Martin Robertson
martin robertson

Dr Martin Robertson BA (Hons), MA, PhD, FHEA

Associate Professor

Biography

Dr Martin Robertson's passion for teaching and learning application and excellence has been applied successfully in his HE teaching and leadership roles in both the UK and in Australia. His involvement in academic quality assurance has also seen him sit in an executive capacity on a number of related university councils (UK & Australia). He has also been an active contributor to national (Scotland) and state (Victoria, Australia) government academic quality actions. In addition, Martin has both lead and contributed to public consultations (UK and Australia).

Martin has maintained his contact with the industry environment through supportive involvement in related agencies and non-executive directorship or committee roles. He has also been involved in research related to tourism, events and social and/ or market development, sustainable place development, event resilience, and event leadership. This applied activity drives his continued desire for providing a learning, teaching and research experience that is professionally and socially useful.

Martin has completed 5 years as Adjunct Associate Professor, for the School for the Visitor Economy & the Institute of Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne (completion November, 2021). He has recently (02/2022) stepped down as Co-Chairperson of the Event Studies SIG for the Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE). Martin is Associate Editor of three peer review journals: 'Event Management', 'International Journal of Festival and Event Management', and 'Frontiers in Sport and Active Living' . He has co-edited 8 academic journal special issues and has also co-edited 6 published books. He has over 80 related articles , chapter publications and report.

Martin's has led or co-lead 10 consultations (evaluation) projects for providers of large events (arts, agriculture and sport). As well as having been programme leader for 7 HE degree programmes (UK and Australia), he has also designed and led: 1) a certificated event management training course for industry (Melbourne); 2) a certified (Master degree level) short course 'Sustainable, Entrepreneurial & Innovative Tourism Business Management'; 3) an Honours degree in Business Management (Melbourne).

Research Groups

Esteem

Advisory panels and expert committees or witness

  • ICCA Certification Curriculum Academic Committee Member (2021 - 2022)
  • Business Tourism Group Member, Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (2019-present)
  • Advisory Committee Member, Arts & Cultural Matters, City of Maribyrnong Council, Victoria (2010-11)
  • Forum Member, National Sustainable Events, Sustainability Victoria & Sustainable Living Festival (2009)
  • Founding Committee Member, Associate of Event Management Educators (AEME) (2004-8)
  • Group Member, Scottish Tourism Framework for Action, Scottish Executive (2003-4)

 

Conference Organising Activity

  • Co-Chair Event Studies Special Interest Group CAUTHE Conference 2022
  • Co-Chair Event Studies Special Interest Group CAUTHE Conference 2021
  • Co-Chair Event Studies Special Interest Group CAUTHE Conference 2020
  • Co-Chair Event Studies Special Interest Group CAUTHE Conference 2019
  • Co-Chair Event Studies Special Interest Group CAUTHE Conference 2018
  • Review of transformative festival leadership – a learning and teaching discussion (Cardiff Metropolitan University, AEME 2017)
  • Co-Chair Event Studies Special Interest Group CAUTHE Conference 2017
  • A game of two halves: the value of field trips in event management education. Case studies of Dublin & Lisbon (team) (University of Derby, AEME 2016)
  • Co-Chair Event Studies Special Interest Group CAUTHE Conference 2016
  • Co-Chair Event Studies Special Interest Group CAUTHE Conference 2015
  • Visioning the future city – a discussion on the narrative of sustainability through events and festivals’ (Bournemouth University, LSA 2015)
  • Creative Approaches to Teaching (team) (Falkirk University, AEME, 2015)
  • Developing a standard instrument to assess intangible event outcomes from the Ambassador perspective (team) (Flinders University (Adelaide), Global Event Congress IV) (2014)
  • Doing the right thing? Festival leadership and sustainability: the case of literary events Global Events Congress IV (2014)
  • Seeing the future of events and festivals as a conceptual framework (team) Global Events Congress IV (2014)
  • Duplication of Purchase Law in Sport Event Markets: New Zealand case study (team) ANZMAC 2014 (Griffiths University, Brisbane, 2014)
  • Mountain Bike Sport Tourism: Mediating Space and Visitor Perception – A case study (team) (University of West Scotland, LSA, 2014)
  • Bringing down the fourth wall: co-creation of event performance & space (team) Advancing Event Research Series - Events in Society (Victoria University, Melbourne, 2014)

 

