Does the IBA Need a New Model for Conferences?

摘要

Generally, IBA conferences have been delivered so that all oral presentations are given in a plenary session (i.e., no concurrent sessions), thereby giving all attendees the opportunity to hear all talks. So, what is needed for a successful conference is adequate meeting room space with state-of-the-art audio-visual support, adequate exhibit rooms to accommodate a large poster session and commercial exhibitors, and appropriate arrangements for breaks that enable attendees to meet, visit, and network. Hotel accommodations at the host hotel or nearby must also be acquired and reserved well in advance of the conference date. A host city location that provides interesting opportunities for evening excursions and pre-and post-conference trips is also welcomed. Conference organizers are encouraged by IBA Council to keep registration costs and hotel accommodations as low as possible since, unlike attendees at a business-financed conference, many attendees at IBA conferences must pay their own expenses. This is especially true for many students.