International conferences are an integral part of any professional’s life. The best conferences typically range from small local meetings of thirty people to several hundred people or more at large international events. Conferences allow people to present their work, learn from others and interact informally. Conferences are also social spaces – in which all sorts of disciplinary conventions, gender norms, and contested dialogues are enacted. Before going through our upcoming international conference 2023 listing though, you should know that no conference experience will prove to be beneficial if you don’t prepare for it and aren’t aware of how to make the most of every one of the opportunities you’ll be presented with at the event (such as Scopus journals publication, job offers, etc.)
Making the most of your own conference attendance involves navigating many such issues but can bring considerable personal satisfaction and professional rewards. Yet getting the most out of your conference (this goes for any international virtual conference 2023 experience too) won’t happen by chance. The insights offered in this blog equate to the consolidated experience of veteran conference-goers and speakers of all career stages and disciplines. Drink in the following keys to conferencing success to ensure maximum ROI.
- Key #1
Never Underestimate The Value Of Meticulous Preparation
- Different people interpret the same event differently – it happens to crime scene witnesses, museum visitors, and even Facebook users.
- Reflecting this Rashomon effect, the tendency of discrete segmented groups to attend conferences for different reasons is an important consideration for conference organizers and delegates.
- Thinking deliberately before your conference to identify your purpose, motivations, and personal needs allows you to derive maximum benefit from the conference experience.
- Being fully aware of your indicators of success for attendance allows you to plan your time and energy more deliberately and strategically.
- Key #2
Identify Your Conferencing Priorities. Devise An Agenda To Fulfill All Of Them & Stick To The Plan
- Conferences require you to use your time and energy efficiently. Some Scopus international conference days can start as early as 7 a.m. with meetings with colleagues over breakfast before sessions start and even end with social events that run very late – or even very early.
- Yet your success in meeting your conference priorities will likely come from a smaller number of activities – meeting specific people or attending certain sessions.
- So avoid feeling pressured to attend everything or too much – it’s counterproductive – and you risk finding yourself too spread out or exhausted.
- Instead, put your most important sessions into your schedule first and work from there to fill your day as much as you want.
- Asking to meet someone you don’t know in advance via email or social media isn’t unusual, and showing up ahead of time is an excellent way to break the ice and forge a connection before you meet in person.
- Different people have different levels of stamina, preferences, and needs for their conference time.
- Knowing your preferred intensity level is important and ensures you have plenty of time to relax and socialize.
- Although staying at the designated conference hotel may be a bit more expensive, having a private rest area just steps from the conference floor allows you to maximize the use of your time and offers an accessible opportunity for a quiet and restful private space whenever you need it.
- Getting involved in the conference itself can add an extra enriching dimension to your participation.
- It provides opportunities to play a role in the smooth running of the conference – whether you are a volunteer, chair, or presenter – and gives others the opportunity to benefit from your contributions as well as a chance for you to meet other conference delegates.
- Key #3
Be Confident Enough To Be The One To Initiate A Conversation
- Conferences seem to have a life of their own, and many of us feel uncomfortable with such a big event.
- The last thing we often want to do is go talk to people we don’t know.
- Yet we’ve always been encouraged by how passionate, friendly and open conference delegates are once you break the ice.
- If you’re going to a conference for the first time or know too few people, recognize that it’s normal to feel uncomfortable – most of us (especially introverts) want to run a mile when we face the prospect of breaking out of our usual group.
- Yet it only takes a few seconds of bravery to strike up a new conversation with a new person – and it’s just as important, if not more so, to listen more than to talk.
- Attend some of the conference’s peripheral social events to meet fellow delegates in relaxed, less formal settings.
- Time and time again at our conferences, we have seen such spontaneous conversations lead to the affirmation of shared understanding, new relationships, and even major new collaborations.
- Indeed, one of the most important benefits of attending the conference is meeting new people, and the conference space is also an important part of continuing to grow and develop ongoing relationships.
- Key #3
The Conferencing Environment (Destination, Venue, Infrastructure, Etc.) Plays Its Part
- The destination of the conference plays a crucial role in the experience of each participant.
- The events industry is one of the fastest growing industries out there, not only in terms of the financial revenue it generates but also in terms of the development of the destination hosting the event.
- The destination is one of the most important factors that shape the decision-making process of potential attendees regarding their attendance at conferences.
- Therefore, conference organizers should invest in evaluation criteria that drive the momentum of the venue.
- This leads to the use of a communication strategy based on the dynamics of the conference venue.