Editorial Activity

  • Associate Editor - Event Management (an international journal)
  • Co-editor: Special issue - ‘Repurposing and Repositioning Events: Real, Responsible and Revolutionary Futures'’ International Journal of Festival and Event Management (2023 publication)
  • Special Issue co-editor: 'Can Sport, Leisure, Tourism & Events be Powers for Good?' (Frontiers in Sports and Active Living - Sport, Leisure and Tourism)
  • Associate Editor, Frontiers in Sport and Active Living (Sport, Lesure and Tourism) (2020-Ongoing)
  • UK Editor, Event Management - an international journal (2016-21)
  • Lead co-editor: ' Special issue - 'Critical Event Studies – Issues and Perspectives' Event Management - an international journal Vol 22 (2018, Issue 6)
  • Co-editor: Special issue - ‘Events futures: innovation, creativity and collaboration’ International Journal of Festival and Event Management Vol 9 (2018, Issue 2)
  • Editorial Board Member, Journal of Tourism Futures (2015-2018)
  • (Co-editor) The Future of Festival and Events (Advanced Series on Events: Research - Routledge)
  • Co-editor: Special Issue - 'Events in Society' Event Management - an international journal Vol 19 (4) (2015)
  • Lead co-editor: Special issue - 'Professionalisation and Event Management' Event Management - an international journal Vol 18 (1) (2014)
  • Co-editor: Special Issue - ‘Emerging knowledge and innovation in event management’ International Journal of Festival and Event Management Vol 4 (3) (2013)
  • Associate Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Event & Festival Management (2010-current)
  • (Co-editor) International Perspectives of Festivals and Events (Advances in Tourism Research - Elsevier Publication)
  • (Co-editor) Events and Festivals: Current Trends and Issues (Routledge)
  • Co-editor: Special Issue - ‘Festival and Events – beyond economic impacts’ Event Management - an international journal Vol 11 (1-2) (2007)
  • (Editor) Sporting Events and Events Tourism (LSA publication)
  • (Co-editor) Festival and Events Management: an international arts and culture perspective (Butterworth-Heinemann)
  • (Co-editor) Managing Tourism in Cities; policy, process and practice (John Wiley and Sons Ltd)

 

External Examining/Validations

  • External Examiner (PhD) - Leeds Beckett University (2023) (Teresa Moore)
  • External Examiner (PhD) - Victoria University, Melbourne (2022) (Abdullah Abonom)
  • External Opponent (PhD) - Mid-Sweden University (2022) (Martin Wallstrom)
  • External Examiner(PhD) - University of Chichester (2021) (Emma Nolan)
  • External Examiner (PhD) - Sheffield Hallam University (2020) (Emma Abson)
  • External Panel Member (MSc Tourism Validation/Approval) - University of Highlands and Islands (2020)
  • External Examiner (PhD) - Leeds Beckett University (2019) (Alistair Palferman )
  • External Examiner, Master of Tourism, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia (2014)
  • External Advisor, BSc (Hons) Sports Events Management, Leeds Metropolitan University (2011-12)
  • External Advisor: BA (Hons) Event & Festival Management, Buckinghamshire New University (2009)
  • External Examiner, BA Tourism Management & BA Tourism & International Tourism, Glasgow Caledonian University (2006-8)
  • External Advisor, BA Tourism Management, University of Highlands and Islands, Perth (2004)

 

Fellowships and Awards

  • Adjunct Associate Professor, Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne (2019-2021)
  • ATHE Award for Innovation - Building Leadership and Management Capacity in the Visitor Economy (2018-2019)
  • Bournemouth University VC Award (Qualification achievement) (2017)
  • Student/ Student Union 'Your briliant' Award (x2) (Bournemouth University) (2017)
  • Honorary Fellow, Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities, Victoria University
  • Award for Teaching Excellence (Victoria University, Internal) (2011)
  • Best Education or Training Programme (Team award) Australian Events Awards (2010)
  • Highly Commended Certificate (Miles Clark Business Events Communication Award) "The Business of Teaching Business Events" (Team) (2010)
  • Fellow, Higher Education Academy (HEA) (2002-current)

 

