Third-year Events Management student Ellen Smith recently had the opportunity to join the organising team for TEDx Aberdeen 2026, helping to deliver one of the city’s most inspiring events.
From coordinating volunteers and managing event logistics to supporting attendees on the day, she gained first-hand insight into the planning, teamwork and problem-solving required to bring a large-scale event to life.
In this blog, she reflects on her experience and the lessons she learned behind the scenes at TEDx Aberdeen.
Stepping into the Planning Team
On Saturday 24 October, I had the opportunity to be part of the organising team for TEDx Aberdeen 2026, held at Aberdeen Arts Centre. With this year’s theme, Minds Wide Open, the event brought people together to share ideas, explore different perspectives and inspire new ways of thinking. It was a brilliant experience to be involved in an event that celebrated creativity, knowledge and the power of sharing ideas.
As a third-year Events Management student at Robert Gordon University, being involved in TEDx Aberdeen was a valuable opportunity to put my university learning into practice and gain hands-on experience in Event Management.
Working alongside the Event Manager – Kim Stephen, I took on several responsibilities to help ensure the event ran smoothly. My role included venue and ticket liaison, completing the event risk assessment, preparing the agenda and timeline, developing the running order, coordinating volunteers, and helping manage catering arrangements and attendees’ dietary requirements.
Preparing for the Big Day
In the lead-up to the event, I worked on ensuring key documents were accurate and up to date, with timings, responsibilities and logistical arrangements clearly outlined. I also helped coordinate volunteer information and tasks, ensuring everyone understood their responsibilities and felt prepared for the day. Liaising with the venue and supporting ticketing arrangements were also important parts of my role, alongside helping ensure catering arrangements took dietary requirements into account.
One of the biggest learning experiences was seeing how much preparation goes into delivering a successful event. Creating the running order and timeline highlighted the importance of ensuring every element fits together, while completing the risk assessment encouraged me to consider potential challenges and plan appropriate measures to manage them. Coordinating catering requirements also reinforced the importance of clear communication and ensuring attendees’ needs are considered throughout the planning process.
Event Day: Putting the Plan Into Action
On the day itself, I worked alongside the Event Manager – Kim Stephen to oversee arrangements, coordinate volunteers and help resolve any issues that arose. Seeing weeks of preparation come together was particularly rewarding. The experience reinforced the importance of teamwork, organisation and staying calm under pressure, especially when managing several responsibilities at once.
Another highlight was supporting RGU’s involvement in the event, with RGU speakers David Smith and Leila Neshat-Mokadem contributing to the programme. Being part of an event that celebrated ideas, creativity and different perspectives made the experience even more meaningful.
Key Lessons from the Experience
As someone interested in developing a career in corporate events and destination marketing, TEDx Aberdeen gave me valuable experience in event operations, stakeholder communication, risk management and team coordination. It also helped me develop my confidence in taking responsibility and contributing to decisions throughout the planning and delivery process.
Overall, being part of TEDx Aberdeen 2026 was a rewarding experience that allowed me to apply my university knowledge in a real-world setting and continue developing as an aspiring event professional. I am grateful to the TEDx Core Team and all the volunteers who contributed to making the event possible, and I look forward to applying these skills to future opportunities.
Ellen Smith
Images credit: TEDx Aberdeen
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