einstein (São Paulo). 01/out/2025;23((Suppl 2)):eEDS3.
From student organizer to leader: the role of event planning in management skill development
DOI: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2025EDS3
In common parlance, the term “event” often evokes images of celebrations, ceremonies, or large gatherings meant primarily for leisure. However, when considered in the academic environment, event planning can be understood as a pedagogical tool that fosters organizational, interpersonal, and leadership skills among students. Far from being limited to logistical tasks such as scheduling rooms, event planning becomes a formative process in which students learn to manage resources, coordinate teams, and handle unforeseen challenges. In this sense, organizing an academic or institutional event represents much more than an extracurricular activity: it is an opportunity to cultivate essential management skills that can shape future leaders.
The organization of events can be understood as a training ground for what Pierre Bourdieu() describes as a “managerial habitus.” Just as the scientific habitus is gradually internalized through research practice, the managerial habitus is formed when students repeatedly engage in planning, negotiation, and leadership within real social contexts. This set of implicit dispositions begins to guide behavior and decisions in leadership situations – often unconsciously – while equipping students to act with greater confidence in professional environments.
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