Conference Holland 2015 by Het_Portaal_Uitgevers

SPEAKER Lucien Engelen: The future of healthcare SPONSORING Nine tips:

How to ensure a happy sponsor

MEETING DESIGN The Journey: Interrupt the ordinary’

SOCIAL MEDIA 15 Reasons

ICCA had tremendous Twitter traffic

PLANNER Rhiannon Bryon:

‘Safety becomes increasingly important’

MUSIC Essential component for motivation and solidarity

5 Edwin Nunnink is editor in chief of Conference Holland and QM. He can be reached at edwin.nunnink@hetportaal.com or @edwinnunnink on Twitter.

A PUBLICATION OF HET PORTAAL UITGEVERS B.V. MEMBER OF

PARTNER OF

HET PORTAAL UITGEVERS B.V. Veerdijk 40-i, 1531 MS Wormer The Netherlands Tel: +31 75 647 57 47 E-mail: info@hetportaal.com Website: www.hetportaal.com EDITORIAL STAFF Editor in Chief Edwin Nunnink edwin.nunnink@hetportaal.com Senior Editor Judith Munster judith.munster@teksthuys.nl Senior Editor Harald Roelofs roelofsh@gmail.com Contributing Editor Daan Borrel dav.borrel@gmail.com Industry Specialist Eric Bakermans ebakermans@holland.com Industry Specialist Tons Soons ton.soons@winningwords.nl PHOTOGRAPHS & ILLUSTRATIONS Cover Illustration Erwin Kho www.zerbamine.nl Contributing Photographer Thomas Fasting www.fastingfotografie.nl Stock photos iStock www.istockphoto.com DESIGN Creative Director Aryen Bouwmeester aryen@finnmedia.nl Graphic Designer Christian Gude chris@finnmedia.nl PRINT Company Real Concepts www.realconcepts.nl ADVERTISING STAFF Sales Manager Ferry Aaftink ferry.aaftink@hetportaal.com Account Manager Arjan Woortman arjan.woortman@hetportaal.com Traffic Manager Monique Zijlstra monique.zijlstra@hetportaal.com Production Coordinator Marco Rensen marco.rensen@hetportaal.com MANAGEMENT Chairman and CEO John Michael Swaab john.swaab@hetportaal.com Chairman and CEO Hans Janssen hans.janssen@hetportaal.com Copyright 2015 by Het Portaal Uitgevers B.V.

WWW.CONFERENCEHOLLAND.COM @ConferenceNL www.facebook.com/conferenceholland EDITION 2015

LEAVE THE LOGISTICS TO US Who can sit for two days and just listen to powerpoint presentations, says association planner, Rhiannon Bryon, in this edition of Conference Holland. She is the representative of the new way of organising, shifting the focus from logistics to the transfer of knowledge and networking opportunities. BY EDWIN NUNNINK

Of course, it remains important that participants arrive without too much trouble at their destination, have a comfortable place to stay and that the catering is to their liking. They must also be able to find a place in time at the sessions, be able to easily see and hear the presentations and get answers to their practical questions. But then it is a simpler option to gather information and contacts via the internet. For that, you do not, as a participant, need to travel so far or invest so much time and money. With the advent of the world wide web as an alternative - or competitor if you want to be combative - it is essential for conference organisers to exploit the actual added value of this form of live communication. When it comes to the transfer of information, this means using techniques that have long been common in the trainer world. These are techniques that go beyond spouting information. They are techniques that focus on tangible results. These are techniques that focus on real, meaningful interaction with and among the participants. In the conference world, this message is now understood. Under the heading of meeting design, we are working to catch up in knowledge and application of Cognitive Science when developing and detailing conferences. In this issue, we have therefore asked Greg Bogue, vice president of experiential design at Maritz Travel Company, to take the floor. He tells you how you can, using "journey mapping' and 'empathy mapping' effectively to develop a meaningful conference programme in a structured manner. As a bonus, he gives us his list of favourite books related to this topic. We also focus on music as an essential part of conferences. When it comes to a conference as a logistics operation, you can rely on specialised professionals. In the Netherlands as a gateway to Europe and with its centurieslong status as a world nation, that logistical knowledge and expertise plentiful. Furthermore, in our compact, easily accessible country many of those challenges cease to exist. I would say, let us do the logistics; you can focus on the content and - certainly not least - the quality of knowledge transfer and networking.

There are concerns about travelling to certain destinations – or certain parts of a city – and therefore the safety of delegates becomes increasingly important, states Rhiannon Bryon, Senior Manager of the global event team of ESOMAR.

CONTENT

‘The safety of delegates becomes increasingly important’

28 Music provides motivation and solidarity Music is an essential component in any serious conference programme. Scientific research has shown that music activates certain areas of the brain and provides a feeling of fellowship.

The future of healthcare Lucien Engelen (1962) talks about the future of healthcare. That's not a job, that's a passion, he says. "I do not have a crystal ball. Only by doing, can I make clear what is going to change."

How to ensure a happy sponsor How can you, as a meeting planner, help your sponsor to get as much return as possible on his investment? QM gives nine tips for a successful conference for the organiser, the participants and the sponsor.

Interrupt the ordinary

ICCA congress a success on social media

A good meeting designer goes through the entire process of an event, just as its target groups also do, contends Experience Architect, Greg Bogue. Essential for the success of the meeting is that, occasionally, you interrupt the ordinary.

Around 60 percent of the participants were active on Twitter before, during and after 53rd ICCA Congress. This is a remarkable result because, on average, 10 to 20 percent of the participants at a conference or trade fair are users of this social media.

OPINION

21 Eric Bakermans

27 Ton Soons

33 Geoff Donaghy

Showcase what your destination is good at!

How do you develop a conference?

Community engagement is key

It’s important that local scientific knowledge contributes to a convention. In turn, conventions may contribute to scientific development.

Most associations rarely choose, in the development of a conference, the approach that commercial conference organisers use.

Conference centre managers, along with city planners, city developers and centre owners should be deeply engaged in the broader overall strategic planning processes for the destination.

CONTENT

DESTINATION REPORTS (with congress calendar on page 77)

Amsterdam Cultural treasures and economic clusters

Amsterdam has developed from an international city of trade to an international city of knowledge. In addition, of course, the Dutch capital remains a beautiful, history city, with its friendly and lively atmosphere.

Leiden ' All languages and cultures can be found here, from every continent'

In the past two years, Leiden has experienced strong growth as a conference city. Mayor Henri Lenferink explains how his knowledge city, internationally renowned in the field of humanities and life sciences, has learned to embrace international conferences.

The Hague The international city of peace and justice

As the second UN city in the world, The Hague is the international city of peace and justice, a place where leaders meet every day to tackle global challenges regarding peace and justice and other major topics such as security, energy and ICT & Telecom.

Amersfoort Networking in an historic setting

North Holland, north of Amsterdam Land of wind and water

Water management, renewable energy generation and agriculture. These are the focus areas of North-Holland North, the region just north of Amsterdam, where you will also find the majority of the Dutch heritage.

Utrecht Knowledge development and knowledge events

Amersfoort offers the unique combination of an historic city and a modern, vibrant network economy. The only true centre of the Netherlands is increasingly demanding its position as a central meeting place.

Economic Board Utrecht makes available an incentive fund of 300,000 Euro for organisers of knowledge events in the province. This applies to international congresses and meetings that are in line with the spearheads Green, Healthy and Smart..

Rotterdam International and enterprising

Rotterdam is a city where everything is possible. Rotterdam is shaped by its international position as a world port and the no-nonsense character of its residents. It is a city that is constantly changing and is never finished.

Maastricht ' Our position in the Euroregion is unique'

The collaboration among four campuses makes Maastricht and the region a world leader in several niche areas, says Jurgen Moors, the new director of the Maastricht Convention Bureau. The compact, internationally oriented city makes the congressional offerings complete.

About Conference Holland is the most comprehensive guide for association managers and meeting planners who consider or decided to organise a conference in The Netherlands. Conference Holland is a special edition of QM [Quality in Meetings] a publication of Het Portaal Uitgevers. Het Portaal Uitgevers supplies trade and industry information in the trade fair, meeting, promotional marketing, corporate gift and promotional

product domain. We aim to improve knowledge in those who use these marketing and communication media to increase their returns and to stimulate and support further development in the relevant industries. We organise printed media, digital platforms and events to this end. These activities are carried out under the Expovisie, QM, and PromZ brand names.

ASSOCIATION PLANNER

‘ THE SAFETY OF DELEGATES BECOMES INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT’ Because of her father’s job, she relocated to new countries every two years. Friendship brought her to Amsterdam, where she got a temporary job in the ESOMAR events team. There, she realised that she could live in one place and have a job which would enable her to see the world. Now, 19 years later, Rhiannon Bryon is the Senior Manager of the global event team of ESOMAR. BY JUDITH MUNSTER, SENIOR EDITOR CONFERENCE HOLLAND

Can you explain what ESOMAR is and what ESOMAR does? ESOMAR is the world association for market, social and opinion researchers. Our core aim is to promote the value of market and opinion research in effective decision-making. Founded in 1948, the organisation began as a regional association within Europe but now, with 4.900 individual and 360 corporate members in over 130 countries, our membership is truly global and represents research professionals from around the world and from a diversity of industries and sectors in business and society. One of the most important things about ESOMAR is that membership in the organisation is entirely voluntary. Membership sets you apart as a researcher who actively wishes to raise the standards, the application and the value of research, globally. Why did ESOMAR choose Amsterdam as its home base? ESOMAR was founded in Holland, after World War II. The founding members wanted to ensure that the European

countries would recover economically and, therefore, agreed to set a common set of standards and quality levels within the research industry. The first ever annual congress was held in Amsterdam in 1948. On this occasion, ESOMAR was inaugurated as an organisation and has been located in Amsterdam ever since. How does ESOMAR engage with its members? One of the ways in which ESOMAR engages with its members is through a series of industry and thematic events. All are designed to encourage networking and create a platform for discussions on best practice, shared learning and spearheading the future of the industry. Furthermore, the speakers at almost every event are required to produce a supporting paper to their presentation, which is placed in our library and which provides a unique resource to our profession - as we now have more than 2500 digital papers, covering subjects of topical research interest, stretching back more than 15 years. Each year, ESOMAR offers more than ten large regional and international events, as well as forty local events. The annual

ESOMAR Congress is our flagship event and the 68th edition will take place in Dublin this year from 27-30 September. How is the ESOMAR organisation structured? As an association, we have an elected council of volunteer industry professionals advising our management team, with Finn Raben as our Director General. We work in a series of teams. At the heart of the organisation is the membership team who ensure that the benefits of joining the association remain unique and relevant. Another core area of activity is led by the professional standards and government affairs team who provide ethical guidance and actively promote self-regulation in the industry; they are often to be found at the European Commission in Brussels, representing and amplifying the industry’s voice when new laws are being discussed. Throughout the organisation and across the teams, there is a sharp focus on content and innovation, from our publication and education series to our webinars and videos on demand. In turn, we also have dedicated team members responsible for

ASSOCIATION PLANNER

and fell in love with their son. That was almost 19 years ago and I’m still here. In a short time I managed to get a temporary role in the ESOMAR events team. It was a revelation as I realised that I could live in one place and have a job which would enable me to see the world, rather than uprooting every time. Shortly after that, I was offered a permanent role at ESOMAR – and everything fell in to place.

RHIANNON BRYON: ‘TOP OF ALL OUR MINDS IS DESIGNING EVENTS THAT ENCOURAGE NETWORKING AND SHOWCASE THE VALUE OF RESEARCH THROUGH INNOVATIVE FORMATS AND THOUGHT PROVOKING CONTENT.’

communicating these innovations and developments to our members and customers, as well as to external relations with national associations and ESOMAR’s country representatives, of which there are 85. To manage all these activities, we have, of course, a fantastic support system in place with our web, multimedia, communications and finance teams. How is the congress part embedded? Last but not least we have the global event team: myself, as the Senior Manager working with two event specialists focusing on content and project management of specific events, an executive managing all registrations and customer enquiries and two logistic specialists who source all venues and negotiations and manage our external event partners from the AV to the Venue. What is unique about ESOMAR events is that all content is peer reviewed by (again, volunteer) industry professionals and we keep decisions on the content separate from the commercial side, which is coordinated by a sales team responsible for sponsorship and exhibition. To give you an idea of the scale of their workload, the exhibition of

the annual congress alone welcomes more than a hundred exhibitors. As the Senior Manager for Events, it’s my responsibility to guide the strategic direction of our Global Events, as well as to ensure that everything is delivered on time and within budget. Having said that, our annual Congress attracts over 1,000 professionals from 80 countries and you’ll find every person in the office contributing to its success. How did you get involved in the association? I began to work at ESOMAR in 1998… well, let me tell you the whole story. I’m British (born in Wales) and because of my father’s job I relocated to new countries and schools approximately every 2 years. When I was 16, my father retired early and the family plan was to make the UK our home, but I was so used to travelling, that I packed my bags, said goodbye and started to travel solo across Greece. I ended up in a small fishing village in Crete where I lived for almost 5 years. During that time I met lots of lovely Dutch holidaymakers and, in the winter of 1997, I went over to visit one family

Do you have other experiences in the meeting industry, besides ESOMAR? I worked at ESOMAR for ten years, till April 2008. Then, I decided I needed a new challenge and accepted the Conference Director position at a commercial events company. My main focus was developing concepts and inviting speakers for a variety of topics across many different industry sectors. I loved that job as I learnt so much about different aspects and sectors in business - from Executive Compensation & Benefits to Automotive Retail & Distribution. Then the financial crisis hit and the Dutch part of the company had to close down. I was lucky to be able to continue working as a freelance conference producer for the sister company in Spain. Meanwhile, I was asked to manage the PR and Marketing for several international techno DJs based in Amsterdam. I found myself entering a new world – the world of dance music: networking at international DJ events, travelling to Miami for the WMC – Winter Music Festival in Miami - then back home for ADE, Amsterdam’s Dance Event. All of these different freelancing projects gave me new event experiences and then ESOMAR called and asked me to help organise our 2011 annual congress in Amsterdam. At the end of the project, they asked if I would consider returning to the Events team as < the manager and I accepted.

ASSOCIATION PLANNER

Can you explain what your job entails? It seems to be constantly evolving, just like the events industry. Top of my mind – actually top of all our minds is designing events that encourage networking and showcase the value of research through innovative formats and thought provoking content. I’ll give the headlines by saying my role is twofold. Firstly, I am overall responsible for the design, development and implementation of ESOMAR’s calendar of global and regional events, which are aligned to the organisation’s vision, mission and

strategic objectives. We have a provisional strategic plan of events and venues for the next 4 years. It includes our annual classics and makes provisions for new research event topics that will emerge in the future. Planning of the venues is based on several factors, from the analysis of our key membership markets to a need to increase visibility of ESOMAR in a particular country or an annual regional event that is on rotation across those countries. After consultation with our council, management and key industry professionals, plus a detailed analysis of competitive

event dates and public holidays around the world, the dates and cities are agreed and the logistics specialists source the venues. When set, I create the planning for the year, bearing in mind that the Congress and conferences all require that the speakers write an original paper. Therefore, we need to secure the Congress venue at least 12 months in advance. For the conferences, the programme manager needs to start work at least 9 months before the event start date. What kinds of events does ESOMAR organise? Can you mention a few? As I mentioned, our key event is the annual congress; with this year celebrating its 68th edition under the theme, ‘Revelations.’ The congress is held in the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD). I’ve just been there and it’s a fantastic venue. This year, we have three regional networking events: Our 16th Asia Pacific event in Singapore, our 20th Latin American Event in Sao Paulo and our 4th MENAP (Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan) Forum in Dubai. We are also introducing a brand new event to the calendar in 2015: RA:DAR - Research Analytics: Digital Advanced Research. It’s a high-level symposium to uncover the business value of digital analytics. Think, for example, about data from wearable devices, user-generated content and the ‘Internet of Things’. Data analytics is a hot topic and this event is generating a lot of interest with, for example, Facebook and AOL already involved. What’s also special about this event is that, rather than heading to a hotel for the venue, one of our corporate members is providing us with their innovative meeting space. We did this before in 2013 when we teamed up with Volkswagen for an Automotive Forum and, as our venue partners, they offered us space in the Autostadt which is an ultra-modern < theme park opened by Volkswagen.