- The document presents the evaluation criteria as they result from the documentary analysis and are evaluated by the participants.
- The research results demonstrate the importance of each evaluation criterion and the extension of the “conference location” factor.
- Interest in the value of academic conferences has grown steadily in recent years, according to studies.
- Most cities already have the necessary infrastructure and facilities to host events of this caliber.
- The convention industry is a highly competitive global industry.
- However, the amount of research conducted is incompatible with the rapid development of the industry, thus reducing its momentum.
- Therefore, despite the increased performance of the sector, scientific conferences remain an understudied area in terms of the use of an integrated communication approach.
- Insufficient attention has been paid either to developing an understanding of the communication strategies adopted by the conferences or to evaluate their degree of success.
- Here are some things participants should consider –
- A destination with infrastructure able to meet both the needs of conference organizers (convention center) and the needs of participants in terms of accommodation and equipment.
- A destination of historical and cultural heritage, capable of increasing the interest of participants and, by extension, the levels of participation.
- A destination with appropriate weather conditions allows for the smooth running of the conferences.
- A destination with adequate availability of travel services, able to meet visitors’ food and entertainment needs.
- A destination able to offer a variety of transport modes in order to be easily approached.
- A safe destination, free from high terrorism, theft, and injury.
- A quiet environment that ensures conferences run smoothly without interference or disturbance from the local community.
- A destination with adequate sanitary conditions, free of infectious diseases, and non-potable water.
- A destination to serve using international language to better serve attendees inside and outside the conference venue.
- Key #4
Tech (As Usual) Always Has Some Part To Play & You Should Be Aware Of It
- Social media is guaranteed to play a crucial part in the engineering and technology conference 2023 experience.
- While some conference-goers steer clear of social media at conferences due to concerns about privacy and lack of integration with the curriculum, most recognize the added value that social media, especially Twitter, brings to university conferences.
- Social media posts during presentations allow for side conversations about sessions, content to be shared with other delegates and those unable to attend, and new relationships to be made both in the conference space online and physically.
- Generally on the theme of the #hashtag dedicated to the conference, contributing to this conversation on social networks allows you to connect with other scholars but also to be aware of the views and interpretations of others on the content of the conference, even when you are not physically attending the sessions.
- Although you don’t have to produce your own messages, many are surprised by the fun of engaging and sharing content online at conferences – it adds a new and unique dimension to the conference experience for very little extra effort.
- In addition to social media, conference organizers are increasingly offering online tools to enhance the conference experience.
- For example, many conferences now use a dedicated app to allow delegates to view and search the full schedule, integrate selected sessions with calendars, and even contact other delegates in real-time.
- Alongside social media platforms, these tools are a powerful way to help you be more informed and immersed in the conference without the distraction of emails.
- These allow you to better engage with sessions that may appear or are suggested by others that you might not otherwise have discovered.
- Doing so may even help you discover a fast publishing list of Scopus journals.
- Key #5
Know That What You Do After The Conference Also Matters When It Comes To Maximising Your ROI
- After the “high” of a busy conference day, it’s easy not to capitalize on that conference magic — your newfound enthusiasm, new connections, and new ideas.
- Take a few minutes during a break, lunch, or at the conclusion of a conference day to jot down key points you want to remember for later action or reflection.
- It could be a big idea related to your job or the general direction of your field, something new you learned, or a concept you need more time to think about.
- At the end of the conference, while a collection of new business cards will weigh down your pocket, without action, they alone won’t make your prospects soar.
- At the end of each day and each conference, get into the habit of reviewing your action points and start working on them.
- Avoid waiting too long to follow up with new email or social media contacts to better ensure you’re always fresh in their minds.
- If you enjoyed your conference, share your positive experiences (for ex: you may have learned about some crucial tips for easily publish research paper) and learnings with colleagues in your own networks or workplaces.
- This helps ensure that dynamic conferences reach even beyond those in attendance.
Step-By-Step Preparation For Any International Conference
This is particularly for those who prefer a simplified approach –
- Prior To The Event
- If you’ve submitted a research paper proposal and have got accepted, congratulations.
- If not, you will benefit from expert feedback on your work that can inform future proposals.
- You may need to write down what you want to accomplish at the conference in order to get funding, but do it for yourself anyway.
- Inquire of peers and colleagues who’ve participated in past conferences for suggestions.
- If this is a new conference or you cannot find anyone who has attended previous events, check the website to check the quality and caliber of speakers/presenters and the pertinence of the conference theme to the vision, mission, and objectives of your institution.
- Think about why you are attending the conference and how you’d like to benefit from it, both personally and professionally.