Invited Speaker

  • Measuring Business Events Shaping Tommorow (BEST) (2023) (Convention Bureau Edinburgh )
  • "Mega-events: the ethical, environmental & social cost" - Online seminar for the Law Society of Scotland (2022)
  • "Applying Blooms Taxonomy in the development of event management curricula (in challenging times) - a personal future reflection" - at Event Education Symposium, Hochschile Hannover, University of Applied Sciences and Arts (2021)
  • "Destination Events: the Success of Edinburgh Festivals", for University of Bagiou, Philippines (2021)
  • "Major events and legacy: women and social change" Victoria University/ Women's T20 World Cup - at Melbourne Cricket Ground (2020)
  • Visit Britain Keynote Presenter and workshop facilitation, ‘Ambassador Programmes & Competitive Resilience’ (2018)
  • Conference Discussion Panel Member, 'Critical Event Studies', Associate of Event Management Educators Form (2017)
  • Presented 'The future of major events', at Tourism in Tomorrow's World/ Stenden University, Qatar (2014)
  • Discussion Panel Member, ‘Event studies: extending the knowledge’ at Events in Society Symposium, Victoria University (2014)
  • Presentation of results for International Conference and Convention Association (ICCA) “Investigating Ambassador Programmes: Motives for Bidding for International Meetings and Events Bureaus” at 51st ICCA Congress (Puerto Rico) (2012)
  • Melbourne Writers Festival 2009: 'UNESCO City of Literature: Creative Collateral and Cultural Evaluation of Festivals: Edinburgh and Melbourne' (to Directors of 22 International Writers Festivals)

 

Media Activity

  • Wisdom Wednesday (for members of SITE ) - by Edinburgh Napier University (May 2020)
  • The Knowledge effect of conferences (Convention Edinburgh News Event) August, 2019)
  • Expert comment on “Future technology and soccer” UEFA Direct April 2017, p6-10
  • Expert comment in ‘Ballarat’s Asian Cup Wish List’ The Courier (Ballarat) - 12th Feb, 2014
  • ‘Common ground: how mountain biking will leave a lasting legacy’ in The Conversation, 30th July, 2014
  • Expert Comment in ‘Open for debate? Taxpayers’ big investment in a fortnight of tennis’ (Crikey.com.au) 15 Jan, 2014
  • Expert interview on “21st century spectator sports” in article ‘Global gathering’ in Vision (Fresh perspective from Dubai), p27-31. Sept, 2013
  • Article: ‘Australian Open: why the tennis works but the Grand Prix struggles’ in The Conversation. Jan 16th, 2012
  • Discussion of Australian Grand Prix success on ABC Radio. Jan 17th, 2012

 

Membership of Professional Body

  • Member, Regional Studies Association
  • Member, The Tourism Society
  • Business Event Committee Member (Edinburgh Tourism Action Group)
  • Association of Event Management Education (member)
  • Member, Leisure Studies Association
  • Associate Member (& Co-chair of Event Studies SiG), CAUTHE

 

Non-executive Directorship

  • Board of Directors/ Committee Member, b-side Multi-Media Arts Festival, Portland (2016-2018)
  • Co-chairperson, Event Studies SIG, CAUTHE (2015-Feb 5th, 2022)
  • Committee Member, Western Melbourne Tourism (2012-2015)
  • Secretary, Tourism Society Scotland (2002-2005)

 

Public/Community Engagement

  • Measuring and Awards for Postive Impacts: Business Events Shaping Tommorow (BEST) (2023)
  • Edinburgh Business Tourism Providers - Community Calculator (Community Consultation and Matrics Creation) (2021-22)
  • #ILovePortland 2019 - A public consultation on the Isle of Portland, UK (2019)
  • b-side Arts Festival Non-Executive Director (Sustainability) (2017-2018)
  • Committee Member (and Logistics Manager) Yaraville Arts Festival (2008-2011/2)

 

Date


71 results

The Future of Events & Festivals

Book
Yeoman, I., Robertson, M., McMahon-Beattie, U., Backer, E., & Smith, K. A. (Eds.)
(2014). The Future of Events & Festivals. Abingdon: Routledge
The growth of events and festivals has been significant over the last decade and a wide range of skills are essential to ensure those events are successful. This requirement ...

Duplication of Purchase Law in Sport Event Markets: New Zealand case study

Conference Proceeding
Lees, G., Morrison, A., & Robertson, M. (2014)
Duplication of Purchase Law in Sport Event Markets: New Zealand case study. In S. Rundle-Thiele, K. Kubacki, & D. Arli (Eds.), ANZMAC Annual Conference 2014, Proceedings (218-225
The paper seeks to further understand the sport market structure. In doing so it considers whether New Zealand sport event markets follow the Duplication of Purchase Law or wh...

Scenarios for the future of events and festivals: Mick Jagger at 107 and Edinburgh Fringe

Book Chapter
Yeoman, I., Robertson, M., McMahon-Beattie, U., & Musarurwa, N. (2014)
Scenarios for the future of events and festivals: Mick Jagger at 107 and Edinburgh Fringe. In I. Yeoman, M. Robertson, U. McMahon-Beattie, E. Backer, & K. Smith (Eds.), The Future of Events and Festivals. , (36-50). (1). Oxon, UK: Taylor & Francis
Introduction: a tipping point The power of festivals and events is multifarious. As both historic artefacts and barometers of current beliefs, opinions and the state of societ...

eScaping in the city, retailvents in socio-spatially managed futures.