For RA:DAR we will head to the innovative meeting space at the AOL office on Broadway in New York. Of course we are not always travelling. Every year, we collaborate with the Development team to offer a Summer Academy in Amsterdam. It’s a week of learning and delegates can ‘pick and mix’ which days to attend in June. That event kicks off with a one-day seminar, followed by parallel workshops the rest of the week. What’s funny about the Academy is that it’s organised annually in June and, whether it’s the end, middle or beginning of June, it is guaranteed to rain that week in Amsterdam. We’re hoping to change that this year!

Do you often introduce innovations in your congresses? Always! I think you have to nowadays when there are so many different events being offered to the same target audience. From our own app, to live streaming to designing programmes with different rhythms and formats, such as fire-starters, talk shows, energisers, flash mob presentations, Hyde Park style speaker corners…. I mean who can sit for 2 days and just listen to PowerPoint presentations? As well as innovations enabled by new technologies, we dedicate a lot of creative energy to developing informal, fun and original ways to connect people which do not rely on WiFi or the latest technology. I recall we trialled our first

networking challenge in 2011 with Lego and, just recently, we managed to get 300 delegates racing around trying to find different colour paints for a networking art challenge. In the end, that’s the reason why people come to the event. Nothing beats face-to-face networking! Which developments in the congress industry do you find most striking? The increased competition. Each year I see more and more events being offered, yet many of those considered a target audience are unable to attend due to company budget cuts and travel restrictions. This has led to more and more event organisers offering more registrations specials with ‘special discounts’ and ‘preferential fees’

ASSOCIATION PLANNER

to attract delegates. At the same time, you see event partners such as AV and venues increasing their prices. Tied to the theme of businesses slashing budgets and imposing travel restrictions, there’s certainly an increased demand for online content, accessible via digital platforms - often for free. Live Streaming and Video on demand are becoming increasingly important, which is why ESOMAR has invested in this area. And for anyone who has watched the news in the past couple of years, you’ll understand that there is unease and there are concerns about travelling to certain destinations – or certain parts of a city – and therefore the safety of delegates becomes increasingly important.

What things in the congress business can be improved? There’s one thing that really bugs us all in the events team and that’s the appalling WIFI at venues. Enabling people to stay connected with the office when travelling should not be a luxury. Great WIFI should be part of a basic venue package. This shouldn’t cost a premium and should be reliable. If they fixed that, it would save us all a lot of headaches. And, by way of food for thought - I was reading an article the other day about the QWERTY keyboard. That it was deliberately designed in 1868 to slow the typist down to avoid annoying keyboard jams. We, of course, still have QWERTY keyboards even though it’s not

necessary anymore. That’s crazy! It made me think of how many processes and rules we have in our working lives that have reached their expiry date. It has inspired me to start questioning the rules and the processes and seeing with the team how we can do things differently. ≈

MORE ONLINE Would you like to know which two events are Rhiannon most favorite (and what event was not such a succes)? http://ow.ly/MkiHE

SPONSORING

NINE TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION

HOW TO ENSURE A HAPPY SPONSOR How can you, as a meeting planner, help your sponsor to get as much return as possible on his investment? QM gives nine tips for a successful conference for the organiser, the participants and the sponsor. BY HARALD ROELOFS, SENIOR EDITOR CONFERENCE HOLLAND | ILLUSTRATIONS ISTOCK | AKINDO

time, but yields more for you as well as the sponsor. This is because the sponsor will then be more willing to sponsor your next meeting.

2 1

Do not be a vendor, be a consultant During the sponsorship recruitment, present yourself as a consultant rather than a vendor. Talk to (potential) sponsors and ask them questions. What are your goals, what kind of audience do you want to reach, what is your budget? Then, determine your strategy based on the concrete needs of the sponsor. Talk about the measurable return for your backer, not for you. The sponsor can then justify his investment to himself and his colleagues. Give the sponsor the feeling that you are a partner in his success. This way of working takes a little more

Continue to think along with the sponsor about the stand Remain a consultant for the sponsor in the run-up to the conference; even if the deal has already been closed. Help think about how they can use their stand effectively during, for example, the coffee breaks. Often, such a stand is ignored by the public. Think up something together that has added value for the delegates. Tell about your experiences with stands

that were successful and why that was. This could be, for example, because there were enthusiastic people minding the stands who were warm and welcoming, without being intrusive. It could also be because a particular product presentation was given where delegates could enjoy something playful and healthy, such as, for example, an oxygen bar. Another dynamic possibility is that the keynote speaker could sign his book at the sponsor's booth. Ultimately, it's all about the delegate. Added value for the delegate is also added value for you and the sponsor.

Be modest with logos Some meetings turn into one big logo-fair: on the handouts, the badge, on banners, on the packaged chocolates with the coffee, on everything you could possibly put a logo on. An overabundance of logos is irritating for most delegates. They feel like they are at a promotional event, while they probably had to pay dearly to participate. Moreover, in any case, the logos go way beyond their goal, and they do not provide a positive association for the delegate, insofar as the brand names are even noticed at all.

SPONSORING

An over-abundance of logos is, therefore, bad for the organisers, the delegate and the sponsor. Keep the logos to a minimum. There are so many other ways to place the sponsor in the limelight.

A speaker can do more for a sponsor than you think Customisation is very important for the sponsor. For one, a banner is all that is necessary; for another, for example, it is a sponsored speaker. There are several ways to sponsor a keynote speaker without the speaker being substantively limited in his speech.

For example, the speaker can: • use a sponsor's best practice as an example in his talk (but do not make it into a product presentation for the sponsor; that irritates most participants); • thank the sponsor at the beginning or the end of his speech; • give a premium/gift from the sponsor to someone in the audience if he/she has answered a question correctly or pro-actively participated in the discussion; • stand in the sponsor's booth during the break to answer questions so that more of the audience comes to visit the booth.

Let the sponsor profit from the PR of the event Some meetings can get quite some attention in the press. Many pco's [Professional Conference Organisers] put the sponsor's logo on the press release, but it is almost never adopted by journalists. It is better to talk about the sponsor in the press release itself. That can be a mention of a sponsor's best practice which comes up in the programme or why the cooperation between the conference and the sponsor is so special. If the sponsor gets media coverage because of this, this also has publicity value that only makes the < sponsor's investment more lucrative.

SPONSORING

Don't forget the PR in social media Before, during and after a conference, there is now quite a bit of twittering, face-booking and instagramming. Some annual conferences often already have a lot of followers on Twitter. This may mean a wider range for the sponsor but the backer is often barely mentioned in social media. And that is even though the sponsor usually has some significant things to say, without turning it into a bit of advertising. Again, consultation is important in order to determine a social media strategy together. And remember to use the hash-tags of the sponsor so that everything is optimally linked.

The sponsor as saviour Look closely at the evaluation of the previous edition of your conference. If there were, in particular, complaints that there was no Wifi or, for

example, that it worked poorly, let this year's mega, super-fast broadband Wifi sponsor you. The sponsor will be seen as the saviour or, at the very least, as a supplier of quality that was missed so much in previous years.

Promises, promises Sometimes, so much has been agreed upon with the sponsor, and the organisation - especially just before the event - is so hectic that, in spite of all the good intentions, something is forgotten. There are 1001 things that need attention. And if you're worried that the keynote speaker will be on time, other interested parties sometimes disappear to the back of one's mind. But the sponsor has paid to make sure that all promises are kept. So take a moment to double check that all agreements with the sponsor have been/will be met. It would be unfortunate if a small slip of memory casts a slur on the collaboration.

Gratitude multiplies He who is sincere in his thanks will be paid back in spades. That is a cosmic law. Thank the sponsor not only during the meeting, but also when everything is over. A phone call of thanks and, perhaps, for a bit of evaluating is usually greatly appreciated. In this way, you indicate that the collaboration was highly appreciated and that the sponsor has contributed significantly and importantly to the meeting. Do this without immediately submitting a proposal for the next event. That will come later. Make sure the appreciation you express is sincere, otherwise the sponsor will see right through it and it will backfire. With a sincere show of gratitude, you give each other a positive vibe and there is a greater chance that the sponsor will want to work with you again in the future. â&#x2030;&#x2C6;

MORE ONLINE

OPINION

21 ERIC BAKERMANS is Marketing Manager Meetings, Conventions & Events with the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). ebakermans@holland.com

SHOWCASE WHAT YOUR DESTINATION IS GOOD AT! Many policy makers define their objectives on the basis of the ICCA and UIA rankings. It’s more important that local scientific knowledge contributes to a convention. In turn, conventions may contribute to scientific development. BY ERIC BAKERMANS

Measure success Every year it is slightly nerve-wrecking In spite of this, many policy makers to wait for the ICCA and UIA to announce the rankings. How many conven- define their objectives on the basis of the ICCA and UIA rankings. They tell tions were organized in the various desme “We want to go up from ranking tinations? Did we go up in the rankings, X to ranking Y”. If this objective is or did other destinations outdo us? indeed achieved, you may use this to I must admit that I am also expectant your advantage in your marketing efevery year. At the same time, you may wonder how much these figures mean. forts. A heading that reads “DestinaThere is no doubt that they are reliable. tion X among top 10 of most popular Moreover, these are the only figures that convention destinations” goes down we have. I am of the opinion, however, well. But what does it really say? that it is not right to equate the success Your destination may go down one of a destination with its ranking on ranking because it organized just one these lists. The rankings are a thermoconvention too few. Would it not be better to look at your market share meter which measures what happens when measuring your success rate? in the world of conventions, however, Or, alternatively, define a measurethis thermometer hangs in just one spot. Only those conventions that meet able long-term objective? I cannot myriad conditions, such as a minimum but wonder to what degree a ranking number of delegates and a minimum is important in the selection of a desduration, are included. In addition, the tination. I do not believe that it is a number of conventions is counted, while decisive factor. The so-called hygiene the number of man-days worked at a factors are often decisive, but every convention would be a better criterion. self-respecting and generally accepMoreover, it is logical that a huge counted destination will have ensured that try, such as the United States of America, these basic requirements, such as accessibility and stability, have been hosts more conventions than the small met. country of Holland, my destination.

Stand out So how do you make sure you stand out and are seen among the crowd? Showcase what your destination is good at! Bid for conventions that are compatible with your destination. When I just started in this industry and had no experience yet, I wanted to convince the organizers of a convention on primates to hold it in Holland. I contacted the manager of a Dutch zoo and requested his help. I will never forget his reply. “No monkeys live in the wild in Holland. The likelihood that this convention will be held here is nil.” The point is that the topic of the convention must concur with the destination. Use available knowledge Valuable top-notch scientific knowledge is available in Holland. We must make sure we use this, and have science contribute to a convention. In turn, conventions may contribute to scientific development. I would love for a list to be drawn up which shows the effect of a convention on the knowledge level in a destination. If only we could measure this. ≈

MEETING DESIGN

INTERRUPT THE ORDINARY A good meeting designer goes through the entire process of an event, just as its target groups also do, contends Experience Architect, Greg Bogue. Essential for the success of the meeting is that, occasionally, you interrupt the ordinary. BY EDWIN NUNNINK, EDITOR IN CHIEF CONFERENCE HOLLAND

ÂŠ ISTOCK | ALPHASPIRIT

An experience unravels itself over a specified time period. It has to be a journey. Aspects are things like laughter and learning, but also the creation of a sense of being there and achieving something. The speaker is Greg Bogue, Experience Architect at Maritz. As part of the knowledge programme at the international meeting exhibition, EIBTM, he will give a presentation about the design of meetings in which the guest is the central focus.

When designing an event, the whole process should be taken into consideration, he continues. Organisers themselves, for example, rarely go through the registration process. If they were to do that, they would experience what a participant experiences who wishes to register. A participant is not a 'pax', not part of a herd, Bogue contends. Approach him or her as a person. Keeping it practical in the design phase requires some generalisation,

but it is important to consider several different personae as a starting point. Differentiate between attitude, behaviour and motivation. Describe some types of participants based on these three points and then take these personae as a starting point for the design of the meeting. It is important to repeatedly determine what expectations each person has and how you can surprise him or her in a < positive manner.

MEETING DESIGN

GREG BOQUE'S READING LIST 1. THINKING, FAST AND SLOW Daniel Kahneman

4. WIRED TO CARE

2. ICONOCLAST

5. THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMY B. Joseph Pine & James H. Gilmore

Gregory Berns

Dev Patnaik

3. MADE TO STICK

6. DESIGNING FOR GROWTH

Chip Heath & Dan Heath

Really grab the attention Surprising the participants – really grabbing their attention – is essential for a successful event so that people will have lasting memories. This is difficult, because if you count the experiences and expectations one has, the result is 'autopilot.' Our brain always thinks, namely, 'what's next', so that what is prevailing (although, perhaps very interesting) largely eludes us. A good meeting designer therefore makes sure that, in the design, he or she regularly interrupts the ordinary. One way to address this in a structured manner is 'journey mapping,' a method that is being applied by leading brands, such as Lego and Starbucks. Here, you go through the whole journey that a persona experiences, before, during and after the event. Put the different moments on a time-line and draw up, for any point in

Jeanne Liedtka & Tim Ogilvie

time, what someone expects and how to surpass those expectations. An important addition to this is 'empathy mapping.' What feelings and emotions does a participant go through and which ones would you want to generate. Thus, we want to be treated as individuals, but we are also searching for a common identity. Both of these play an important role in meetings. Intense emotions We people want to acquire, commit, create and defend. These are four handles for making and assessing the design for a meeting. Also, make sure that the emotions generated have intensity. This will not only create a richer experience, but it also ensures that the participants remember the message longer. All loose elements that emerged from the

previous analyses are -- distributed over the time-line -- the pulse of the event. Bogue would like to have an instrument that can determine this pulse. At this point, we will still have to feel that ourselves. Distilling identity It is then important to mould this into a whole. We have to give the meeting an identity, if only to recruit participants, but also -- in the further development -to be able to test if it fits into the whole. Our brain is constantly in search of the best value: how can I get as much return as possible for my money (and time). And our brain likes simplicity. Therefore, keep it simple, is Bogue's advice. Distil one central theme from the event. Watch out! The theme is, thus, the end result of the design process, not the beginning. As examples, he cites director Francis Ford Coppola, who had one single theme for each of his movies that was the basis for the whole story, and Cirque du Soleil, that knows how to distil its performances into one theme, a fantasy word, that stimulates enthusiasts, again and again, to buy a ticket. Peak end rule Bogue's final advice is also about the closing. We are, in our industry, very good at welcoming, but poor at saying goodbye, he says. The 'peak end rule" says that people remember the onto the whole event. As an example, he talks about a study involving men who had been given a colonoscopy by two different doctors. With one doctor, there was a very painful examination of fifteen minutes and, with the other doctor, the same examination, but supplemented with of ten minutes less painful inspection. When the men were allowed to choose who was going to do the third examination on them, they overwhelmingly chose the second doctor. Maybe not the most pleasant example to close with, but one which certainly sticks. ≈

TON SOONS is a trainer and advisor in texts, presentations, and conferences. Up until 2004 at Euroforum, he organised more than 250 conferences and courses. After that he started his company Winning Words Communication. Ton often leads conferences, interviews and discussions and he organises speaker training courses for conference agencies. ton.soons@winningwords.nl

HOW DO YOU DEVELOP A CONFERENCE? Most associations organise their conferences in the same way. There is a scientific or conference committee that is responsible for the programme. It is given or chooses a topic and focuses rather quickly on scientists as potential speakers, selected, or not, after a request for abstracts or proposals. One rarely thinks about other stakeholders. BY TON SOON

Thus, at medical conferences, you rarely see practical or visionary contributions from patients, nurses, insurers, hospital administrators, process developers, lawyers or policy makers. They are not only not there as speakers, but also not in interviews, brainstorming sessions, panel discussions, duo presentations, workshops or debates. One rarely chooses One rarely chooses, in the development of a conference, the approach that commercial conference organisers use, such as that of the media company, Informa Group, with such renowned daughters as Informa, IIR, Taylor & Francis, Lloyd's and Euroforum. These commercial conference creators start their programme development with researching. Is this a good topic? If not, what really is a topic of interest? Is the subject still relevant by the date of the conference? What exactly needs to be discussed, how and by whom? In order to achieve this, they inter-

view, first and foremost, the primary target group. Those are the people for whom you design the conference, for SUBSTANTIVE reasons, as a communication vehicle. They are the operators, users and "victims" of the topic.

facts. They also want to hear what their own colleagues and other professional relations experience, believe and expect for the future. Thus, what-if questions are more interesting than simple explanations or information.