- Bear these objectives in mind during the course of the event.
- Think about the three main messages you want to convey in your presentation/poster.
- Take full advantage of any “early bird” registration and institutional membership discounts through which you might be able to earn yourself discounts.
- If you’re new to the conference circuit and want to maximize your chances of meeting and socializing, staying at the conference hotel can make it easier for you.
- Remember to check the conference website regularly for any changes or updates.
- Browse the list of delegates looking for people you’d like to meet, e.g., that are in your area of research.
- You might want to email them ahead of time with a clear, succinct message explaining why you want to meet them.
- You may want to give them your mobile number to arrange an appointment upon arrival.
- Read the session summaries and plan which sessions you want to attend, but be flexible if you find more information about one of the sessions while you’re there, leading you to believe the topic can be better represented on paper than in a real presentation.
- You can change your mind.
- When planning which sessions to attend, include second and third choices in case your first choice is canceled or does not meet your expectations.
- If the latter applies, you may be able to move on to your second choice.
- Don’t be afraid to leave a session that doesn’t meet your expectations – we’ve all done it, and presenters won’t be offended.
- Be sure to note the locations of the rooms so you can gauge how much time you have to get there between sessions.
- If the conference does not offer one, it may be useful to make a table with each day and each period and list your first, second, and third choice sessions.
- When you get the final schedule, you can fill in the room slots on this grid.
- Select sessions that broaden your perspectives, not just those in your area.
- Get out of your silo.
- Google some of the presenters in advance for their biographies.
- Find their social profiles so you are aware of what they look like.
- Google – the conference venue if you can to familiarize yourself with the location and possibly the facilities beforehand.
- Read some of the presenters’ recent articles or preprints (in your area of research).
- Prepare a few questions about their work or possible areas of collaboration (which will be a good reason to start a conversation at the conference).
- Look at past conferences held by the same organizer and identify the people who are invited to speak each year.
- These tend to be popular “tried and tested” speakers that have something worth hearing about.
- If you get the names of the delegates ahead of time, contact the people and arrange to meet at the conference.
- Connect beforehand with people you know, both internal to your institution and external.
- Email your colleagues in your discipline/field and let them know you’re going to the conference.
- Suggest that they check out the conference website and see if there is anything you can do for them while you’re there.
- Devise A Concrete Strategy Well Ahead Of Time
- Know who and what you want to see.
- Pick two to three things you really want to pursue, your most pressing questions you’d like answered, or goals you’d like to achieve.
- Buy a conference book to staple business cards in; take notes of ideas (such as crucial know-how on how to publish paper in Scopus); people’s names (and why you’re noting their names).
- If you write notes you take during sessions on the right side of a page, you can keep the left side free for action points.
- At the end of each day or towards the end of the conference, you can collect these points in a list, marking them up to provide you with an action plan, eg.
- Urgent, short term
- Important, short term
- To research
- Long term
- Check to see if the conference organizers are looking for volunteers.
- This means you can meet lots of people at the registration desk, and you can also get a discount on some conference costs.
- Is the conference looking for chairs for the sessions? Volunteer.
- This can be a good opportunity to talk to other participants.
- They may even come and talk during breaks because you’re a familiar face.
- Bring your contact or business cards.
- Depending on the “tone” of the conference, you can also take “contact” sticky labels.
- Include details of your research/work interests.
- Have a brief summary of your own work to give out to interested people (especially if you have a poster or booth).
- Participate in any online discussions/blogs that can be set up beforehand.
- Just hide or, if possible, contribute.
- Don’t forget to have fun too.
- You don’t need to network all the time.
- It’s okay to take time and not be too ambitious.
- You “work” many more hours at a conference, and it’s good to take a break.
- You’ll definitely absorb more if you give yourself some downtime!
- Plan the “debriefing” before you go to the conference (so that you have the time and date in your diary).
- If you want to take notes with your laptop, make sure it’s fully charged at least before the sessions that are most important to you.
- If you can, bring a spare battery.
- Do not rely on the availability of electrical outlets nearby on site.
- You might wish to bring along your camera to take spectacular pictures.
- It may be worth checking with the organizers first if taking photos is allowed.
- Over The Course Of The Event
- Take a jacket or sweater with you, as ambient temperatures can vary greatly.
- A jacket having two pockets is especially beneficial in this regard.
- Use one for your business cards and one for the ones that are given to you to avoid mixing them up!
- Display your badge prominently so people can read it easily.
- Hanging your badge on one of the supplied lanyards tends to make it too low for most people to read easily.
