Dr Nicole Ferdinand

PhD, MSc, PGCert, BA (Hons)

Deputy Associate Dean Postgraduate Studies

Oxford Brookes Business School

Role

As a member of the School Executive Team and Educational Leadership Group, I provide academic leadership across the postgraduate portfolio of programmes including leading the effective operational management and delivery of these programmes.

Teaching and supervision

Courses

Modules taught

  • Management in Hospitality, Tourism and Events
  • Digital Marketing for Service Industries
  • Festival and Cultural Events Management
  • International Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism Services
  • Contemporary Issues in Responsible Leadership
  • Research Methods
  • Contemporary Issues in Events Management

I have over 15 years experience teaching hospitality, tourism and event management students. I began my teaching career as a Lecturer at the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute in 2005. Subsequently I was appointed Senior Lecturer in Events Management at London Metropolitan University and later at Bournemouth University. I joined Oxford Brookes University as a Senior Lecturer in Business.

Supervision

  • Aideed, H., 2021. Exploring the local community perceptions of event tourism socio-cultural impacts: a case of the Salalah Tourism Festival, Salalah city, Oman. Doctoral Thesis (Doctoral). Bournemouth University. Co-supervised with Dr Mary Beth Gouthro

Research

My multi-disciplinary research examines the intersections of tourism and events with a variety of contemporary phenomena such as globalization, technology, health and more recently race, gender, sexuality and disability. Recent examples of my work include my research examining the internationalization of the Notting Hill Carnival (Ferdinand and Williams, 2018), the impact of electronic word of mouth (eWoM) on festivals and destinations (Williams et al, 2019) and the effect of COVID-19 and (mis)information on tourism and travel (Williams, Wassler and Ferdinand, 2020). 

Research impact

As part of my commitment to research impact I given public lectures and presentations for national and international organisations such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, Meeting and Events, Australia, and Meetings Professionals International, Finland Chapter. I have also provided input to a cabinet note for the resourcing of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. Additionally,  I regularly provide expert commentary to local, national and international media organisations. Recent examples are:

  • Multicultural TV, in the Caribbean (August 2021) - Interviewed on "Brighter Mornings with Bhoe" about the online racist abuse experienced by England's Black players following Euro 2020. 
  • ITV Meridian (August 2021) - Interviewed about the lifting of COVID-19 quarantine restrictions and its potential impact on tourism.
  • Jack FM, 13/07/2021 (July 2021) - Interviewed about the online racist abuse experienced by England's Black players following Euro 2020.
  • BBC Radio 4 PM, 14/07/21 (July 2021) - Interviewed about Twitter's role in stopping racist abuse online following the Euro 2020 final.
  • Jack FM, 17/06/21 (June 2021) - Interviewed about the proposals that could allow people who have had both COVID-19 vaccinations to avoid having to quarantine on their return from amber list countries. Provided commentary on the impact on tourism.

Publications

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Professional information

Memberships of professional bodies

  • FHEA,

  • Member AEME

Conferences

Conference papers presented:

  • Ferdinand, N. 2019. Al and Business Tourism: New Frontiers and Possibilities. Presented at the ATLAS Special Interest Group Business Tourism May 2019, Porvoo, Finland. (Keynote)
  • Cole, C., Ferdinand, N. and Williams, N.L., 2018. The Twitter force awakens: An exploratory analysis of the e-WoM around a sci-fi movie release. Presented at the Fan Studies Network Conference 29-30 June 2018 Cardiff, Wales. 
  • Ferdinand, N., 2017. 360 Degree Post-event Evaluation. Presented at the Meetings and Events Australia National Conference 30 April-2 May 2017 ICC Sydney. (Keynote)
  • Ferdinand, N., 2016. London meets Port-of-Spain, meets Kingston, meets Rio. Presented at Rio/London: A Tale of Two (Postcolonial) Cities 27 May 2016 King's College London. 
  • Ferdinand, N., 2016. Towards a Carnival Entrepreneurship Curriculum. Presented at Celebrate!: The compelling case for carnival learning 29-30 April 2016 Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth. (Keynote)
  • Ferdinand, N., 2015. Behind the Bacchanal: Using Actor Network Theory to Unravel Notting Hill Carnival Politics. Presented at Carnaval et Politique: Colloque International 13-14 February 2015 Paris Diderot University.
  • Ferdinand, N. and Postma, A., 2014. Future Scenarios for the Notting Hill Carnival. In: The Fifth Biennial Steelpan Conference: The Profound Influence of Caribbean Carnival Art Forms, Steelpan, Calypso and Masquerade within the Diaspora and the Wider World 11 October 2014-12 September 2015 University of East London.
  • Connell, J., Page, S. and Ferdinand, N., 2013. Seasonality and visitor attractions: The role of special events in the off-peak. In: Making Waves: Association of Event Management Educators 3-5 July 2013 Bournemouth.
  • Williams, N., Croft, R. and Ferdinand, N., 2013. Do you have a 3-D Event Evaluation: Bridging the variable/value gap in festival evaluation using twitter. In: Making Waves: International Conference on Events 3-5 July 2013 Bournemouth.

Consultancy

  • 2019 - #ilovePortland - Facilitated a public consultation focussed on the Isle of Portland’s ‘loveability’ and the key opportunities and challenges for the B-side festival and its stakeholders to build resilience in 2019 and beyond. 
  • 2014 - Vanus Investments Limited (Vanus) for the National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago. Masquerade Consultant Engineer – retained to prepare a description of masquerade production for an aide memoir for a Cabinet note for a programme of sector wide measurement of the social and economic impacts of Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago

Further details

Voluntary service

  • 2018 – present - B Side Festival. Member of Festival Board of Directors (focussed on diversity and inclusion)