Secondary target group The so-called secondary target group is emphatically avoided in the research phase. After all, they consist of consultants, vendors and suppliers. They are also less interesting for research purposes because they do not come for content, but for each other and to pounce on the primary target group. The programme content hardly interests them at all; the breaks, exhibitions, drinks sessions and the evening programme all the more. The primary target group, during the research, will usually show interest in the following types of content: research results, practical experiences, case studies, views on trends and developments, future expectations, pitfalls, do's & don'ts and lessons learned. This list reveals that they want much more than scientific

Why? Now you may say, if you can already predict all that content, why must you still interview the primary target group? The answer is: because you can then hear about the current experts, case studies and specific angles. They might want to hear, for once, some financial and organisational experiences from an ordinary, average colleague, the experiences from patients, the lessons learned from a project, specific legal advice from a well-known top lawyer, the policy of a major insurer, experiences in a poor, developing country, the trending vision of a leading administrator. Aren't these things that a conference committee would not have thought of? â&#x2030;&#x2C6;

OPINION

MEETING DESIGN

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC WORKS BEST

MUSIC PROVIDES MOTIVATION AND SOLIDARITY Music is an essential component in any serious conference programme. Scientific research has shown that music activates certain areas of the brain and provides a feeling of fellowship. BY HARALD ROELOFS, SENIOR EDITOR CONFERENCE HOLLAND

Music at a meeting is not just for fun or as part of a cultural programme. There is increasing evidence that music affects the perception of a conference. A musical touch frees endorphins and enhances the experience of fellowship. Live instrumental music works best here

MEAGAN HUGHES: “COMPANIES THAT I ADVISE OFTEN NOW HAVE MUSIC TURNED ON AT THE BEGINNING OF A SMALL MEETING.”

and that is, therefore, also the most important trend. The influence of music on human beings appears to go much further than we previously thought possible. According to several American studies in recent years, music therapy can ensure that the brain creates new connections around damaged brain tissue. The most famous success story is the healing of the American Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords. She was shot in the head and music therapy has made a significant contribution to her healing. By working with music, she regained her ability to talk and she is now back at work in the House of Representatives. Activating the brain Meagan Hughes is a music consultant/ therapist and has worked at the University of San Francisco. Currently, Leiden is her home base. “When you listen to music, certain parts of your brain are activated. This also happens with the participants at a conference when music is part of the programme. If the sounds are pleasing to them, that

frees endorphins which increases their sense of happiness. That works well, for example, at a meeting where the intention is to motivate the participants for something. Experiencing music together can also increase the feeling of solidarity.” “Companies that I advise often now have music turned on at the beginning of a small meeting; at, for example, a management team meeting. And that often comes from just a simple hi-fi set. Even that can provide more solidarity, for example when decisions have to made on topics where opinions are divided. Live music actually works even better because it stimulates more senses. The experience is more intense.” Tuning in together But what kind of music is the best to offer and at which moments during the conference? Hughes: “In general, instrumental music works best. Sung text, can actually limit the listener in his perception of the music to the content of what is being sung. With instrumental music, your

MEETING DESIGN

AT THE NEW YEAR'S GATHERING OF THE SOCIETY FOR EVENT MANAGERS, THIS YEAR AT THE CONCERTGEBOUW IN AMSTERDAM, A BEAUTIFUL MOZART PIANO CONCERTO PROVIDED A COLLECTIVE BONDING EXPERIENCE.

perception and your association can be allowed to run free. Optionally, you can choose music with lyrics in a language that most people in the Netherlands do not understand; Swedish, Italian or whatever. Music works individually the best if falls within the taste of the listener, at least a bit. Mainstream music is therefore the safest bet for a large group. For a motivational meeting, something rhythmic is also good. Body and spirit of the whole group are then attuned to the same rhythm.” According to Hughes, music works well at the beginning of a session: “It sounds very inviting if you walk into a room and there's music playing. After the word of welcome, it can also work well. That gets everyone in the mood right away. A musical interlude during a break is also an effective choice. Apart from all the benefits of music, it helps to shift your senses after listening to all those, most probably, serious speeches.” Not as a finale Leon Kruitwagen, who is also the director of the Society for Event Managers and

Platform Museum Locations advises not to programme music at the end of a conference. “If, after a long, intensive conference day, you are confronted with three pieces of music on the conference stage, it no longer works. At the end, people just want to go home. You can certainly have it during drinks, but not so loud that people cannot understand each other. Then it backfires completely.” Kruitwagen has also experienced what music can do. He held his New Year's gathering this year in the music Mecca of the Netherlands, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. “Music did not have a supporting role here, it was the main attraction. First coffee, then a beautiful Mozart piano concerto and then lunch. I heard from many people - and I also experienced it myself - that the atmosphere was even better after the concert. If you see and/or hear beautiful art, it changes you. You experienced a moment of quiet together.” “That applies, as far as I am concerned, also to art. The previous New Year’s gathering was in the Rijksmuseum. Both the music

this year and the art last year were overwhelming. Beautiful and splendid for everyone. It does not need to be your style. You can always listen to a Mozart concerto as a professional and know it very well composed and performed. Thus, you can experience it in different ways; emotionally or technically, or both. But you do it together. And such a collective experience is also a bonding experience.” ≈

LIVE MUSIC IS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN YOU WOULD THINK It is not true that live music, well played, is too expensive for most budgets. Conservatory students often have an affordable rate and are eager for the chance to show how beautifully they can play. A meeting is an excellent place for this. Students can perform as soloists, but also in smaller or larger ensembles. The Conservatory of Amsterdam has a special booking office for this purpose: CvA Booking Agency. http://ow.ly/LxdOQ

OPINION

33 GEOFF DONAGHY is AIPC President, CEO of International Convention Centre Sydney and Director Convention Centres AEG Ogden. AIPC represents a global network of more than 170 leading centres in 57 countries with the active involvement of over 1000 management-level professionals worldwide. It is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention centre management and maintains a variety of educational, research, networking and standards programs to achieve this. www.aipc.org

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS KEY TO ALIGNING EXPECTATIONS Conference centre managers, along with city planners, city developers and centre owners should be deeply engaged in the broader overall strategic planning processes for the destination. This kind of alignment benefits everyone. BY GEOFF DONAGHY

By any measure, convention centres are generally very big factors in both the life and the built form of a city. They are major drivers not simply of visitor traffic but also, by virtue of the events they host, of a city’s economic, academic and professional reputation and engagement. At the same time, they are often very prominent and even iconic structures in their own right – usually occupying key locations and featuring qualities that represent much of what a destination wants to project about its uniqueness and values. This means they drive not only the appearance of the city but many critical issues such as the flow of people and traffic, the location of related infrastructure like hotels and many other issues that directly impact the lives of the local citizenry.

Deeply engaged As a result, centre managers, along with planners, developers and owners – the latter very often local or regional government – should be deeply engaged in the broader overall strategic planning processes for the destination. However, for reasons ranging from jurisdictional divisions to simply having the ongoing demands of operating a demanding business in what today is a very competitive environment, that is often simply not the case. The result is the loss of what otherwise might be an important set of synergies that would strengthen and align everyone’s interests in supporting city strategy. But the simple fact is that centres represent one of the largest single infrastructure investments governments are called upon to finance

in our respective cities – and their managers need to be able to support those investment decisions with some very good rationale as to how centres contribute to overall city advancement rather than just in the narrowly defined terms of the revenues they generate. That implies a willingness to participate in broader city development processes when called upon, and to bring an awareness of the broader benefits and impacts associated with centres to those conversations. And what are those processes? Most importantly First, and most importantly, are the economic development and inward investment programs of the destination. Events taking place in convention centres are typically those that attract participants

OPINION

more influential form of interface – but so is promoting a better appreciation of how getting input from centre managers with a good understanding of meetings industry dynamics will ultimately support the aims of others, from local elected officials to planners and from destination marketers to economic development authorities. with the most to contribute in this regard – business, professional and academic leaders whose expertise and investment potential is generally exactly what such programs are looking for. Centres can help target priority areas if they know what these are – and in turn, can benefit by the contacts and leverage that economic development agencies can deliver to a centre’s marketing efforts. Secondly is the city planning process that generally shapes the requirements that buildings have to live up to, and who can be unfamiliar with the nature of today’s industry and the kinds of expectations that have to be met in order to be competitive. It is usually these agencies that determine or at least influence everything from location to site constraints via zoning and building requirements, areas that impact the kinds of proximities and relationships critical to a successful centre operation. And what may suit the aspirations of city planners may not necessarily be what’s needed to succeed in the events market so that is a conversation that needs to take place sooner rather than later. Creating exchange And finally, there needs more than ever before to be a good exchange with

the organizations that are shaping the image of a city through the marketing messages being projected to what are often the same audiences. Such messages need to be aligned in order to function at all, let alone meet what may be an array of different requirements, yet this is a conversation that in many cases simply doesn’t take place. What sells as a leisure message may be very different from what works for recruiting business and investment and different again from what’s needed to succeed in today’s compliance-sensitive meetings market. That alignment is possible – but only if there’s a willingness to recognize and respond to what can be the very different needs of different interests. AIPC’s 2015 Annual Conference theme – Engagement – is aimed at creating a knowledgeable exchange on this key aspect of centre management. From keynote speakers to interactions amongst centre managers themselves, it explores some of the most important aspects of the interface, including the role that centres can and should play in supporting a city’s evolution as both an economic entity as well as a place to live. Knowing how these various elements can work together more effectively is a key step to developing a better and

Limit the frustration As has been seen regularly in the more successful destinations, this kind of alignment benefits everyone – and helps limit the frustrations that occur when various players end up working at cross purposes simply because they’re not aware of how their actions are impacting others. But working together demands a good understanding of what others are trying to accomplish and how they go about doing it – something we can all do a better job of as we strive to meet our collective responsibilities to the communities we represent and serve. ≈

5 Boston July 5 – 8

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

LUCIEN ENGELEN IS DEMANDING A MORE IMPORTANT ROLE FOR THE PATIENT Lucien Engelen (1962) talks about the future of healthcare. That’s not a job, that’s a passion, he says. “I do not have a crystal ball. Only by doing, can I make clear what is going to change.” BY DAAN BORREL, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

How did you become a speaker? “It’s part of my role. I rolled into it without a plan. Every time I had delivered my lecture, someone came up to me afterwards to ask if I would come to speak somewhere else.” “In 2010, I had my first major international conference in Dubai. I was bitterly ashamed. It was an event on Mobile Health. I soon realised that I was completely on the wrong track. There was no sign of a patient or a physician. Yes, there was a dentist who was accidentally at the wrong convention.” “I have always learned: if you are being talked about and you're not at the table, then you are on the menu. In Dubai, I thought: I will never again speak in places where patients are not on the stage or the target group is not involved. I coined the term for this: ‘patient-included.’ The concept has been given a boost: universities and conferences around the world adhere to it now.” “In 2012, I was invited to give a talk at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. it is the oldest bastion of medicine, very exciting. Sitting among the pin-striped suits were also patients, which was new to them. After ‘patient-included,’ I recently introduced the term ‘nurse-included.’

Nurses have the most contact with the patient and the family, but never have a seat at the table.” What do you talk about? “Usually, I get asked about my future vision of healthcare. I always say, “Guys, I don’t have a crystal ball." What I can do is to show that something is changing. 98 percent of the Dutch do telebanking. Thirty years ago, bank employees thought that this would never happen. They were ‘too special’ to be replaced by machines. Exactly the same discussion is now taking place in the healthcare sector.” “I always show some concrete, innovative products. The ‘care patch’ that we stick onto a patient’s chest and so that we can measure such values as temperature, blood pressure and heart rate from a distance. Or, for example, the Scana-flo, a disposable stick. You dip it in your urine. Then you take a picture of it with the app and within four seconds you have the results of the most frequent urine tests. This is done simply at home. It is something you would normally need to go to the family doctor for. Then it becomes tangible, these are projects we are working on within the REshape Center for Innovation at the Radboudumc [Radboud

University Hospital]. People realise that it’s going on right now.” “In the last part of my speech, I give handles for getting started. I recommend starting out small. Give a few people within the organisation the ability to think freely, in order to release the energy.” What is your message? “That we are now facing the biggest change ever in healthcare. The technology that makes things possible now intersects with the demand of patients who want to be more involved. We are in the midst of the crisis, but people are still in denial. It is my message - but also my role - to show with tangible examples that this is the present, and that this is what we must start working with.” “It is progressing much faster than you think. In Silicon Valley, they are not waiting for us. To keep up with them, we need to do instead of to talk. In the coming decades, the demand for care will double. If doctors do not outsource tasks, the healthcare sector - and they themselves - will go bankrupt. I love to shock a bit. Then I bring along a poster with a shopping cart that measures heart rate and blood pressure while the

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

HEALTHCARE INNOVATOR Lucien Engelen is the initiator and director of the Radboud REshape & Innovation Centre at the Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen. The centre studies technology trends and oversees their practical implementation in patient care. Lucien is faculty of the Singularity University/ FutureMed in Silicon Valley. He is Mentor Health at The Founder Institute Amsterdam and together with the Mayo Clinic, he started the Social Media Health Network.

http://ow.ly/Lwkz5

once again, a completely different story. We really must get to work.”

person is shopping. They get the results at the checkout counter.” How does a hall react to your message? “I recently held a one-hour presentation for family doctors in training. I used the first forty-five minutes to show that the healthcare sector is changing right now. You could hear a pin drop. They realised: this is about us. But they had heard nothing about it during their training.” “I then used a small device to do a complete health check on myself within ten seconds. A wave of indignation shot through the hall. That thing had all

the necessary quality marks. It is just as good as the 40,000 Euro appliance that is in the hospital. Then, a greyhaired family doctor stood up and said: “Where does that leave the patient if we are going to use these kinds of toys?" That man almost got a standing ovation. This story says it all.” What is your speciality? “I often hear that people find my enthusiasm infectious. That's because this is not a job, this is my passion. The biggest compliment I can get is when someone says: “I heard you talk six months ago, but today it was,

Have you been surprised lately? “Difficult to choose. I recently spoke at a staff day of the Ministry. People were surprised that there is so much happening around them that they know nothing about. That touched me. At the same time, I knew this already, because it is often no different in our house. You come to work in the morning in artificial light and air conditioning and, in the evening, you think: shit, it snowed! There's a whole world passing you by. I am constantly amazed by how few people take the time to occasionally look outside. Once a year, I go to a strongly commercial event. Just to hear another way of doing things and to push myself a bit. Step out of your comfort zone, now and then.” ≈

COMMUNICATION

ICCA CONGRESS A SUCCESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Around 60 percent of the participants were active on Twitter before, during and after 53rd ICCA Congress. This is a remarkable result because, on average, 10 to 20 percent of the participants at a conference or trade fair are users of this social media. BY EDWIN NUNNINK, EDITOR IN CHIEF CONFERENCE HOLLAND