- You can take it off as soon as the day concludes and you leave the venue.
- A badge identifies you as non-local and easy prey for muggers and pickpockets.
- Put your name on your folder/bag.
- The last thing you want is to do is to lose those notes you took on documents etc., during the day.
- Don’t drag everything in the conference bag/pack.
- Bring a lightweight bag that can hold what you need on a daily basis, e.g., the conference program, a notebook and a pen, a highlighter, post-its, some business cards, and, if necessary, a bottle of water (if the organizers don’t provide you with one).
- Travel light! Look for other “newbies” or ask the conference organizers to put you in touch with others (some conferences give newbies different colored badges to identify them and encourage attendees to seek them out).
- Icebreaker questions –
- “I come from…, where are you from?”
- “I am [role]…what are you doing?”
- “Have you ever been to [place]?”
- “Is this your first [host] conference?”
- “What’s new at your facility?”
- “Did you attend any good sessions?”
- “Did you learn anything new today?”
- Since you might be the recipient of some of these icebreakers, repeat a few phrases you can do, which helps you sound professional in such conversations and gives the other person a quick insight into your work before continuing.
- If anyone is interested, they will ask for more details, and you can expand.
- Strike up a conversation with people who seem a little lost or marginalized and introduce them to other people you know.
- You are likely to queue for coffee and lunches and take the opportunity to network with the people in front and behind you.
- Remain positive at all times.
- No one wants to be stuck with someone who’s complaining at all times.
- People are more likely to remember you fondly if they see you as a beacon of positivity.
- Ask other attendees to recommend books, websites, or other lectures.
- Actively participating in your own learning can ensure the relevance of the conference experience.
- You can schedule other activities outside of the conference agenda.
- This can prove to be helpful with your personal development as well as networking.
- Take notes on all the key conversations you had, at least at the end of each day, to help you remember them when you return to work.
- Very often, the most innovative paper communications and posters are found at international conferences.
- Check them out for creative approaches taken elsewhere by others.
- Talk to the winners if possible. Share best practices!
- Do Your Best When It Comes To Delivering A Presentation
- If you are presenting, prepare well.
- Get presentation tips, talk to colleagues, and incorporate their feedback.
- Trust yourself.
- If you are interested in your research/work, others will be interested in it, but be prepared that not everyone will like it.
- Mail your documents to the conference organizers to include in the pack.
- Send a list of email addresses to people who want to know more about your presentation/poster.
- Make a poster, and make smaller copies for people to take away.
- You can also distribute other materials.
- Try to give your presentation early in the day.
- This not only allows you to relax and enjoy the rest of the conference but also gives you time in the afternoon for people to tell you about it.
- Attach a business card to any handouts you distribute as a presenter.
- Ensure Your Wholehearted Participation In Each Session That You Attend
- You’ll need to arrive early if you wish to grab a good seat.
- If you’re late, don’t hover at the back of the room or in the doorway but find a seat somewhere.
- If you end up standing for an hour, you might regret it!
- If you find yourself sitting at the back of the room and have a private question for the presenter post-session, you will be passed by several people on your way to the podium.
- This can prove to be the difference between getting your question answered right away and having to email the presenter afterward.
- Also, keep in mind that the room needs to be prepped for the next event, and/or the speaker may need to rush off for another engagement.
- “Private questions” are those that are specific to you.
- During the sessions, avoid asking them.
- Generic queries that will be advantageous to everyone are more suitable during the actual session.
- If you don’t get a chance to ask your specific question afterward, you can always send an email.
- Either turn your phone off or put it on vibrate to avoid the potential embarrassment of receiving a call mid-session.
- Try to attend the opening plenary as this will give you something in common to discuss with the other delegates you meet for the rest of the conference, as you can all attend different streams/sessions afterward.
- Agree with your colleagues who are attending the same conference and which sessions you will attend in order to get a good spread of coverage.
- During the sessions, try to think of who in your institutions might also be interested in what is being said so that you can give them feedback later.
- Consider each session as a source of ideas or as a trigger for ideas relevant to you and your establishment.
- Actively listen to these nuggets of information. Instead of taking notes, you can plot ideas on a graph.
- The vertical axis can indicate how easy/difficult it would be to implement the idea in your institution.
- The horizontal axis can indicate how high/low the impact on your institution would be if the idea were implemented.
- Look for easy-to-implement, high-impact ideas!
- If you want to ask a question but are afraid to ask it in front of everyone during the session, don’t be nervous about approaching the presenter informally over coffee afterward.
