Events policy

Summary

If you are organising an event at The University of Manchester this guide will walk you through the best practices for listing and promoting your event online using the University's official platforms.

Use Columba events CMS for publishing all University events

All University events—including conferences, tours, open days, and more—must be created in the Columba Events Content Management System (CMS). Columba serves as the central hub for event listings, ensuring consistency and broad reach.

What qualifies as an event?

An event refers to organised activities intended for external audiences or the wider University community—such as conferences, public lectures, workshops, and open days. Internal meetings, staff-only sessions and departmental gatherings are not considered events for this purpose and should not be listed in the Columba CMS.  If your event requires a more substantial digital presence, such as a dedicated website, please contact your local digital communications team for advice and support (see below).

Definition of a University event

An event can be considered a University event, and eligible for promotion via official channels (including listing in Columba and use of the University logo), if it meets one or more of the following criteria:

• It is officially endorsed by a Faculty, School or department.
• It receives direct funding from the University.
• It is organised by a member of University staff acting in their professional capacity or official role.
• It demonstrably aligns with the University’s strategic objectives or priorities.
• Any financial benefit or surplus generated by the event must directly benefit the University rather than individual staff members or external individuals.

If there is uncertainty about whether an event qualifies under these criteria, event organisers should consult their Faculty or departmental communications team for further clarification.

Why Columba?

• Visibility: Events listed in Columba automatically appear on The University of Manchester's official events page, making them accessible to a wide external audience.
• Consistency: Using a single platform maintains uniformity across all event listings, enhancing the University's professional image.

Create bespoke feeds for Faculty, School or Department events

Columba offers the flexibility to create customised feeds that display Faculty, School or Departmental events on local web pages. These tagged events can be pulled into your department's website through a bespoke feed.

For example, events tagged as 'School of Education, Environment and Development' will appear on the SEED website ‘Events’ page. 

If you would like assistance in creating a custom feed to appear on your Faculty, School or Department web page, please contact your local digital communications team (see table below).

Managing ticketed events with Eventbrite

While Columba is a powerful tool, it currently does not support ticketing functionalities. For events that require registration or ticket purchases:

• Use Eventbrite for managing event ticketing.
• Please note Eventbrite charges a fee for its services, which your area of the University will need to cover.

Integration with Columba:

• Even if you're using Eventbrite, your event must also be listed in Columba.
• In your Columba event description, include a link to your Eventbrite page via the ‘Additional information’ section.

Access the Columba CMS guide

If you need help navigating Columba, a comprehensive Columba CMS User Guide is available. However, please check with your local digital team as some areas such as the Faculty of Science and Engineering have their own versions.

Get support from your local Digital Team

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your local digital or web team for support. They can help with:

• Technical issues: Troubleshooting any problems you encounter in Columba.
• Best practices: Offering advice on effective event promotion strategies.
• Integration help: Assisting with setting up bespoke feeds for your department's website.

Accessing Columba CMS

Access to the Columba system is regulated by Columba 'champions' found across the University. For access please see contacts below:

By following these guidelines, you ensure your event is effectively promoted across The University of Manchester's official channels, reaching the widest possible audience.

Leveraging Columba CMS not only simplifies the process but also enhances the professionalism and consistency of our University's event listings.