A BOURNEMOUTH University student has beaten competition from across the globe to secure a place at the world’s most prestigious business management conference.

Olivia Osmond, who is in her third year reading business studies, has secured a place at the Global Drucker Forum in Vienna in November.

She produced one of the top 10 entries in the Global Drucker Challenge 2014, an essay and video contest for students and professionals up to the age of 35.

Her essay, Employing and Adapting Drucker’s Key Lessons for the Digital Wonderland of Tomorrow, came eighth in the contest.

Her prize includes a free delegate place at the Global Drucker Forum and an invitation to the gala networking events, as well as a year’s free membership of the Peter Drucker Society Europe and a one-year all-access subscription to the Harvard Business Review.

Olivia won funding for the trip after contacting chartered accountant Nick Hixson via Deborah Taylor of Bournemouth University’s business school. He is one of only three Peter Drucker Society Associates in the UK and a regular forum attender.

Nick Hixson, who runs Hixsons Business Advisors in Bournemouth, said: “Olivia just wanted to introduce herself and let me know about her award, but she also mentioned her attendance was dependent upon securing a bursary to cover travel and accommodation.

“The standard of entries is very high and the input from undergraduates at the forum is so welcome.

“I really wanted to impress upon Bournemouth University that Olivia would be meeting the world’s elite in business management. Olivia is obviously very determined and already an accomplished networker to get this far.

“I think this experience will benefit her future career enormously.”

Mr Hixson impressed on the university the value of the prize. The dean and the business school offered to support her with the costs of travel and accommodation.

Olivia said: “I am honoured to have been selected as a finalist in this year’s Peter Drucker Challenge, and to be the only student finalist from the UK.”

“This will be a fantastic opportunity for me to network and meet influential figures in the world of management.”

Peter Drucker was described as “the man who invented management” and as the leading management thinker of the 20th century.