People

Dr Philip Berners

Senior Lecturer
Edge Hotel School
Dr Philip Berners

Profile

Biography

Dr Philip Berners is Senior Lecturer of the Edge Hotel School at the University of Essex. He is Postgraduate Director for the MSc International Hospitality program, and Course Coordinator of the BA Event Management programs. Philip joined in January 2017 from his previous appointment as lecturer and module leader of event and hospitality modules at the University of West London. He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCE) and was accepted as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Philip authored the first book on events management in the Polish market (Priorytet 2013), four textbooks outside Poland (Routledge 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024), and edited a fifth in his role as editor for the Routledge series "The Practical Guide to Events and Hotel Management Series": https://www.routledge.com/The-Practical-Guide-to-Events-and-Hotel-Management-Series/book-series/PGE Philip's PhD is in the field of Sociology and the title is "An Events Industry Takes Shape: A Study of the UK and Poland" which researches the causes of gaps in events industries that are at different stages of development. His research themes include event tourism, attitude to risk, and the sociology of professions. An event manager himself, Philip has held posts as the head of events at Thorpe Park, the London Hippodrome, and Camden Palace. He has worked with London Fashion Week, the MOBO Awards, and the launch of the acclaimed film "Notting Hill". He was a senior manager at the BRIT Awards for three years and his client portfolio includes Her Majesty the late Queen Elizabeth II, the former Prince of Wales now King Charles III, and global music stars including Bon Jovi, Jennifer Lopez, and Shania Twain. Philip relocated to Poland for 10 years where he was an event consultant and director of his own school of event management before returning to the UK to embark on his career in academia. Philip is a founding trustee of the Colchester Museums Development Foundation (CMDF).

Qualifications

  • PhD University of Essex, (2023)

  • PG Cert Ed University of West London,

  • BA Hospitality Management University of West London,

Research and professional activities

Current research

An Events Industry Takes Shape: a Study of the UK and Poland

PhD to investigate the factors which influence an events industry as it takes shape. The project analyses the developed events industry in the UK and the evolving events industry in Poland.

Conferences and presentations

A model that solves the conflict between delivering theoretical knowledge and practical skills to students of events management

Association for Events Management Education (AEME), Hatfield, United Kingdom, 3/7/2019

Developing new talent for the hospitality industry in a turbulent environment

International Conference at the Department of Tourism & Hospitality, Poole, United Kingdom, 4/9/2017

Teaching and supervision

Current teaching responsibilities

  • Conferences and Events (EG126)

  • Event Operations (EG127)

  • Hotel Operations (EG200)

  • Event Operations (EG210)

  • Event Operations 2 (EG212)

  • Event Supervision, Data and Technology (EG227)

  • Event Project (EG327)

  • Event Project (EG451)

  • Contemporary Issues in the International Hospitality Industry (EG700)

Publications

Books (6)

Berners, P., (2024). An Events Industry Takes Shape: A Case Study of the UK and Poland. Taylor and Francis

Berners, P. and Martin, A., (2022). The Practical Guide to Achieving Customer Satisfaction in Events and Hotels. Routledge. 1000617734. 9780367723873

Martin, A., (2019). The Practical Guide to Understanding and Raising Hotel Profitability. Routledge. 1000690563. 9780367218287

Berners, P., (2018). The Practical Guide to Managing Event Venues. Routledge. 1351045571. 9781138486409

Berners, P., (2017). The Practical Guide to Organising Events. Routledge. 1351819178. 9780415789967

Berners, P., (2013). Happy Event. Priorytet

Thesis dissertation (1)

Berners, P., (2024). An Events Industry Takes Shape