SAFETY FIRST:Gracie drew the correlation between safety and a successful event for the media at the recent PWMF.

Penang, 30 March 2012 - The recent Penang World Music Festival (PWMF) 2012 was more than a live event.

Beyond the music and the bright lights, the festival also served as an academic platform for students from three higher education institutions, namely, UCSI University, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and KDU College Penang.

The third edition of the festival served as an avenue to gauge how music festival goers felt about the event and a film production crew was also on site to capture mistakes during the filming of the PWMF.

"The PWMF will be a case study for the students," said Gracie Geikie, the associate dean of UCSI University's Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

"In this respect, there will be one team monitoring the behind the scene activities of PWMF."

Gracie was speaking to members of the media after a briefing session.

Stressing that event management was now "big business", Gracie said that the field encompassed aspects of management and finance. Other areas of concern for event organisers include safety, security and hygiene. 

"An event is only successful if it is a safe event," added Gracie, who conceptualised the PWMF when it was held for the first time in 2007.

"If we can produce responsible events in this manner in the future, we have done our job in organising and branding the event."

Following a good turnout, the fourth PWMF has been confirmed. It will be held from April 6-7, 2013.