The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has, in recent years, placed a strong emphasis on social media during its annual conferences. In this way, the association wants to increase the value of the conference for the participants. It also sees it as an incentive for the interaction and bonding among its members before, during and after the conference. Also, this makes it clear to the members who do not come what they are missing. An active presence on social media also contributes to raising the profile of the association for potential members, associations and the press. The results of the recent annual conference, which took place from 1 to 5 November 2014 in Antalya, Turkey, show that the chosen strategy is bearing fruit. Around 60 percent of the participants were active on Twitter before, during and after the congress. Seventy percent of participants who used Twitter said that it added to the experience of their participation and nearly 75 percent said that Twitter increased the interaction with other members. In the period of 3 weeks before to 1.5 weeks after the congress, 7,180 tweets were sent with the hashtag #ICCAWorld. Almost 33 percent were original tweets, about 62 percent were retweets and 4.8 percent were replies. The hashtag reached

about 2.5 million unique users and had nearly 15 million viewings. At the conference, there were 887 participants present. On November 6, one day after the conference, there were 963 unique contributors to #ICCAWorld. In the 1.5 weeks after that, the number rapidly moved towards the 1500. Of the 1,611 tweets in that period, there were 1,329 retweets. Instruction is important According Mathijs Vleeming, communication strategist at ICCA, success is partly due to the instructions that the participants were given on the use of the hashtag. "Simply passing on your event hashtag is not sufficient. We explained what we wanted the participants to do with the hashtags and how to get the most out of the online conversation." ICCA specifically asked the participants to share the most interesting content and main lessons from the educational sessions with the ICCA community. Vleeming: "Why would you make notes on paper, if you can share them and give the whole world the opportunity to see them? Go take a look on Storify with key lessons, according to the congress participants. It reads like shared notes from the educational sessions of the ICCA Congress. How useful is that?â&#x20AC;? <

15 REASONS ICCA HAD TREMENDOUS TWITTER TRAFFIC 1. Multichannel Hashtag Communication 2. Create and communicate hashtags with a purpose 3. Focus on the weeks before the event 4. Proper WiFi 5. Twitter walls 6. Selfie sticks 7. Leading by example of key players 8. We focussed on Twitter as the main social media channel 9. Pushing live content to website visitors 10. Personally involving staff 11. Involving ICCA Scholarship Students as Social Media Reporters 12. Plan and schedule messages on best times to Tweet 13. Integration in the Event App 14. Reward influencers 15. (Shareable) Content

http://ow.ly/LXb13

COMMUNICATION

The high number of retweets, he says, is a sign that the shared content was perceived as valuable. Community hashtag For the first time, the association used its community hashtag, #ICCAWorld, rather than a specific hashtag for the conference, as it had done in the past with #ICCA12 or #ICCA13. The advantage of this is, according to Vleeming, that the whole member community is involved in the conference. Moreover, members then only have to remember one hashtag for all of their online interactions within the ICCA community. In addition, the hashtag #icca14 was already being used by another event. Contradictory to that thought was the introduction of two specific hashtags: #RoadtoAntalya and #SelfICCA. These were introduced to keep the communication around the calls to action as simple as possible, explains Vleeming. The hashtag #RoadtoAntalya was promoted to stimulate the use of social media prior to the conference. ICCA asked participants to use this hashtag to share photos, tips and advice for travelling to and preparing for the conference. This enabled social media followers and friends to see that someone was going to go to the conference and what they would be missing. There were a total of 753 tweets sent out with #RoadtoAntalya. #SelfICCA had to demonstrate the fun and sense of connection with the ICCA family. The association called on the participants to make creative selfies of themselves and other members during the conference and to share them through this hashtag. Supported by previous positive experiences during fairs, ICCA staff

walked around with selfie sticks. The experience is that participants themselves will come to you with a request to make a collective selfie. The #SelfICCA campaign generated another 380 tweets. Leading by example Practice what you preach. That is why ICCA asked key players to give a good example. For the First Time Attendee programme, the organising committee had asked speaker, Jon Bradshaw, from Meetology to take a selfie (with the selfie stick) from the stage with all 325 First Time Attendees in one pic. Arnaldo Nardone, stepping down as ICCA President, took a selfie with 900 delegates from stage during his final speech at the General Assembly. In addition, the association made sure her staff felt personally involved in the campaign. Vleeming, along with Media Consultant, Gerrit Heijkoop, van HCIBS, organised some Twitter meetings and training sessions for them prior to the conference. Alongside of basic 'How to' training sessions, they discussed how staff members could personally use social media in their ICCA activities and tried to define personal goals. Vleeming and Heijkoop asked how the online community could help them and discussed what content is worth sharing with members. ICCA also asked Scholarship Students from ICCA member Universities to voluntarily join the ‘#ICCAWorld Social Media Support Team.’ By doing so, they would have the perfect excuse to ‘break the ice’ and network offline, as well as online, with many members at the congress. ICCA asked them to share key takeaways of Congress education sessions,

their personal congress story, selfies with members (using the selfie sticks) and pictures which show the atmosphere of the congress. Highly visible The association made sure the social media activities were highly visible, so as to establish a link between the online and offline discussions and to encourage members to join the online interaction. At the conference itself, this was done through live Twitter feed screens. The screens showed all #ICCAWorld tweets and images, key statistics and a Top 10 of most active contributors. When someone visited the ICCA Congress website during the days of the congress, a second, smaller sized ‘ICCA Live’ pop-up opened with live content, like a live Twitter feed, a YouTube playlist feed with live Congress videos, PDF versions of the ICCA Congress Daily and a Flickr slideshow with live Congress pictures. Basic requirements ICCA realised that two things were prerequisites for a successful social media strategy. Firstly, make sure you yourself provide sufficient content so that people can easily share. The statistics showed that tweets with images created a much higher engagement than those without. And secondly, ensure a well-functioning WiFi network. This is something that still proves to be a challenge at a lot of trade-shows and meetings. Because live voting during the ICCA General Assembly was done with the Spotme Event App, it was crucial for the association to have quick, reliable WiFi during the congress, and they did. ≈

DESTINATION

AMSTERDAM

‘The number of participants has increased considerably’ Marc Benninga is, as a paediatric gastroenterologist, at the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, closely involved with the 48th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Conference that took place 6 - 9 May 2015 in the RAI in Amsterdam. About four thousand paediatricians, paediatric gastroenterologists, nurses, dieticians and psychologists will attend the conference. "The conference is organised every year somewhere in or outside of Europe. Last year, it was in Jerusalem, this year in Amsterdam. The conference usually has no specific theme. The topics are all matters that are related to the gastrointestinal tract, the liver and nutrition. And, of course, the central focus is the child from 0 to 18 years of age. The last time that the Netherlands had the honour of organising this conference was back in1990. At the time, it was attended by about 350 people and took place in the Krasnapolski hotel. How different it now is! The number of participants has increased considerably in 25 years. People came to Amsterdam from over a hundred countries. As the Dutch section of ESPGHAN - and with the support of Amsterdam Marketing - we did everything we can to entertain the participants not only scientifically but also culturally." Peter Reiss is Professor of Internal Medicine at the Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam. He is also, among his other activities, the Director of the HIV Monitoring Foundation and the regional representative for Europe and Central Asia of the International AIDS Society (IAS). Along with many Dutch organisations, including the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health, Welfare and Sport, Dr. Reiss has been able to bring the biennial International AIDS conference to Amsterdam. AIDS2018 will take place in the Amsterdam RAI and will attract some 20,000 researchers, policy makers, activists and industry representatives. This 22nd edition has a special significance. It will give the organisers the opportunity to create a fitting tribute to friends and colleagues who tragically lost their lives on flight MH17 on their way to AIDS2014 in Australia. One of them was the Dutch AIDS researcher, Joep Lange. In addition, the Netherlands is a special location because all groups most affected by the epidemic can come to the Netherlands for the conference, including drug users and sex workers. This would not be possible in many other countries. Reiss: “The fact that AIDS2018 is coming to the Netherlands is recognition for the many years that Joep Lange played a leading role in scientific research in the field of HIV and global health from within the Netherlands and, in particular, in Amsterdam.”

‘A recognition for the many years that Joep Lange played a leading role’

Amsterdam

DESTINATION

AMSTERDAM

CULTURAL TREASURES AND ECONOMIC CLUSTERS Amsterdam has developed from an international city of trade to an international city of knowledge. In addition, of course, the Dutch capital remains a beautiful, historic city, with its friendly and lively atmosphere.

msterdam has an international reputation and, interestingly enough, this can be put down to various aspects of the city. Tourists appreciate the capital for its historic centre, its renowned museums and its vibrant night-life. Multinationals value Amsterdam as an international gateway and a compact city, for the economic stability of the Netherlands and because it is such a pleasant place to live and work. Congress organizers value its central location and extremely good accessibility, the

FACTS & FIGURES • One of the top 10 most important commercial centres in the world (MasterCard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index) • One of the top 10 international conference cities (Union of International Associations) • Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre offers a capacity of up to 30,000 participants • 16,000 hotel rooms guaranteed by I amsterdam approved • Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has non-stop air links with 319 destinations http://ow.ly/MnfDe

large variety in facilities, the reliability of local partners and the city's tourist appeal. Cultural treasures Amsterdam was founded in the Middle Ages near a dam on the River Amstel. The city truly blossomed in the early 17th century, when it became the world’s largest centre for trade and art. The historic heart of the city, known as the ‘Grachtengordel’ (canal ring), remains beautifully intact to this day. The area is by no means an openair museum, but rather the warm, friendly and vibrant heart of the city. The capital city of the Netherlands has been a centre of creativity and culture for centuries. Works by 17th century Dutch Masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer grace the walls of Amsterdam’s famous Rijksmuseum. The Van Gogh Museum houses a large amount of the artists’ masterpieces. Other cultural treasures include the Anne Frank House, the baroque Royal Palace on Dam Square and the Rembrandt House. Amsterdam can satisfy the cultural pallet of even the most experienced visitor. Amsterdam is the right address for Dutch tulips and windmills too. This side of the Netherlands can be experienced at just 15 minutes' distance from the centre of Amsterdam. The villages of Marken and Volendam resemble open-air museums

with their unrivalled display of authentic Dutch houses and windmills. In springtime, one can tour the spectacular bulb fields or take in the blossoming flowers at the world’s most photographed location: the Keukenhof. International gateway Amsterdam is a national and international gateway. Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is considered one of the best in the world and is just 15 minutes from the city centre. Amsterdam’s compact city centre has an outstanding public transport service which brings most facilities and sights to within relative walking distance of one another. The city’s network of canals also offers a unique opportunity for transporting your delegates via the waterways. Home to the world’s first multinational company, the Dutch East India Company, Amsterdam is also the new address for Google and AKZO Nobel headquarters. A consistent high score in the European Cities Monitor for companies may be the reason why several international businesses have their head office in Amsterdam. The MasterCard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index ranks Amsterdam among the ten most important commercial centres of the world, and as the fourth most influential business centre in Europe. Advertising and design firms prefer Amsterdam for its ability to attract creative people. Because of its compact size and excellent infrastructure, Amsterdam combines doing business on the level of other

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1. The historic heart of the city, known as the ‘Grachtengordel’ (canal ring), remains © KLAPFILM.NL

beautifully intact to this day. 2. IJvenues, the waterfront location that can host events and conferences up to 1,900 delegates. 3. The Van Gogh Museum houses several of the artists’ masterpieces.

European capitals with the ambience of a small town. During the 17th century Amsterdam was a stockpile of trading goods; today knowledge is also being generated. With two highly developed universities and several laboratories, Amsterdam is now firmly on the world map as a centre of knowledge. The city attracts many prominent academics and has become an attractive meeting place for those involved in science and research. Due in part to its central location on the edge of Europe, Amsterdam now offers a new ‘market place’ for the free and efficient exchange of ideas and knowledge.

A Clusters & Congresses project has also started, in which the region's congress professionals create a connection between the professional development of knowledge and the transfer of that knowledge via congresses. Clusters & Congresses has connections within each economic cluster that can be valuable when organizing a congress, e.g., in organizing speakers, a think-tank or a discussion panel. This contributes to broadening the content of congress subjects. Exchanging knowledge sometimes starts even before a congress takes place. It could take the form of providing a congress with a customised programme.

Eight economic clusters The Amsterdam Economic Board, whose operations are carried out by prominent CEOs, scientists and administrators, has identified nine economic clusters that are strongly represented within the metropolitan region that is Amsterdam. These are Creative Industries, ICT/e-Science, Life Sciences Health, Financial & Business Services, Tourism & Conventions, Logistics, Horticulture & Agri-food, Manufacturing and High-Tech Materials.

Quality guarantee Congress organizers of city-wide congresses expect their programmes to be carried out flawlessly, including with respect to everything that takes place outside the congress centre, such as transport and overnight stays. The label I amsterdam Approved was created in order to guarantee this. The label makes it possible for Amsterdam to come up with an attractive offer for renowned international congresses without the need of extensive preliminary discussions.

This means that the city can guarantee up to 16,000 rooms in Amsterdam. Furthermore, the prices of rooms and the level of quality are within a range agreed with the congress organizer. This provides an organizer with the guarantee that sufficient rooms will be available at the desired price/quality level. And when it comes to sufficient congress capacity, then Amsterdam RAI, with a capacity of up to 30,000 participants, ranks among the category exceptional, even from an international point of view. In addition, it is the ambition of this congress centre to be ranked among the absolute top in terms of sustainability, for which it has already been awarded several international prizes for sustainability. Amsterdam Marketing Further support is offered by Amsterdam Marketing's department of Business Marketing & Conventions. This organization offers professional and independent advice about locations and professional suppliers of services and provides help in making, e.g., a bid book. Organizers can also contact them for creative ideas and free promotional materials. ≈

DESTINATION

LEIDEN

‘The CWTS is one of the world's leading institutes in this field’ Ton van Raan is Professor of Quantitative Studies of Science, Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at Leiden University. Professor Van Raan's main research area concerns the design, construction and application of quantitative indicators on important aspects of science and technology. In September 2014, the CWTS organised - under the leadership of Professor Van Raan and together with the European Network of Indicator Developers (ENID) - the 19th International Conference on Science and Technology Indicators (STI 2014) in the City Auditorium [Stadsgehoorzaal] in Leiden. Over 300 researchers and policy makers attended the three-day conference.“The theme of STI in 2014 was ‘Context Counts: Pathways to Master Big and Little Data’. The conference was aimed at mapping out the latest scientific developments. Issues that were discussed were, for example, which universities/groups have played a key role in the latest developments and how these developments may be important in new applications in society. In 2014, the CWTS celebrated its 25 year anniversary. That was the ideal opportunity to bring the international STI Conference, which previously took place in such cities as Montreal, Berlin and Rome, to Leiden, with support from Leiden Marketing. Because the CWTS is one of the world's leading institutes in this field, it has even been decided to hold the conference in Leiden once every four years. Thus, the Stephan Huijbregts is Assistant role of Leiden as a conference city has been Professor at Leiden University and Senior further strengthened.” Researcher at the Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition. He is one of the driving forces behind the 20th International Congress of the Society for the Study of Behavioural Phenotypes (SSBP) that will take place in the historic city of Leiden in October 2017. The conference will attract around 200 participants: scientists and clinicians who specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders. “All kinds of characteristics are transmitted via the genes, which together, if unfavourable, can form the basis of a non-optimal development in the field of cognition and behaviour. The members of the SSBP delve into disorders whereby the genetic abnormalities ‘directly’ lead to cognitive and social problems. The theme of the conference is therefore ‘Cognitive and social implications of genetic disorders’. Leiden has a great deal of expertise in this field. That is reason enough to organise the conference there. In addition, the SSBP likes to hold its meetings in ancient student cities around the world, such as Leuven, Cambridge, Pavia and Stellenbosch. Leiden fits very nicely in this list and has many beautiful, stately locations where a group of about 200 people can easily meet.”