- Preface a question/comment in the Q&A section with an introduction stating your name and organization – this helps the audience know who you are and can give context to your question, which helps the panel.
- It can also encourage people to come to you after the session because you are identifiable rather than another person in the room.
- Try to participate in the sessions you attend.
- Keep comments and questions positive.
- Ask for copies of presentations if they are not provided.
- Challenge your learning style, for instance, don’t take notes, listen.
- Keeping your expectations for every session low is highly recommended.
- One idea, and it was worth it!
- Even a disappointing session can give you access to people to network with.
- Sometimes, informal conversations can be more rewarding than the sessions themselves!
- Consider establishing your own session “grading system” so you can remember which ones were the most helpful.
- Outside Of The Sessions
- Display areas or displays provide a more active environment where you may feel more “in control” as you can determine how long you need to stop at each display.
- If the poster presenters are there, you have a great opportunity to talk to them about their work, and you have a direct line for any questions you may have.
- Take notes on key points and actions.
- Put together a to-do list as the conference keeps progressing.
- Discover what people actually do.
- Collect details on their roles and various duties at their institutions as well as other information.
- Take down notes on the back of business cards you get from people to remind you what you discussed with them, what you learned about them, what you’d like to follow up to discuss with them later, how you could work together, etc.
- Don’t do this in front of them – wait until you’re somewhere else!
- Email colleagues at the conclusion of the day to share ideas and plans.
- This allows your colleagues to ask you to gather more information if necessary.
- Don’t spend all your time with the co-workers you went with.
- It’s intimidating for other delegates to talk to an entire group of people who know each other well, so fewer people will make overtures.
- Push yourself to do something that you aren’t quite comfortable doing.
- You might decide to meet for dinner together, but agree that each of you will bring someone you have met to the conference.
- You may discover at the coffee break that others are facing similar issues or have similar questions (Where do we post the posters?).
- You may be able to be of help/help with these issues.
- Tips for getting away – end conversations politely – “I just want to catch so-and-so before he/she leaves.”
- Don’t underestimate the importance of socializing with purpose at parties.
- Try to sit next to the people you want to meet. Maybe switch places between classes.
- Subsequent To The Conclusion Of The Event
- Write thoughts about the train/plane coming home.
- Did you achieve your goals? If not, why not? What would you do differently next time?
- Think about key messages, don’t just categorize notes.
- List your action points on the way home.
- Organize a debriefing meeting with colleagues from your own institution who attended the same conference.
- Arrange a meeting with interested parties from the faculty/school/department when you return to share the results and discuss things you can move forward with.
- Share with others to write a short report afterward.
- Make sure to send this follow-up email to key people you met – “Really enjoyed your conversation”; “I promised to send you this article.” – say something about what you took away from their presentation or the conversation you had with them.
- Reach out to anyone whose presentation you missed and request papers if they are not available via the conference proceedings/website.
- Most conferences offer you a list of delegates with contact information.
- After the conclusion of the conference, it may be helpful to peruse your list and identify people from your region/country who also attended and contact them via email or phone, saying, “Hello there! I was just at the same conference as you. What are thoughts about the whole thing?”.
- It can make networking easier.
- Always take the opportunity to fill out a feedback form – and/or email your feedback to the organizers after the event (including the positives!).
- If you have trouble remembering names, create a “conference <name> <date> <destination>” file and put everything in there so you can always find the name of the person you were chatting with.
- Maintain a message folder in your Outlook mailbox for conference-related correspondence.
- Make a serious effort to translate your learnings at the conference into something actionable at work.
- In your team/unit/school, encourage the development of a repository for people to share conference information – who goes where/areas/topics.
- Your conference experience doesn’t have to be turned into a thesis.
- A 2/3 page summary with useful URLs and links/contacts will suffice.
- You may have the opportunity to report back to a task force or committee explaining the value of the event to you, what you got out of the experience, and how it will help the institution.
- This can pave the way for future participation in the conference.
- Writing such a report can help organize what you have learned in your own mind.
- Keep a copy for your portfolio/personal file.
- Consider how the ideas can be used in your discipline and perhaps as a route to funding opportunities.
- Attending A Conference Abroad
- Can you take advantage of a conference abroad and also book a holiday?
- Pack the essentials in carry-on luggage (many experience not being able to get their luggage back in time to take them home).
- If you’ve collected a lot of thick paper and booklets, mail them home.
- Take a pre-addressed empty jiffy bag with you for this purpose.
- Don’t carry them – many flights now have very strict baggage weight limits.
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