Through studying BU’s MSc Tourism & Event Management Ivana Gligoric’s planned to broaden her knowledge of the events industry – knowledge she has since put into practice on an international stage.

Building on previous industry experience in events her course gave her that extra edge she needed to co-found and become CEO of OneFine Corporation – a company that brings innovative technology to sporting events around the world. She and her team have worked with major sporting events across the globe including Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, European Games and Paralympics.

Passion is key to Ivana’s success, and she is extremely passionate about what she does. She also credits much of that success to the initial principles she learnt at BU: “It’s not just a job or career, for me it’s the life style that I’ve chosen. One of the most important things I learnt whilst studying at BU was how to work in a team, which was invaluable when I was working on the Olympics and Paralympics.

“This is something that I would encourage other students taking a similar path to consider, teamwork and determination are both key to a successful career in events.”

The combination of her passion and drive, along with the knowledge she developed at BU, helped Ivana to create her own company - OneFine Corporation.

“My passion for innovation and technology prompted me to develop OneFine Corporation and every day I look for opportunities to make things better. My previous experience within events helped me realise where the gaps are, so I decided to develop an Innovation Centre focused on making a dramatic impact on the major sport events industry.”

Ivana and the team are currently working with elite technology experts and solution providers from Silicon Valley in California, to develop an approach that is new to the events industry, but widely-used across all other major industries.

Ivana offered great advice to current students looking to follow a similar path: “Develop great communication skills, an ability to work well under pressure and a flexible and resilient approach to projects. These are skills that will benefit them in any industry, in the workplace and in life.

“I would highly recommend BU’s MSc Tourism & Event Management course to others, even to those who already have experience in events. As a foreign students myself I also really appreciated the beauty of Bournemouth as a location. I still miss coastal walks and the pretty little seaside towns that surround Bournemouth and Poole.”  

Many have stated that BU graduates are easily recognisable due to their hard working ethos and can do attitude and Ivana agrees. She said: “There are traits that I see in BU graduates again and again – they have a strong understanding of their subject, a great work ethic and are hardworking and respectful of others. In my experience BU graduates bring real value to teams and to those who are lucky enough to employ them.”

She went on to describe how BU develops and nurtures its students, providing a stimulating environment: “The interesting thing about BU is that it provides everything parents wish for their children, but also gives the students everything they’ve dreamed of. It provides an environment that as a student you want to go back to again and again, not just because of the outstanding facilities but also because when you’re there you’re surround by other passionate people and a real sense of community.”

Ivana’s is proud to be a BU graduate and says that her experience at the University has enriched her life, not just her academic portfolio. She explained: “One of the best things about having a BU degree is that it’s recognised worldwide. BU also attracts great people, so you graduate with two really important things; a great network and a degree that future employers will recognise and respect.”

She hopes she can inspire the next generation but it needs determination to succeed. She said: “You can achieve absolutely anything as long as you know what you want, and as long as you’re determined to get there. BU provides the perfect foundation for a career in events, once you graduate you’ll be perfectly placed to get out there and achieve your dream.”