‘The SSBP likes to hold its meetings in ancient student cities around the world’

Leiden

DESTINATION

LEIDEN

' ALL LANGUAGES AND CULTURES CAN BE FOUND HERE, FROM EVERY CONTINENT' In the past two years, Leiden has experienced strong growth as a conference city. Mayor Henri Lenferink explains how his knowledge city, internationally renowned in the field of humanities and life sciences, has learned to embrace international conferences.

he mayor of Leiden, Henri Lenferink, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Ferry Breedveld and Carel Stolker, rector magnificus of Leiden University, are all on stage when installing thirty new conference ambassadors. The network that was launched last year now has eighty ambassadors, mostly academics who have initiated a conference in Leiden. The network established by Leiden

FACTS & FIGURES 3rd culture city of the Netherlands: 13 museums and four national museums 30,000 students 2nd monument city of the Netherlands 17 minutes to Schiphol International Airport 5th 'Most Hospitable City of The Netherlands' http://ow.ly/MtdKk

Convention Bureau aims to put the historic university city on the map as a conference destination. In one year, this has actually led to twenty conference applications, ten of which have already been booked, says Martijn Bulthuis, Director of Leiden Marketing and Leiden Convention Bureau, in his word of welcome. As early as last year, he could report a 20 percent growth in the number of international conference days. In his statement, Mayor Lenferink emphasises that the Leiden region has the highest percentage of people with a college or university education in the Netherlands. Rector magnificus, Stolker, then warns that the highly educated must not chase the less educated away from the city, a trend that has given the English city of Oxford a place on the list of ‘crap cities.’ LUMC chairman, Breedveld, calls particular attention to the interpersonal intelligence, because that activates the most. The collective presentation of the three men is an indication of the intensive cooperation within the conference city of Leiden. Both the scientists and the city

government are well aware of the importance of conferences that take place in the Leiden region. The mayor is also more than willing to make time to express his views on the developments that have taken place in such a short time in Leiden as a conference city. The first question is actually why it has taken so long for the university town to collectively present itself on the conference market. “It was remarkable that, in a knowledge city like Leiden, relatively few conferences were organised in the city itself. This is a city that even has 3,000 monuments and 5 great museums.” “The city council had already expressed a need to bring more conferences to the city. For the city, it is of great economic importance. It had been tried several times, but it was never a high priority at the university. Professors themselves decided where the conference would take place and most simply did not know what was possible in Leiden.” “About five or six years ago, this all turned around. There were all kinds of themes so that what had been professed orally before that time was then started. More in-depth contacts developed with the administration and deans and we got a better understanding of all the facilities that

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The mayor of Leiden, Henri Lenferink: “The university administration and the Municipal Executive have regular meetings and, with an e-mail or phone call, matters are quickly settled here.”

They search each other out and offer their services collectively.”

Leiden had for organising conferences.” “It should also be said that more hotels and facilities have been added in recent years. In the past, one had to fan out up to fifty kilometres in the surrounding areas in order to have sufficient beds, but now one can remain in the city for most conferences.” “Moreover, the already rich range of facilities has been augmented with, for example, the new Holiday Inn convention centre and the historic Pieterskerk where we are now, which is equipped with all the modern facilities.” “We also made it clear how we can alleviate the professors' stress in the organisation of a conference. As early as in the Old Testament, there was complaining about everything they had to do if something had to be organised. Much of that burden can be removed by Leiden Marketing and its partners.” “Thus, the idea of the conference ambassadors was born. Once a year, we come together, as we do now. In addition, the ambassadors will be invited to such events as the Weihnachtsoratorium. This works as a binding factor and ensures that mutual contact is quickly made.”

In what scientific disciplines does Leiden excel? “We have the Leiden Bio Science Park, one of Europe's largest clusters in the field of Life Science & Health and the second largest brain park in the Netherlands. The physical proximity of educational and research institutions and companies in the biomedical sector acts as a catalyst. The park has also established a kind of pilot plant. Here, you can educate people in an almost real environment, without sacrificing production. Something like this can only be realised through the mass of such a large cluster.” “The university is particularly renowned for the Humanities Faculty. They even say that the sun never sets here. All languages and cultures can be found here, from every continent.” “A new development is that the city itself is increasingly becoming the campus, with humanities and social enterprises that are small and innovative. I am always surprised every time I discover new initiatives of this type. For example there are many media companies which build websites, write articles, translate and help familiarise people in other cultures.

Can conference participants expect a warm welcome in Leiden? “Of course, especially from the political sector. The university administration and the Municipal Executive have regular meetings and, with an e-mail or phone call, matters are quickly settled here.” “I think a lot of this comes from the residents themselves. It is a historical fact that the residents are accustomed to people from elsewhere. In the sixteenth century, religious refugees came from England to Leiden. We also do a lot to optimise the hospitality with, for example, hostesses walking around the city.” “There is also a link between the university and the population through the Night of Arts & Knowledge [Nacht van Kunst & Kennis], a city festival that we have been organising since 2009. It fits into the trend of popularising science. Professors highlight their expertise in such a way that it is comprehensible for someone from outside the field. The events of the festival are often sold out nine months in advance.” I would like to know if the Mayor of Leiden also helps to create a welcoming atmosphere. “I do that regularly. That is possible for groups of up to 300 participants with, for example, a reception at the town hall. If the group is larger, then we do it elsewhere in the city.” ≈

DESTINATION

THE HAGUE

‘Sharing knowledge for better healthcare worldwide’ Douwe H. Kiestra is chairman of the Dutch Association for Technical Professionals in the Healthcare Sector (NVTG) and vice president of the International Federation of Hospital Engineering (IFHE). In April 2016, the 24th World IFHE Congress will take place in the World Forum in The Hague. Between 800 and 1,000 visitors from over 50 countries are expected to attend. The biennial conference is aimed at all those who are responsible for technology and/or property in the healthcare sector. "Healthcare is a 'product' that every earthling is entitled to. However, in many parts of the world, the quality of healthcare leaves much to be desired. In the West, we can rely on good healthcare that is supported by the latest innovative techniques. Just consider optimal functioning devices that require little maintenance, have a low failure rate, low energy, are easy to operate and are, most importantly, safe. The Netherlands is seen as one of the leading countries in the field of healthcare technology and we would like to share that knowledge. Thanks, in part, to the support of The Hague Marketing, the Netherlands has won the bid for IFHE 2016 conference. The 24th edition will focus on 'Sharing knowledge for better healthcare worldwide.' The visitors have high expectations, and rightly so. We like to Prof. Gerard Wagemaker is live up to their expectations with experienced speaaffiliated with the Haematology Department kers, a large exhibition and a wide range of of Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. As President of the Netherlands Society technical excursions." of Gene and Cell Therapy, he was closely involved in the organisation of the 22nd European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT), in October 2014 at the World Forum in The Hague. The conference, which is held each year in a different European city, brought 850 specialists in the field of gene and cell therapy to The Hague.

‘That level of involvement was a first for the international congress organiser’

The Hague

“Promoting basic and clinical research in gene therapy, cell therapy, and genetic vaccines by facilitating education, the exchange of information and technology and serving as a professional adviser to stakeholder communities and regulatory bodies in Europe. These are the main tasks of ESGCT. One of the ways to fulfil those tasks is the annual conference. Last year our Dutch department got the honour to invite our European colleagues. The Hague Convention Bureau was instrumental in the success of our conference by getting the local organisation to fit our wishes, reaching agreements with World Forum and getting sponsorship from the city of The Hague, who offered us a welcoming reception. Delegates also loved the local tourist information desk in the lobby. That level of involvement was a first for the international congress organiser for the ESGCT, Gaelle Jamar.”

DESTINATION

THE HAGUE

THE INTERNATIONAL CITY OF PEACE AND JUSTICE As the second UN city in the world, The Hague is the international city of peace and justice, a place where leaders meet every day to tackle global challenges regarding peace and justice and other major topics such as security, energy and ICT & Telecom.

he establishment of high judicial institutes, such as the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the ICJ’s forerunner, the Permanent Court of International Justice, cemented The Hague’s position as a centre for peace and justice. Together with the presence and influence of the central government and royal family, this has made it an ever more attractive location for organisations from all over the world. Nowadays, tens of thousands of people jointly pursue a more peaceful, just and secure world and more and more

FACTS & FIGURES Seat of the Dutch Government +150 international organisations 135 NGOs 26 IGOs 11 international schools 30 theatres 45 museums 4,388 restaurants 11 kilometre coast line http://ow.ly/LWO0U

(international) connections are made between specialisms. And not without good reason, since The Hague is a place where businesses, knowledge institutes and governments come together. Vital to this process are The Hague Security Delta (HSD) and InnovationQuarter (IQ). Europe’s largest security cluster HSD is the largest security cluster in Europe, with its core located in the region of The Hague. In this Dutch cluster businesses, governments and knowledge institutions work together on innovations and knowledge in the field of cyber security, protection of critical infrastructure, national and urban security and forensics. They share a common goal: more business activity, more jobs and a secure world. At the core is the HSD Campus, the national innovation centre for security in The Hague. Also working to promote and strengthen the position of the region is IQ, the regional economic development agency for the Dutch region of West Holland. Their mission is to strengthen the economy by supporting and stimulating the innovation potential of the area. In close cooperation with all major corporations, educational and research institutions –

such as the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Delft University of Technology and Leiden University - and government, IQ supports technological developments, encourages entrepreneurship and invests in start-up companies. Both organisations aim to make better use of innovation opportunities in security and to create extra jobs. Together they will help security businesses to grow and innovate by ‘matching’ of demand and supply and by organising cross-pollinations between businesses and knowledge institutions. HSD stimulates, facilitates and organises cooperation in security, IQ brings in the knowledge and network of regional top sectors. Upstream companies The Hague comprises part of the Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan region. This region plays host to Europe’s largest port, three universities and many innovative companies, including those based at the world-renowned Greenport, the heart of Dutch glasshouse horticulture. The metropolitan region is vitally important to the Dutch economy, contributing more to the GNP than any other part of the country. Key economic sectors are ICT & Telecom, Energy, Security, Finance and Life sciences. The Hague region plays host to many upstream oil and gas companies operating in exploration and production, as well as several international engineering

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1. The city is both cosmopolitan and international and compact. 2. Prince´s Day: used to regularly welcoming heads of state, business leaders and royalty, © JURJEN DRENTH

the city has a sophisticated atmosphere. 3. The Peace Palace, the most photographed monument in The Hague, houses the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, a prestigious library and the Hague Academy of International Law.

and consultancy firms. The large number of companies and R&D institutes working in the exploration and production industry ensures a sufficient supply of skilled personnel. Due to its sophisticated glass fibre optic infrastructure, the Netherlands is one of the most wired countries in Europe and there are immense possibilities for initiating and expanding existing digital networks. Moreover, with the presence of the supervisory body OPTA and the NMA, The Hague is an ideal location for telecom and internet companies to settle. Medical Delta Businesses, governments and research institutes together are working on innovations and the development of knowledge in the field of security. Moreover, crisis management organisations and security services (AIVD, MIVD), the Ministries of Security and Justice and Defence and the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism are all based in the region. Finally, the presence of international institutions like Europol, NATO C3, OPCW and the ICC further strengthen the potential of the cluster.

The Hague sits in the middle of the Medical Delta, a research driven life sciences and medical technology cluster in the western part of the country. The Medical Delta contains a remarkable and unique concentration of (academic) healthcare centres, technological and scientific expertise and the largest cluster of life science companies in the Netherlands. The city is also the home of a large variety of key players in the pensions, asset management and insurance industry with the presence of government and regulatory bodies plus the wealth of experience and expertise of companies such as MN, AEGON, and Nationale Nederlanden. City beside the sea In the Netherlands The Hague is known for more unique qualities. It is the only city in our country beside the sea. You can soak up culture in the historical city centre followed by a barefoot walk across the 11 kilometre beach of Scheveningen, which is less than 15 minutes away by tram or bike. The city also has been home to the royal family for centuries. Which is reflected

in many historical monuments, residential and working palaces, royal routes and the favourite addresses of King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima. Boasting some modern art, intimate theatre plays, classic masterpieces, world-class museums, such as the Mauritshuis, and bustling festivals, the city is a magnificent cultural potpourri all year round. And last but not least: The Hague is the political capital of the Netherlands. The city is yours All together, The Hague being used to regularly welcoming royalties, heads of state or business leaders results in a city with a sophisticated atmosphere; high quality culture and arts and a high quality offer of hotels, restaurants and venues. The city is both cosmopolitan and international and compact. Basically, when you organise a conference for 1,000 - 2,000 people, the city is yours. The Hague’s dedicated Convention Bureau and their local industry partners work closely together with the goal of making every conference or business event a success. ≈

DESTINATION

AMERSFOORT

'Stakeholders working well together' Gijs Verbeek is Executive Director of the MPI Netherlands Chapter. On 29 and 30 March, he organised, along with a team of MPI volunteers and Amersfoort 'standard bearer' Jeannette van Namen, the annual MPI NL Conference in the Rijtuigenloods in Amersfoort. The event was attended by over 250 industry professionals: planners, conference organisers, event agencies, suppliers, hoteliers, venues and exhibitors. “What is central to conferences and events? The individual! The theme of the MPI NL Conference was 'Evenemens' [‘event human’] and was about the importance of live encounters in the world of social media, online marketing and digitisation. Sometimes we forget that live encounters still yield the best results. Given the fact that Amersfoort is the centre of the Netherlands, and because the Amersfoort region, thanks to the Citymarketing Region Amersfoort Foundation, is perfectly equipped to host national and international conferences, it was logical to host the inspiration conference for the Dutch event industry there. The appreciation of the participants was great. Amersfoort has much to offer: stakeholders working well together, good accessibility, a beautiful historical and compact city centre, many extraordinary accommodations, museums, festivals; in short, everything that a participant or Gabriella Meijnckens is Manager organiser could wish for.” Marketing & Events Business Media at IDG Nederland. IDG is the leading publisher in the field of ICT in the Netherlands. In Amersfoort, on 24 September 2015, she is organising the third edition of IT Innovation Day in ‘De Nieuwe Stad’ as part of the IT Innovation Week. The event will attract between 500 and 600 visitors, all of them IT decision makers from Dutch top companies (CIOs, CMOs, IT directors, senior IT management). “IT and digitization are drastically changing the world. Business models, businesses and functions are subject to constant transformation. Is the Netherlands ready for the digital future of tomorrow? That is what this event is all about. Innovation Day is an inspiring meeting with interesting examples of innovative IT applications. The day will demonstrate the importance of IT Innovation for the Netherlands, the business community and the labour market. Why Amersfoort as the location? The city is centrally located in the Netherlands and is easily accessible. But that's not all. The municipality namely presents itself explicitly as the beating heart of the Netherlands when it comes to IT innovation and has established itself as a strategic partner to the event. As the organising party, we are obviously very happy about this.”

‘The beating heart of the Netherlands when it comes to IT innovation’

Amersfoort

DESTINATION

AMERSFOORT

NETWORKING IN AN HISTORIC SETTING Amersfoort offers the unique combination of an historic city and a modern, vibrant network economy. The only true centre of the Netherlands is increasingly demanding its position as a central meeting place.

