unit for the 2012 Games), while Chris Roberts, Leader of Greenwich Council, will share the Host Borough’s Olympic plans.

 

Janet Trench, from the Housing Corporation, will discuss legacy planning for sustainable housing and communities.

 

Aimed at people with an interest in regeneration, culture, planning, government, community development or business, the event promises to deepen their understanding of the legacy of the games and develop professional networks in the build up to 2012.

 

Kennell pointed to examples of Olympics judged to have a successful legacy (for example Barcelona and Sydney) and those that have not (Athens and Montreal).

 

He said: “These suggest that legacy planning should be integral to production of the Games.

 

"This conference will explore what can be done now, to ensure that there is lasting benefit, locally and nationally.

 

"Policy-makers, academics and professionals will be coming together this year, and every year until 2012 and beyond, to find out about the latest developments, and share new ideas.”

 

The conference will draw on the interests and expertise of staff at the University of Greenwich Business School, which runs undergraduate programmes in Tourism Management and Events Management and is launching a new MA in International Tourism Management in October.

 

Olympic tourism and mega-event management are themes that run through these programmes.

 

For more information and booking details call 020-8331 9835 or visit: www.gre.ac.uk/business_events or e-mail: [email protected]