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Academic Venues to Hire in London

Find and book the best academic venues in London

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If you are planning a conference, workshop or guest lecture, whether for educational, entertainment or training, London has some top academic venues for hire.

You can choose from lecture theatres, classrooms, museums and libraries, all steeped in the Capital's long history, and follow in the footsteps of academia's greats.

Top Tips for Giving an Academic Lecture at the Venue

Lectures aren’t always the most exciting things. Most of use have sat through more than one that just seems to drag on and on. Where the only notes taken are a series of random doodles to stave of the boredom, and where you’ve planned in exquisite detail exactly what you are going to eat for the next week.


We’ve also all sat through lectures that have had us on the edge of our seats, excited to do the extra reading, and already coming up with questions to ask. It’s not just down to the content, it’s also the style of the lecture. How you present academic work can influence how much your audience pays attention. We have some top tips to help you to ensure that everyone gets the most out of the experience.


Summarise at the Beginning


Let your audience know what they are to expect from this lecture. Being able to quickly summarise everything that you are going to go through will let the audience know that you’re unlikely to go off on a tangent – this gets them into the correct frame of mind to listen carefully. If there is one particular section that attracts their interest at this stage, then they are going to make sure that they listen intently to the whole lecture so that they hear all of the context surrounding it.


Why is Your Lecture Useful?


While summarising at the beginning is good practise, you should also inform your audience exactly what they are going to get out of your lecture; what benefit they will receive from it. This is something that can and should be tailored depending on the audience you are presenting to. While you may be giving what is basically the same lecture, it should differ each time depending on what the room needs to know. Letting them know that they will get use out of what you are about to say will mean that they are going to be more attentive.


Don’t Have Too Many Points


While your research may be fascinating, you aren’t going to have the time to delve into it as fully as you might like in a single lecture. Our brains just don’t have the bandwidth to handle so much new information, and so you’re unlikely to get much of a reaction from your audience if you bombard them with too many facts. Keep to a maximum of five sections for the whole lecture, and don’t break these down too much into smaller, component parts. Summarising what it is you will be talking about in the introduction is the first step, but each section needs to have a clear objective. Getting that across as you continue your lecture will be your main goal.       


Understand Your Venue


Not all lectures are held with the traditional tiered seating. In fact, there are so many different academic venues for hire in London that you might find yourself in a venue that’s a little more… unusual. Many places are moving away from the image of lectures always being in the same style of building and are looking towards more innovative venues that encourage audience participation. Something that feels like a cross between a coffee meeting and a TEDTalk. Knowing what your venue looks like, and that they have the tech available for you to set up your presentation exactly the way you want it, is a must do beforehand. Nothing will fluster you more than turning up to a venue that is the opposite of what you were expecting.


Don’t Over-use Slides


This should go without saying but having too much writing on your slides will make your audience tune out pretty quickly. As well as this, having many sparse slides that you flick though every couple of seconds will mean that no one will be able to follow what is going on. Instead, only have the important facts mentioned, and ensure that all graphics are easy to read and understand. Having plenty of pictures and images is a plus, but again, too many slides will mean that your audience might lose focus. If you have a video clip to play, keep it short and informative. This is a great tool to break up your lecture and hammer home some key points but use it sparingly. Always lay the main points out clearly, so that people have time to take notes and let the message sink in.


Practice


If this isn’t a lecture that you’ve given many times before, you need to practice it out loud. This will allow you to do many things. First of all, you’ll get your timing right. Talking at an even pace means that you will be easy to understand, so if that means cutting out part of your lecture, then do it to keep the correct pace. It will allow you to edit any clumsy sections that aren’t 100% clear so that the whole thing will be easy to follow. Practicing will help you to calm any nerves that you might have. The better you know your lecture, the smoother it’s going to go and the more confident you will feel. Finally, practicing will also ensure that all of the technical parts work first time, so there’s unlikely to be any mishaps.


Everyone wants to be the person that gives a lecture their audience will remember for years to come. Not everyone is going to be able to achieve that however, which is why the first step is to always keep things simple, and to show your research in a calm manner, without going into unnecessary detail. As you grow used to what your audience wants from you, you can tweak your lecture and presentation style until you always walk on stage with confidence, and your audience always learns something new and interesting.

FAQs Academic Venues to Hire in London

What is an academic venue?

An academic venue is venue that’s equipped to host an academic conference or event. This might be a place of historical, scientific or cultural importance, a University campus, or an academic venue within a hospitality space. Academic venues are perfectly equipped to host a wide range of academic events, including lectures, conferences, seminars, meetings, brain storming sessions, networking events, forums, workshops, award ceremonies, and much more. Providing a space where people can meet to collaborate, learn, debate, listen, share ideas and celebrate academic success, there are a whole host of London academic venues available to hire.



What academic venue solutions will I find in London?

If you’re looking for a suitable academic venue in London for your event, you’ve certainly landed in the right place. London is home to a whole host of top level academic venues, which are ideal for hosting conferences, guest lectures, workshops, career days, training days, entertainment events, and more. Whether you’re looking for a lecture theatre, museum, classroom, library, entertainment space, private lounge, studio, gallery or conference centre, the capital has got you more than covered. And, as London offers such an exciting, versatile and dynamic landscape, you will find plenty of venues that are steeped in London’s fascinating history.



Why are academic venues a great choice for your event?

Academic venues are a great choice for both academic and corporate events in London. With plenty of state of the art conference centres, top hotels, luxurious venues, museums and libraries in the city, it’s easy to see why an academic venue in London is a great choice for your event. There are countless reasons why an academic venue is always a good option including: • A fantastic choice of venues • Venues are flexible and versatile • Access state of the art facilities • Year-round accessibility • Unique and inspiring architecture • City centre locations • AV support • Large scale spaces available • Access to the latest technology



Why should you choose an academic venue for your conference?

The right venue can make or break your event. So, when it comes to choosing the perfect venue for your conference in London, it’s important that you do your research. Academic venues are excellent conference locations as they provide the perfect space for large groups of people to unite, learn and collaborate. Offering an immersive learning experience, they also allow you to utilise the latest, cutting-edge technology, and catering if needed. So, if you’re looking for a superior learning environment in London, make sure you check out the capital’s prestigious academic venues.



Why do universities and other educational institutions host events?

Although all colleges and universities have a whole host of diverse meeting spaces that are designed for learning, collaborating and listening, in order to provide the very best learning experience in London, it is often necessary for educational institutions to host events off site. This means hiring academic venues that are equipped to accommodate a wide range of academic events.



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