“W

e have a beautiful city with a historic centre, but also modern museums, fantastic art and culture, lots of water - lakes, rivers, ponds and even canals - and a huge variety of landscapes in the region within a relatively small area.” The enthusiasm that Jeannette van Namen has for 'her' Amersfoort is contagious. And to think that this Professional Congress Organiser was neither born nor raised here. With her company, JVN Congress Management, she settled in the city a decade ago. "From my long years of experience, I know how important it is that a meeting takes place at an inspiring location in a

FACTS & FIGURES • Within 45 minutes from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport • 1.2 million visitors per year • 650 monuments • Largest auditorium De Rijtuigenloods with 1.200 seats • 1,244 hotel rooms available http://ow.ly/MrsjL

fascinating city. I can assure you from personal experience that Amersfoort is an extraordinary city that has tremendous added value for all types of meetings." Pampered conference participant "Amersfoort is a city with a human dimension, a lot of it is within walking distance," she continues. "The city has a varied night life, festivals, modern and classical concerts, theatre, a great variety of culture and fantastic restaurants with cuisines from all over the world. That makes it pleasant for conference participants to plot their own route, next to or alongside of the official conference programme. In short, there is a lot to enjoy, even for the most pampered conference participant. " Amersfoort is the only city that can actually invoke the fact that it is centrally located. The historic medieval 'Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren' - at 98 meters, the third highest church tower in the Netherlands is the geographical centre of the country. This is more than a fun fact to know, because it makes the city, as the central hub, easily accessible. Thus, Amersfoort is also directly connected by rail to many places, including Schiphol Airport (45 minutes), Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Groningen and Berlin. The city is

also easy to reach by car, thanks to the nearby A1, A28 and A12 motorways. In the city, transportation by boat, coach, bicycle or tuktuk are fun and efficient options, says Van Namen by way of a good tip. Modern network economy In Amersfoort, history and the modern network economy come together. The city received city rights in the year 1259 and has a beautifully preserved historic centre with no fewer than 650 monuments. The medieval streets, canals, bridges and city gates are remarkably well preserved and give the city a special atmosphere; as if time had stood still. On the other hand, a vibrant network economy has developed. From the centre of the Netherlands, the established organisations and businesses serve the entire country and they often also operate worldwide. For example, Amersfoort has the most German subsidiaries and sister companies in the Netherlands. Areas in which the region excels are: business services, ICT, architectural and technical design, management consulting, healthcare and sustainability. Numerous national and international knowledge institutes, industry associations and NGOs have established themselves in the region in recent years. Also, such medical organisations as the Lung Fund, the Gastrointestinal Foundation, Alzheimer's's Netherlands, the Diabetes Foundation, the CliniClowns and Ronald

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1. PCO Jeannette van Namen: ‘There is a lot to enjoy, even for the most pampered conference participant.’ 2. The historic medieval 'Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren' is the geographical centre of the Netherlands. 3. There are various industrial sites such as the Rijtuigenloods

McDonald Foundation have found their home base in Amersfoort. National and international companies, such as FrieslandCampina dairy and Royal Haskoning/DHV (engineering and project management consultancy) have their headquarters here. Industrial venues The city is home to thousands of freelancers who work for all these organisations, institutions and companies. The economy of Amersfoort anno 2015 is also typical of the current network generation. Since 1970, the population has doubled from 75,000 to 150,000. Among them are many highly-educated young people. They are attracted to Amersfoort because of the dynamics of this growing city combined with the pleasant living environment. In addition to employment growth, the companies and institutions in the Amersfoort region ensure a strong growth in the number of professional knowledge and networking events in the region. The result is that, in recent years, various meeting locations have been added. These often authentic buildings are currently available for a wide variety of business events.

The Rijtuigenloods Thus, right next to the train station in the city centre, we can find the characteristic coach workshop which has been preserved and has now been made suitable for the reception of conventions and events. This was the place where, historically, trains were built and maintained. In this area, there are various industrial sites such as the Rijtuigenloods, the Veerensmederij and the Centraal Ketelhuis [Central Boilerhouse], which can be used individually and in combination with each other. The Rijtuigenloods, for example, is suitable for conferences of 200 to 2,000 people. Here, events are organised ranging from conferences for ministries and other government organisations and trade fairs and festivals for large companies. The location has 3,000 m² and that can be flexibly divided, with 15 smaller rooms. For discussion sessions and workshops, several historic train cars offer an original setting. The location has high-quality catering options, modern facilities and high- quality technical facilities in all areas. The partially glass roof provides ample use of daylight. It is also possible to dim

the roof with the push of a button. In addition, the location is Green Key Gold certified, which ensures compliance with the most stringent requirements in terms of sustainability. Several new Hotels The number of hotel beds in the region has been greatly increased in recent years. Several new hotels have been built, such as the modern Van der Valk Hotel Amersfoort on the A1 motorway, the NH Hotel Amersfoort and the Mercure Hotel Amersfoort Centre in the city centre. Many existing hotels have significantly increased their capacity. Examples include the Conference Hotel Kontakt der Kontinenten and the estate, Landgoed ISVW. The acronym ISVW stands for International School of Philosophy. This estate, situated on six hectares of private woodland, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2016. Cityhosts PCO Jeannette van Namen has one last tip. “We have the Cityhosts here, our living business cards, who are provided free of charge by local entrepreneurs. These are the ambassadors for the city of Amersfoort. They give groups, among other things, a warm welcome, tell them something about the city, arrange arrival and departure points, share information about Amersfoort and act as resource persons.” ≈

DESTINATION

ROTTERDAM

‘There is an excellent cooperation between physicians and pharmacists in this area’ Teun van Gelder is an internist - clinical pharmacologist and professor of Clinical Pharmacology. Thanks, in part, to his efforts, Rotterdam will be, in October 2015, the setting for the 14th Conference of the International Association for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology. IATDMCT 2015 will be attended by around 800 hospital pharmacists, clinical chemists, physicians and other specialists from the international healthcare sector. “The determining of the level of drugs and stimulants in blood, saliva or hair of a patient is a vital part of this. It is part of the care in, for example, a patient who has had a kidney transplant and is taking medication to prevent rejection. It can also involve a patient who is brought comatose into the emergency room and for whom the attending physician wants to know what kind of intoxication they are dealing with. That is what the conference is about. Thus, it takes place at the interface of laboratory diagnostics (the analytical part) and direct patient care (the advisory panel). The Netherlands is ideally suited for this conference because this speciality is practised at a high level in our country. Moreover, there is an excellent cooperation between physicians and pharmacists in this area. Rotterdam was chosen because of the international repuFred Balvert is interim head of communitation, the excellent accessibility and the excellent cations at Erasmus University Medical price-quality ratio of hotels, restaurants Center Rotterdam and is closely involved in and conference facilities.” several conferences. These include the Transatlantic Conference on

‘Erasmus MC is now the premier research institute in the field of health and innovation’

Personalized Medicine (TCPM) on 8 and 9 October 2015 in the Education Center of Erasmus MC and Innovation for Health (I4H) on 18 February 2016 at the World Trade Centre in Rotterdam. The conference will draw, respectively, 250 and 1,000 biomedical researchers, medical specialists, policy makers, industrial and social partners to Rotterdam. “Drugs and treatments that focus on the molecular basis of diseases are the beginning of a new era in medicine. The names of the conferences say it all: 'Personalized Medicine' and 'Innovation for Health.' Both conferences deal with innovation in health. Each patient is an individual and one patient responds differently to certain medications than others. By analysing the genetic profile of patients, doctors obtain useful information for prevention, prediction and treatment. In addition, consumers and patients are increasingly becoming team players in prevention and treatment.” “It is certainly a pioneering development. Why destination Rotterdam? The city has everything a city should have and more. Also, Erasmus MC is now the premier research institute in the field of health and innovation.”

DESTINATION

ROTTERDAM

INTERNATIONAL AND ENTERPRISING Rotterdam is a city where everything is possible. A city shaped by its international position as a world port and the no-nonsense character of its residents. Constantly changing and never finished.

otterdam has, as a world port, a very international character. The port of Rotterdam is the largest and most modern port in Europe and among the top 10 ports in the world. The city lies on the North Sea with Europe as hinterland and is connected to 1,000 ports spread across the globe. Rotterdam has 174 nationalities and a quarter of the 12,000 students at the Erasmus University come from abroad. In terms of art and culture, Rotterdam is an international leader, with Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Rotterdam Philharmonic

FACTS & FIGURES • The largest and most modern port in Europe • With about 600,000 residents, the second largest city in the Netherlands • A Must-See City according New York Times, Rough Guides and CNN • Mainport Hotel / Inntel Hotel Rotterdam Centre offers 480 rooms and 600 m2 meeting rooms http://ow.ly/Mtf9x

Orchestra and the Port of Rotterdam North Sea Jazz Festival. Trend-setting architecture After the bombing of the city on May 14, 1940, Rotterdam was rebuilt into a modernistic city. Since then, they never stopped building and renovating, which has turned it into a modern city with a great deal of trend-setting architecture. Last year, the city gained three new buildings, which were even declared in advance to be international architectural icons. The building, De Rotterdam - designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas is also referred to as 'the Vertical City. One of the three towers making up the building, house nhow, a design hotel with 278 rooms and 9 meeting and event spaces. The Markthal Rotterdam, the Netherlands' first indoor food market, is erected as a horseshoe-shaped arch, that hold 100 market stalls, 15 food shops, 8 restaurants and 228 residential apartments.Occupying the very heart of the city, the new Centraal Station train station, with its ultramodern and futuristic architecture, has become an eye-catcher, as well. There are direct public transport connections to the international airports, Rotterdam The Hague Airport (10 minutes) and Schiphol Airport

(26 minutes). For the New York Times, Rough Guides and CNN, these architectural additions were reason to declare Rotterdam a Must-See City. The London Academy of Urbanism proclaimed the city to be European City in 2015. Long list of new locations However, the list of new locations is much longer. The hotel capacity has been significantly expanded with such new hotels as CitizenM, Ibis, Easy Hotel, nhow, Main Port and Wings. The luxurious Mainport Hotel offers, along with its adjacent design hotel, Inntel Hotel Rotterdam Centre, 480 rooms and 600 m2 state-of-the-art multifunctional meeting rooms, with views over the River Maas, the Erasmus Bridge and the Rotterdam skyline. Nearby is the trendy, affordable CitizenM hotel with 151 rooms and two boardrooms. Moreover, many restaurants have been added. These include those at a few hotels, such as restaurant Joelia in the Hilton Rotterdam, led by star chef Mario Ridder, and restaurant, The Park, that Bilderberg Hotel Rotterdam launched in collaboration with top chef Erik van Loo. Also, in the field of conference venues, Rotterdam is on the move. With the so-called Submarine Wharf on the RDM Campus, the city has added an extraordinary industrial venue. In addition, the characteristic conference location, Engels, right next to the imposing Centraal Station, reopened this year, completely

DESTINATION

1. The contemporary entrance of the Centraal Station railway station. 2. View on the colored arch of the Markthal in the centre of Rotterdam. 3. A modern city with a great deal of trend-setting architecture.

modernised. Also, a new development is the takeover of the operation of the Beurs-WTC Congress & Event Center by Postillion Hotels. It is thus expected that the position in the international conference market will be strengthened with this exceptional conference venue in the centre of Rotterdam -- with two large, authentic exhibition and conference halls and thirty break-out rooms. But the focus is already on 2018 because that is when the exhibition centre, Ahoy, will open its new multi-purpose, stateof-the-art conference centre, with fixed seating for 2,750 participants. Make it happen Rotterdam is a take-charge city. Its residents say what they mean. In a city with a diverse range of cultures, religions and political affiliations, there is a sharp focus on various issues. That focus makes Rotterdam residents quick to make contact and get results. This mentality can be found in business, politics, culture, research and science. It makes Rotterdam a city where everything is possible. Anyone who wants to accomplish something - something new

or special - is welcome here. Rotterdam is a city of ambition, of creating opportunities and taking chances. Rotterdam is also a city of creativity, contrast and originality. The city is young and unpolished, constantly changing and is never finished. Local support That no-nonsense approach is also reflected in people, businesses and institutions involved in conferences, an industry that has the full support of the municipal government. Central to the network is Rotterdam Partners Convention Bureau, which provides organisers of conferences and corporate events with independent, professional and free information about opportunities in Rotterdam. Rotterdam Partners Convention Bureau provides site inspections for the local organising committee or the international board. This organisation also supports the production and (partial) financing of bidbooks and/or presentations and points the way to subsidies and incentives. The city itself has access to the Incentive Fund for International Association Conferences. This provides a financial helping

hand for associations that organise a European or global conference in line with the economic focal points of the municipality of Rotterdam. Economic focal points Life Sciences is one of the economic focal points, with Erasmus University, the largest medical centre in the Netherlands, as a major catalyst. The university is a recognised national and international leader in its chosen fields. Erasmus Medical Centre, in particular, is internationally very well regarded for its scientific research into genetics, cell biology, neuroscience, health science, cardiovascular diseases and molecular medicine. The presence of the international port logically makes the Port Industrial Complex into a focal point, as do Cleantech, Agro & Food. The combination of Rotterdam as a global transit point for food and the presence of Greenport Westland-Oostland, the Netherlands largest international horticulture cluster, in the surrounding region, has led to a complete industry where every step in the food chain, such as research, production, processing, packaging and transport, are represented. ≈

DESTINATION

NORTH HOLLAND NORTH OF AMSTERDAM

‘The beach is particularly attractive for our younger participants’ Arjen Nauta is Sr. Scientist Nutritional Sciences with the FrieslandCampina Innovation Center. He is also the treasurer of the LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria) conference. The LAB conference is organised in the Netherlands every three years. Between 500 and 600 international PhD students, professors, suppliers and producers of consumer products – mainly from the dairy industry – attended the 11th edition last year. “If there is one theme in vogue, it is healthy nutrition. Hence, the LAB conference, covering applications and new developments in the field of lactic acid bacteria for the purpose of applications - especially in dairy products - always has great appeal. For the last few years we have come to the North Holland seaside resort of Egmond aan Zee. Hotel Zuiderduin has everything we are looking for. We can house the conference and the guests for the entire week under one roof, which is good for the general atmosphere. The location is relatively close to the airport and a great base for social activities in the area. Thus, we have taken our international guests to such places as Volendam and Enkhuizen. And, last but not least, Hotel Zuiderduin is located on the beach. That can be particularly attractive for, in particular, our younger participants, George Brouwer is managing the PhD students. They are the scientists of the future, director and owner of Travel Congress so that is where our focus lies.” Management (TCM) which specialises in

‘An important part of the meeting are the social events’

North Holland

the organisation of medical conferences and events. For the international pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly Netherlands, TCM organises the biennial National Lilly Meeting. For three days, the more than 130 Lilly employees - who are involved in the clinical research of medicines, marketing, sales and support services - come together to learn from and with each other. “The Lilly event that TCM and Lilly organised in 2013 in the new Van der Valk Hotel in Hoorn, is etched in the memories of both organisers and participants as a positive and well-organised happening. An important part of the meeting are the social events. To give you an idea: from the hotel, which has its own convention centre, we cycled to the old Dutch town of Hoorn. In the port, the three-master, Sanne Sophia, was ready for the group. While we sailed on the IJsselmeer, we enjoyed the lounge music of the ‘DJ on the water,’ while the distinctive landscape passed by us. At the end of the day, we took an interesting walk through the historic centre of the town, where you can still find many elements from the Golden Age. The day ended with a dinner in the courtyard of the characteristic restaurant ‘Huis Verloren.’

DESTINATION

NORTH HOLLAND, NORTH OF AMSTERDAM

LAND OF WIND AND WATER Water management, renewable energy generation and agriculture. These are the focus areas of North-Holland North, the region just north of Amsterdam, where you will also find the majority of the Dutch heritage.

e who says North Holland, says water. The province is, in fact, one large peninsula between the North Sea, the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer (the former Zuiderzee). The island of Texel is also part of the province. The part of the province north of Amsterdam is known for its coastline with its miles of beaches, vast tulip fields, the flat fields interspersed with canals and lakes and, above all, what is internationally known as the Dutch heritage: numerous old Dutch cities such as Alkmaar and Haarlem, authentic polder villages such as De Rijp and Broek in Waterland and a dozen ancient harbour towns. In particular, the Zaanse Schans (after the Van

FACTS & FIGURES • 260 kilometre of coastline • The coastal area changes every spring in a large carpet of flowers • 4.6 million overnight stays by guests from abroad in North Holland (Excl. Amsterdam) • Hotel Zuiderduin offers 550 hotel rooms and 33 meeting and conference rooms • 45 minutes from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Alkmaar http://ow.ly/MDgbX

Gogh Museum, the second most visited day attraction among international visitors) , Volendam, Marken and Edam are known as tourist attractions, where you can get acquainted with the wooden shoes, traditional costumes, cheese makers and windmills. Water management In terms of knowledge development, the focus in North Holland is on water management, renewable energy and agriculture. "Fighting against the water is, as it were, typical of the Netherlands. More than 25 percent of the country lies below sea level. Therefore, there is a lot of expertise in the field of water management. Everywhere in the world where water disasters occur -- as in New Orleans in 2005, New York in 2012 and early this year in the English Somerset where whole areas were flooded due to persistent rainfall -- Dutch water experts are called in. In North Holland itself, the large-scale water projects like the Afsluitdijk, which connects the provinces of North Holland and Friesland with each other, the Houtribdijk, which connects North Holland with the province of Flevoland, demonstrate how one tames the water here. Water also plays a major role in North Holland in many other economic areas: tourism and water sports, transport over water, fishing and other water-related activities.