Book Chapter
Robertson, M., & Lees, G. (2014)
eScaping in the city, retailvents in socio-spatially managed futures. In I. Yeoman, M. Robertson, U. McMahon-Beattie, E. Backer, & K. Smith (Eds.), The Future of Events and Festivals. , (251-267). (1). Oxon, UK: Taylor & Francis
From a mercantile past, of the travelling merchant and adventures and travels around the world, to proliferation of market towns, to the growth of individual – specialist – sh...

Cognitive map(s) of event and festival futures

Book Chapter
Yeoman, I., Robertson, M., & Wheatley, C. (2014)
Cognitive map(s) of event and festival futures. In I. Yeoman, M. Robertson, U. M. -. Beattie, E. Backer, & K. A. Smith (Eds.), The Future of Events and Festivals. , (271-314). Oxon, UK: Taylor & Francis
The future cannot be forecasted with a high degree of certainty and precision (Eden and Ackermann 1998); however, understanding the environment and context as explanation is a...

Leadership and visionary futures: future proofing festivals.

Book Chapter
Robertson, M., & Brown, S. (2014)
Leadership and visionary futures: future proofing festivals. In I. Yeoman, M. Robertson, U. McMahon-Beattie, E. Backer, & K. Smith (Eds.), The Future of Events & Festivals. , (219-235). Oxon, UK: Taylor & Francis
Introduction David Bowie’s 1974 album Diamond Dogs offered a dystopian vision of the world in which ‘. . . fleas the size of rats sucked on rats the size of cats and ten thous...

An Exploration of a Niche Sport Event’s Role in Visitors’ Perception of a Rural Destination: The Case of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup

Journal Article
Robertson, M., Newland, B. L., & Darby, P. (2014)
An Exploration of a Niche Sport Event’s Role in Visitors’ Perception of a Rural Destination: The Case of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. International journal of sport management, 15(2), 193-218
This article investigates whether a niche sport event in a rural location influences visitor perceptions of a destination. The work explores how rural sport events can affect ...

The Motives of Ambassadors in Bidding for International Association Meetings and Events

Journal Article
Lockstone-Binney, L., Whitelaw, P., Robertson, M., Junek, O., & Michael, I. (2014)
The Motives of Ambassadors in Bidding for International Association Meetings and Events. Event Management, 18(1), 65-74. https://doi.org/10.3727/152599514x13883555341931
As destinations contest the rights to host international association-based meetings and events, competitive points of difference in the bidding process can mean the success or...

Introduction: ProfessIonalIzatIon and event ManageMent

Journal Article
Robertson, M., Junek, O., & Lockstone-Binney, L. (2014)
Introduction: ProfessIonalIzatIon and event ManageMent. Event Management, 18(1), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.3727/152599514x13883555341689
No abstract available. Item is introduction to journal issue.

Signals and Signposts of the Future: Literary Festival Consumption in 2050

Journal Article
Robertson, M., & Yeoman, I. (2014)
Signals and Signposts of the Future: Literary Festival Consumption in 2050. Tourism Recreation Research, 39(3), 321-342. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2014.11087004
This conceptual paper uses a scenario planning process to facilitate possible futures for literary festivals, a form of festival tourism that has grown rapidly in the develope...

Pre-Napier Funded Projects

  • Arts Council England Catalyst Small Grant Application (Bournemouth University & b-side Multimedia Festival CIC) (Awarded 2018)
  • Pathways to sustainability: festival leaders and transformative futures (leader/ internal) (2017)
  • Developer, Coordinator and Trainer: Professional Diploma in Event Management, Office of Knowledge Exchange, Victoria University (leader) (2013-14)
  • Sport events and rural destination narrative. UCI MB Championship (leader/ internal) (2012-13)
  • ICCA Commission (team member): Investigating Ambassador Programmes: Motives for Bidding for International Meetings and Events Bureaus’ (2012-2013)

Current Post Grad projects

Previous Post Grad projects

Non-Napier PhD or MSc by Research supervisions

  • PhD (Victoria University, Melbourne): Micaela Joy Spiers (Families with adolescents: vacation decision making) (Professor AM Hede, Dr R. Garma & Dr. M. Robertson) (Awarded 2017)