Sustainable energy North Holland has a sustainable energy programme. The province focuses it on policies to be less dependent on fossil fuels and to stimulate innovation and business in the renewable energy sector. Here, four priority areas have been identified: biomass gasification, wind at sea (offshore wind), sustainable construction and solar energy. The province works closely with the Energy Board. This is a collaboration between industry, government, research and educational institutions. The objective of the Energy Board is to accelerate the developments in the field of renewable energy in North-Holland and strengthen the economy. One of the achievements of the Energy Board is the new Dutch Offshore Academy. It is an initiative of the Port and Shipping Association in Den Helder, the Regional Training Centre (ROC) of Noord Holland and various companies. The goal is to make Den Helder the student city for anyone who wants to work in the offshore oil and gas or wind energy sector. The Academy collaborates with educational institutions like Tetrix and DHTC and with research institutes such as TNO and Imares. Agriculture The agricultural sector is united in Greenport North-Holland North; one of the six greenports in the Netherlands. The region has a production value of approximately 3 to 3.5 billion Euros. North Holland North is, in particular, internationally prominent in the field of seed improvement. The Netherlands exports

DESTINATION

1. The historic centre of Hoorn 2. The famous Zaanse Schans 3. Tulip fields near the coast 4. The coastline of Egmond aan Zee

about 16 billion Euros in horticultural and agricultural products annually. The starting material (seeds, cuttings, bulbs and tubers) comes from Dutch breeding stations and propagation companies. World trade in vegetables and seeds is 80 percent owned by nine multinationals. Five of these have their headquarters, logistics centre, and/or research facilities in Seed Valley, the area between Enkhuizen and Warmenhuizen. Agriport A7 Agriport A7 is located approximately in the middle of Seed Valley. Agriport A7 is a modern horticultural and logistics project in the Wieringermeerpolder, 40 kilometers from Amsterdam. Hundreds of hectares of arable land have become the centre for modern, large-scale greenhouse farming and open field crops. Central to Agriport is a new business terrain where construction will soon begin on the European Data Center belonging to the U.S. software giant, Microsoft. Through the clustering of large-scale production of fresh vegetables, processing and logistics, and because of the optimum use of waste products (heat, water

and CO2 surpluses from one company to are used by another company), Agriport A7 seen as the most Modern Agricultural Park in the world. Variety offered North Holland offers a wide and varied range of hotel and conference accommodations, from football stadium to theatre and from beach to industrial monument. Just take the Kees Kist Lounge at the AFAS stadium in Alkmaar: this measures 1,120 square meters and can accommodate meetings from 15 to 1,000 people. In Hoorn the new Van der Valk Hotel Hoorn offers 157 rooms, 11 conference rooms, a casino and 5 cinema halls which are also suitable as conference halls. In Egmond aan Zee, right on the North Sea beach, you can find the hotel Zuiderduin. This hotel offers 550 rooms and 33 meeting and conference rooms with areas ranging from 30 to 1,000 . Here, conferences can be held for up to 1,500 people. Anyone who wants to make use of the trendy charm that industrial sites offer, can, for example, come to Taets Art Gallery in Zaanstad. In total, the complex covers more than 30,000 square

meters. There are several halls and rooms, a state of the art Meeting Area (10 to 500 people) and an outdoor area. The complex is suitable for meetings from 10 to 7,000 people. Sea Research The Royal Dutch Institute for Sea Research, NIOZ, on the Wadden Island of Texel has a conference hall for 200 people. The institute was founded in 1876 and is part of the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). There is no shortage of accommodation on the tourist island of Texel. There are over a hundred hotels on the island, including the four-star Grand Hotel Opduin with 96 rooms and conference facilities for up to 156 people. New convention bureau Convention Bureau Holland (CBH) represents the North Holland region north of Amsterdam. CBH is an autonomous and independent foundation that has set for itself the goal of bringing more national and international conferences to the region. Organisers of multi-day (association) conferences can go there for free advice and information about all the possibilities that the region has to offer in the conference sector. The agency also organises any desired location viewings and provides obligation-free quotations. ≈

DESTINATION

UTRECHT

‘I am proud that researchers from Utrecht are now playing a leading role’ Jos Malda, as Associate Professor at the University of Utrecht and the University Medical Center Utrecht, and Lorenzo Moroni, Associate Professor at the University of Maastricht, are organising the annual Biofabrication Congress of the International Society for Biofabrication in November 2015 . The conference will take place in the Academy Building on the Domplein, in the historical heart of Utrecht. The three-day conference expects to host 200 to 250 scientists from Europe and America, but also from such countries as Australia, China and Japan. “3D printing is hot, but I also have high expectations concerning its applications in medical science. The theme of the conference is therefore ‘Biofabrication’ and includes the 3D printing of living cells. The possibility to create pieces of living tissue is getting closer and closer. Such printed pieces of tissue would be useful for research, drug testing and, in the longer term, for transplantation, as well. There is still much to discover. I am proud that researchers from Utrecht are now playing a leading role in this field. Recently, we have received a number of large subsidies that have made the creation of a specific Bioprint facility and the new master degree course for ‘Biofabrication’ possible in Utrecht. René van Weeren is project The conference which, both financially and organisationally, assistant for the Research Institute of is supported by the province, the city of Utrecht and History and Culture of Utrecht University. Tourism Utrecht, is the perfect addition Together with Professor Tine De Moor, he to this.” is responsible for the organisation of the 16th IASC Global Conference,

‘The perfect reason to bring the conference to the Netherlands’

Utrecht

to be held in Utrecht in July 2017. This biennial conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons will be attended by 500 to 800 international scientists and experts in the field of ‘commons.’ “The research group, ‘Institutions for Collective Action’ within Utrecht University, is intensively engaged in research into forms of collaboration, such as the commons: bottom-up initiated, self-managed and self-regulating. The concept of the commons is centuries old and has, in the past, proven to be successful. The linking of scientific research of both contemporary and historical variants to the experiences of experts will help to better understand the mechanisms and the dynamics of commons and to perpetuate contemporary variants. Both the chairmanship and the secretariat of the IASC will be housed, in the coming years, at the University of Utrecht: the perfect reason to bring the conference to the Netherlands, as well. The conference provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen the 'commons' network in Europe and to bring the subject more and more clearly to the forefront in Europe.”

DESTINATION

UTRECHT

KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT AND KNOWLEDGE EVENTS Economic Board Utrecht makes available an incentive fund of 300,000 Euro for organisers of knowledge events in the province. This applies to international congresses and meetings that are in line with the spearheads Green, Healthy and Smart.

he Utrecht region is the most competitive region in Europe, according to the EU. The publicprivate collaboration union Economic Board Utrecht (EBU) wants to further strengthen this position through acquiring adequate international knowledge

FACTS & FIGURES • Europe’s most competitive area in 2010 and 2013 (Joint Research Centre European Commission). • The Netherlands’ province with the most innovative potential (ING Quarterly Memo Regions August 2011). • The Utrecht Science Park is home to the Netherlands’ best university (Times Higher Education 2011, Shanghai Ranking 2011). • 330,000 inhabitants with 163 different nationalities, making it the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. • Bustling university city with more than 70,000 students • 3 venues with 1000+ auditoria http://ow.ly/Mhq08

events. According to the EBU, knowledge events are ideal moments to showcase Utrecht's knowledge, unlock networks and promote Utrecht within relevant target groups. The municipalities of Amersfoort and Utrecht are working together with the executive promotional partners to compile a package that will also be used to welcome additional knowledge partners. The Stichting Hotel Overleg Utrecht (Host Utrecht), congress locations Jaarbeurs, Flint Amersfoort and Marienhof and University Utrecht and the University Medical Centre Utrecht are co-investors. Economic Board Utrecht will put 100,000 Euro annually into an incentive fund for organisers of international congresses and meetings focused on the themes Green, Healthy and Smart. Fiware lab It is not the Utrecht knowledge industry's only recent achievement. The new building of the International School Utrecht (ISUtrecht) was officially opened on 16 April. The school, which started in 2012, has grown so rapidly that a semi-permanent building was erected in just 10 weeks early this year in order to provide sufficient space for the coming

four years. ISUtrecht fits in with the city's internationalisation agenda. In order to retain international talent in the region, it aims to provide an attractive place to live with sufficient challenges and opportunities. In the same month, the arrival of a Dutch Fiware lab in Utrecht was announced. Fiware (Future Internet) is an EU initiative from the former European Commissioner Neelie Kroes as part of her digital agenda. Developers will have free access to (open) data centre facilities in the lab. There will also be special standard building blocks for Fiware available, that accelerate the development of apps and applications and make them reusable throughout Europe. The emergence of the lab will make the Utrecht region an attractive business location for application developers. Healthy Urban Living This news flash from spring 2015 is in line with the intensive collaboration that has developed in recent years between local governments, knowledge institutes and the corporate world. As such, the Knowledge Centre Healthy Urban Living (KC HUL) was founded in 2013. The KC provides comprehensive expertise and a shared knowledge base for the design and further development of a healthy and sustainable environment in urban areas. Local governments, businesses and civilians will benefit from this, both nationally and internationally. The knowledge centre will be shaped by

©ISTOCK | HANSENN

DESTINATION

1. Casa Confetti is the name of one of the more colourful buildings on the Uithof campus of the Utrecht University. © ISTOCK | TOOS

2. View over the historic centre of Utrecht with the Dom Tower, the tallest church tower in the Netherlands. 3. The co-generation (combined heat and power generation) plant of University Utrecht

five familiar knowledge institutes in the Utrecht region: Utrecht University, RIVM, TNO, KNMI and Deltares. Activities will include conducting research, offering advice and guidance to governmental agencies and professionals. Utrecht is also involved in various other projects and initiatives that address the new old age, examining how older people can live at home for longer in a safe and healthy environment. Innovative sustainable measures 'Green' is an equally important spearhead. As such, there is an ambition to have 50,000 homes within the city limits in 2015, that independently provide the residents with all the energy they need in a sustainable way and experiments will be carried out with intelligent electricity networks. The municipality has also committed to an initiative that aims to spend 10 percent of the procurement budget in 2020 on circular purchases. Many of the innovative sustainable measures in the field of energy, water, mobility and construction are tested in practice in the Utrecht Science Park. This campus brings those in the knowledge industry into close proximity with each

other, including Utrecht University, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences and University Medical Centre Utrecht, as well as internationally recognised institutes such as Hubrecht Institute, TNO, Deltares, Fungal Biodiversity Centre (CBS-KNAW), SRON and RIVM. Furthermore, the campus is home to another 60 companies, half of which operates in the field of life sciences. Smart product-service combinations Within the domain 'Smart', Utrecht is working on the development of innovative product-service combinations, in the belief that current and future generations will be less focused on possessing a certain product and more focused on satisfying a specific need. For example, they will not purchase a car, but rather subscribe to a transport solution. This creates opportunities for the ICT sector and the business and financial service providers that are well represented in the Utrecht region. Ucreate, Centre of Expertise Creative Industry, has therefore been established with the aim of helping companies, NGOs and governmental agencies to create innovative solutions through

interactive media. This initiative provides a substantial contribution to current social and economic problems. Another example of 'Smart' is the long-term incentive programme Growing Games, which has the objective of supporting the sustainable growth of the Dutch applied game sector. This includes an active search for crossfertilisation of the game industry with sectors like Healthcare, Education and Safety. A link between the spearheads 'smart' and 'green' is made with the Smart Mobility Challenge, which focusses on the development of information services that make travelling and transport more comfortable and/or more efficient. Utrecht Convention Bureau All these initiatives also lead to more and more knowledge events in Utrecht. Economic Board Utrecht highlights the importance of this development and has therefore worked hard in recent years to improve the professionalism of the Utrecht Convention Bureau (UCB). This organisation provides independent and free advice to congress organisers and can act as matchmaker between clients and service providers. The UCB has also compiled a manual including all the relevant information for the organisation of a congress and can help with the compilation of site inspections and social programmes. Partly due to its number one position in the national meeting market, the locations available in Utrecht are wide and varied. ≈

DESTINATION

MAASTRICHT

‘The conference participants come across each other everywhere’ Jan Nijhuis is a gynaecologist-perinatologist and head of the department of obstetrics & gynaecology at the Maastricht UMC+. From 22 to 25 June 2016, Prof. Nijhuis will be President of the biannual European Congress (ECPM) of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM) in Maastricht. The conference is intended for obstetric-oriented gynaecologists (obstetricians), paediatrician-neonatologists, obstetricians and researchers in the field of perinatology. The number of participants will be between 1,700 and 2,000. “Perinatology is the care of the pregnant woman and her child; thus, it includes care during pregnancy, at birth and during the first weeks of life of the newborn. Every two years, the European experts in this field come together. After Oslo, Prague, Istanbul, Granada, Paris and Florence, I thought it high time to add Maastricht to this list of beautiful cities. The city is not that big, so the conference participants come across each other everywhere. Due to the location of Maastricht, we are setting up the organisation as ‘Euroregional’: our neighbours, Germany and Belgium, are joining us. And then we have another few tricks up our sleeve: As a city, we have the beautiful MECC convention centre and, as a country, we have home births. The home birth is something unique in the Western world. All in all, Maarten van Kleef is Professor it took years before this plan became a beautiful reality. of Anaesthesiology and Pain The competition was huge. But, in the end, we won Management at the Maastricht UMC+. in the last round from Moscow and EAPM Together with colleague, Dr. Jan van Zundert, Maastricht is a fact.” (Ziekenhuis Oost Limburg), he was able to bring the 7th World Congress of

‘Younger colleagues were able to follow free refresher courses’

the World Institute of Pain to Maastricht in 2014. WIP 2014 was attended by 1790 international medical specialists in the field of Pain and Pain Management, including anaesthesiologists, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation specialists and psychologists. “Pain medicine is strongly growing during the last decade. Further professionalization of pain physicians, evidence-based diagnosis and treatment and improvement of skills were the main goals for this congress. The theme was evidence-based diagnostics and treatment of pain. What was special here was that younger colleagues had the opportunity to attend free on-going refresher courses. Organising such a conference in a smaller but attractive city requires much lobbying. It also took us years before we got the association to agree to come to Maastricht. They certainly did not regret it. On the contrary! Maastricht was the perfect location to organize such an event. Maastricht is an old Roman city and is located in the southern part of the The Netherlands, in the heart of Europe. In this wonderful environment, the World Institute of Pain organized the best scientific clinical World Congress on Pain possible at this moment.”

Maastricht

DESTINATION

MAASTRICHT

' OUR POSITION IN THE EUROREGION IS UNIQUE' The increasing collaboration among four different campuses in the province of Limburg, makes Maastricht and the region a world leader in several niche areas, says Jurgen Moors, the new director of the Maastricht Convention Bureau. The compact, internationally oriented city makes the congressional offerings complete.

he career of the new director of the Maastricht Convention Bureau has a strong international orientation. Jurgen Moors (29) received his bachelor's and master's degrees in European Studies at Maastricht University and did additional course work in Business Administration at the University of Hasselt, Belgium. During the last year of his bachelor's, he spent eight months in Tokyo and, afterwards, took on in his first job as a business liaison with the

FACTS & FIGURES • At the heart of a EU-region of 4 million people who live in 3 countries and speak 4 languages • 7 airports reachable within just 1 hour • 4 very specialised Brightland campuses • Conference Centre MECC Maastricht has a capacity of 5,000 delegates • Over 4,000 hotel rooms available • The entire inner city has been given a protected status by the Dutch government http://ow.ly/MkILa

European branch of the Japanese company, Teikyo, in Maastricht. In Brussels, he worked at the headquarters of Berlitz International where he was responsible for business development in the Benelux. He returned to his homeland to work for the Chamber of Commerce in Limburg. There, Moors was responsible for providing strategic advice and counselling to Limburg companies which wanted to roll out their business internationally, for initiating Euregional projects with trade promotion as main objective and for the organisation of international trade missions. Since 1 April of this year, he has the opportunity to do similar work for the knowledge industry that is flourishing in the Maastricht region. His ties with the region where his roots lie and his strong international orientation are also characteristic for this most southern region of the Netherlands. It is a part of the country with a strong character of its own, partly due to its location at the Three-Country Point where the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet. For the same reason, and more, it is also an international centre. “It's not only the immediate vicinity of the neighbouring countries, but also the

attractiveness of the city,” argues Jurgen Moors. “With forty-seven percent of the students from outside the Netherlands, coming from 108 countries, you can safely call Maastricht an international city. Moreover, many expats and foreign knowledge workers live here. You hear English, German, French and other languages on the street. Education is largely in English. And there are several very specific areas of excellence here.” In which fields does Maastricht excel? “Maastricht itself is a knowledge hub in the field of medical technology and life sciences. A number of professors who are affiliated with the university and the university hospital are among the best in the world. But there is more in the surrounding region. Brightlands, which can be seen as the driver of the knowledge development and the bridge between various disciplines, has four campuses the province of Limburg. Alongside of the health campus in Maastricht, you also have the Agrifood campus in the north, in Venlo. In Sittard-Geleen there is a campus focusing on New Materials & Chemicals, including such companies as DSM and Sabic. In the Parkstad region, there is the campus for Small Services. The knowledge level in the field of supply chain management here is also very high due to the presence of various medical multinationals that bring in

DESTINATION

Jurgen Moors, director of the Maastricht Convention Bureau: “With forty-seven percent of the students from outside the Netherlands, coming from over 108 countries, you can safely call Maastricht an international city.”

And then there is our Burgundian lifestyle, the joie de vivre, which appeals to many people.”

their products via Maastricht Aachen Airport and send them all over Europe via their European distribution centres in this region. In particular, crossovers among various sectors, which are actively encouraged, enable applications and innovative products to emerge that are unique in the world. The objective is to implement new technologies as quickly as possible and develop them into products that can be put into the market. You can see that especially in the combination, New Materials and Life Sciences.” And this automatically translates into more conferences in the region? “Many conferences that take place here are bottom-up initiated, together with professors, and that ensures that international associations gain a foothold here. We also have our own ambassador's club, Amici ad Mosam, with seventy professors and scholars who we bring together twice a year. This year for the first time, we awarded the Brightland Convention Award as a token of appreciation. This went to Prof. Maarten van Kleef who, for years, has lobbied with MECC Maastricht

and the Maastricht Convention Bureau to be able to bring the Congress of the World Institute of Pain with 1,800 participants to Maastricht in 2014.” The choice of Maastricht is made purely on a scientific basis? “No, there is much more going on. Its location in the heart of Europe is an important argument. Within an hour's drive, you can find seven airports in three different countries. Internationally, we are known for the Treaty of Maastricht, the Maas River, the annual international art fair, TEFAF and, of course, André Rieu who is a fantastic ambassador for the city. But we also have trade fairs, such as Utech Europe, which brings six thousand international visitors from some ninety countries to the city. There is also the compactness of the city. From the MECC convention centre, you can walk to the centre of the city. Participants run into each other again in the evenings in the city, at the Vrijthofsquare with its restaurants and bars. You'll also find many monuments, museums and churches in the city centre.

Do you have any tips for conference organisers? “Don't forget to use the areas around Maastricht. It is, of course, primarily about the scientific content of the conference and the city has plenty to offer for a complete programme. But in addition, there are still the rolling hills of the Limburg landscape, with their beautiful chateaus. “Another option is a dinner cruise on a boat on the river Maas, where, for example, you can sail to Belgium and back in order to emphasise the international character. In addition, of course, it is advised to make use of the Maastricht Convention Bureau. Organisers can use us as a first point of contact. We provide free and independent advice and can arrange everything quickly through our network.” What are the ambitions for the future? “The collaboration among the campuses will be further implemented. This will result in new specialisations with which Maastricht can, again, excel internationally. Maastricht will, in the future, present itself even more vigorously as the ‘knowledge-hub’ in Western Europe, while focusing specifically on the areas of medical technology and life sciences and on new materials and chemistry.” ≈

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Your Medical Specialist in Congresses & Fundraising

CIMGlobal provides consultancy and management services for conferences, associations, meetings and exhibitions globally. We deliver our services to govern mental organizations, educational institutions, trade bodies, associations and corporations. For our clients we determine goals, create value and deliver results.

Congress Care welcomed last year more than 20.000 delegates at more than 50 congresses & symposia and raised more than EUR 3.000.000,– sponsoring for our clients.

Waagdragerhof 102 1019 HB Amsterdam The Netherlands

T +31

(0)20 504 02 00

P.O. Box 440 5201 AK Den Bosch The Netherlands

T +31

(0)73 690 14 15

E info@congresscare.com W www.congresscare.com

E amsterdam@cimglobal.eu W www.cimglobal.net

CONGRESS COMPANY With our in-depth knowledge of what makes a successful congress, we are proud to say that we have a large number of repeated clients. We can also be your bid partner, with a dedicated project manager to help, develop and win your conference bid. Utopialaan 49, Bolduc T +31 (0)73 700 35 06 Gebouw A - 3.12 E a.bommer@congresscompany.com 5232 CD ’s-Hertogenbosch W www.congresscompany.com The Netherlands

PAUWELS CONGRESS ORGANISERS Pauwels Congress Organisers (PCO) is an experienced full-service congress organisation. PCO organises all kinds of congresses: large, small, one-day, multi-day, national or international. Based in Maastricht, we organise congresses all over Europe. Alexander Battalaan 7 6221 CA Maastricht The Netherlands

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(0)43 321 81 80 E info@pauwelspco.nl W www.pauwelspco.nl

Congress by design stands out by its sharp focus on partnership. We work for you, with you. You benefit from our transparency, dedication and clear communication. Our aim is to create and manage a congress both you and your delegates will never forget. P.O. Box 77 3480 DB Harmelen The Netherlands

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(0)88 089 81 01

E info@congressbydesign.com W

www.congressbydesign.com

CONGRESBUREAU ERASMUS MC We provide excellent service and combine efficiency with knowledge of scientific culture and manners in academic circles. For more than 30 years our clients rely on our expertise. The Congresbureau is a certified Professional Congress Organiser (PCO). P.O. Box 2040 3000 CA Rotterdam The Netherlands

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(0)10 704 38 78 congresbureau@erasmusmc.nl W www.hetcongresbureau.nl E

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISER

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT COMPANIES

ITB HOLLAND ITBholland’s team is there for you! Our dedicated professionals create high quality tailor-made programmes: from leisure group programmes, incentives, technical visits up to corporate meetings, conferences and events.

Arena Boulevard 61-75 1101 DL Amsterdam The Netherlands

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(0)20 305 13 50

E sales@itbholland.com W www.itbholland.com

DMC AMSTERDAM

PERFORMANCE TRAVEL

Dear Sir or Madam,

Performance Travel specializes in organizing group travel in The Netherlands. We thrive on many years of experience. With our approach towards your meeting, incentive or special interest travel plans for The Netherlands we are able to create added value to your event.

Greetings from Amsterdam! Sometimes it is difficult to choose one DMC over the other. We would like to think we do things differently, listening to what you want for your guests and clients. Giving you honest advise on what works and what does not. Giving you honest rates and top notch quality. We take pride on that approach and we look forward to having you in The Netherlands for your next event. Have a lovely day! T +31

Landskroon 50 1081 CC Amsterdam The Netherlands

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(0)20 770 47 20

E info@performancetravel.nl W www.performancetravel.nl

(0)20 205 09 85

E info@dmcamsterdam.com W www.dmcamsterdam.com

INCENTIVE EUROPE We provide you with our 30 years of experience. Incentive Europe´s multi-talented team of professionals speak your language. Based on knowledge and know-how we will create unforgettable events. Pieter Braaijweg 101 1114 AJ Amsterdam The Netherlands

Meetings

Incentives

Congres Support

Events

www.incomingsolutions.nl • info@incomingsolutions.nl Phone: +31 20 62 00 113

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(0)20 504 57 50

E info@incentive.nl W www.incentive.nl

CALENDAR

CONGRESS CALENDAR

Selection of international congresses and conferences that will be held in The Netherlands. For the complete list visit http://bit.ly/CH0000 Congress

Date

Venue

City

Website

International Breast Cancer Screening Network (IBCSN)

2 - 4 June

De Doelen Congress Centre

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1523

AFIRE European Conference

2 - 3 June

Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin

Noordwijk

http://bit.ly/CH1524

2015

Undersea Defence Technology Conference and Exhibition (UDT Europe)

3 - 5 June

Ahoy

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1525

NVSHA 8th Dutch North Sea Emergency Medicine Conference

4 - 5 June

Hotel Zuiderduin

Egmond aan Zee

http://bit.ly/CH1526

6th FEMS Congress of European Microbiologists

7 - 11 June

MECC

Maastricht

http://bit.ly/CH1527

Conference of the International Tax Planning Association (ITPA)

7 - 9 June

Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1528

25th European Meeting and Exchange Program of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ENTOG)

8 - 11 June

University Medical Center

Utrecht

http://bit.ly/CH1529

ISA HR joint Conference

8 - 10 June

The Hague Institute for Global Justice

The Hague

http://bit.ly/CH1530

Power Gen Europe Conference & Exhibition

9 - 11 June

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1531

TOC Container Supply Chain Europe (TOC Europe)

9 - 11 June

Ahoy

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1532

ACUNS Annual Meeting

11 - 13 June

The Hague Institute for Global Justice

The Hague

http://bit.ly/CH1533

24th European Conference of the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA Europe)

15 - 17 June

Maastricht University Auditorium Minderbroedersberg

Maastricht

http://bit.ly/CH1534

18th Symposium of the European Grassland Federation (EGF)

15 - 17 June

Hof van Wageningen

Wageningen

http://bit.ly/CH1535

49th Conference of the European Health Management Association (EHMA)

15 - 17 June

AmrĂ˘th Hotel Brabant

Breda

http://bit.ly/CH1536

5th International Colloids Conference

21 - 24 June

NH Amsterdam Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1537

7th European Summer School on Electrochemical Engineering (ESSEE 7)

22 - 26 June

Van Hall Larenstein building

Leeuwarden

http://bit.ly/CH1538

54th European Pharmaceutical Marketing Research Association General Meeting (EPHMRA)

23 - 25 June

Beurs van Berlage

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1539

15th International Conference on Web Engineering (ICWE)

23 - 26 June

Postillion Convention Centre WTC Rotterdam

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1540

LTE World Summit Long Term Evolution

23 - 25 June

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1541

4th CLEARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Congress on Professional and Occupational Regulation

25 - 26 June

Hilton Amsterdam

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1542

25th Conference of the European Construction Institute (ECI)

25 - 26 June

Sheraton Amsterdam Airport

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1543

5th ESUR Teaching Course on Prostate MRI

25 - 26 June

Radboud university medical center

Nijmegen

http://bit.ly/CH1544

21st Conference of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA)

28 June - 1 July

Kamerlingh Onnes Building (KOG)

Leiden

http://bit.ly/CH1545

36th Congress of the International Association for Hydro- Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR)

28 June - 3 July

World Forum

The Hague

http://bit.ly/CH1546

44th Annual Conference of the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL)

29 June - 2 July

MECC

Maastricht

http://bit.ly/CH1547

15th International Conference on Consumer Law

29 June - 1 July

Oudemanhuispoort

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1548

30th European Meeting of Statisticians (BSMSP)

6 - 10 July

VU University

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1549

16th International Neuro-Psychoanalysis Congress

9 - 12 July

VU University Psychology Department

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1550

9th ICCA Research, Sales and Marketing Programme

12 - 15 July

Beurs van Berlage

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1551

45th Annual Congress of the World Medical Tennis Society (WMTS)

18 - 24 July

Novotel Rotterdam Brainpark,

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1552

14th Meeting of the International Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (ISECS)

26 - 31 July

Campus Woudestein

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1553

70th Conference of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS)

28 - 31 July

VU University Faculty of Theology

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1554

12th International Conference on Biopsychosocial Aspects of HIV Infection (AIDS IMPACT)

28 - 31 July

University of Amsterdam (UvA)

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1555

34th International Conference on Cosmic Ray (ICRC)

30 July - 6 August

World Forum

The Hague

http://bit.ly/CH1556

Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS)

17 - 20 August

Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1557

41st Annual Scientific Meeting of the European Underwater and Baromedical Society (EUBS)

19 - 22 August

Academic Medical Center (AMC)

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1558

15th Meeting of the ICANN-Studienkreis

20 - 21 August

Hilton Amsterdam

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1559

36th Meeting of the International Society for Clinical Biostatistics (ISCB)

23 - 27 August

Utrecht University Campus 'De Uithof'

Utrecht

http://bit.ly/CH1560

CALENDAR

Congress

Date

Venue

City

Website

14th International Conference on Modern Trends in Activation Analysis (MTAA 14)

23 - 28 August

TU Aula Congress Center

Delft

http://bit.ly/CH1561

11th Biennial Conference on Environmental Psychology

24 - 26 August

Academy Building University of Groningen

Groningen

http://bit.ly/CH1562

15th European Turbulence Conference (ETC 15)

25 - 28 August

TU Aula Congress Center

Delft

http://bit.ly/CH1563

28th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP)

29 August - 1 September

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1564

5th Conference of the International Working Group on Legume and Vegetable Viruses (IWGLVV)

30 August - 3 September

Hotel Haarlem Zuid

Haarlem

http://bit.ly/CH1565

43rd Congress of the European Teratology Society (ETS)

30 August - 2 September

Tulip Inn Amsterdam Riverside

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1566

2015

5th international DNP Symposium and COST action EUROHyperPOL final meeting

31 August - 4 September

Hotel Zuiderduin

Egmond aan Zee

http://bit.ly/CH1567

48th Meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europaea (SLE)

2 - 5 September

Leiden University Centre for Linguistics (LUCL)

Leiden

http://bit.ly/CH1568

23nd International Conference on Bioencapsulation

2 - 4 September

TU Science Center

Delft

http://bit.ly/CH1569

4th FFN Global Congress ( Fragility Fracture Network)

3 - 5 September

De Doelen Congress Centre

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1570

5th CEAS European Air and Space Conference

7 - 11 September

Delft University of Technoloy

Delft

http://bit.ly/CH1571

45th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR)

9 - 12 September

Postillion Convention Centre WTC Rotterdam

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1572

16th Meeting of the Section Biometrics in Plant Breeding (EUCARPIA)

9 - 11 September

Wageningen University

Wageningen

http://bit.ly/CH1573

13th European Meningococcal Disease Society Meeting (EMGM)

14 - 17 September

Novotel Amsterdam City

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1574

11nd Conference of the European Social Simulation Association (ESSA)

14 - 18 September

Het Kasteel

Groningen

http://bit.ly/CH1575

3rd International Conference of Certified Management Consultant (CMC) & Congress of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI)

22 - 28 September

Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin

Noordwijk

http://bit.ly/CH1576

6th International Conference on Computational Logistics (ICCL)

23 - 25 September

TU Science Center

Delft

http://bit.ly/CH1577

Congress of the European Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders (EACD)

24 - 26 September

Academic Centre for Dentistry

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1578

109th Annual General Conference of the International Aeronautic Federation (FAI)

25 - 26 September

ss Rotterdam

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1579

25th Annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS)

26 - 30 September

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1580

29th Annual Conference of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)

3 - 7 October

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1581

15th European Conference on Perfusion Education and Training

3 October

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1582

Embedded System Week (ESWeek)

4 - 9 October

MĂśvenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1583

MOVE 15th Rhythm Production and Perception Workshop

6 - 7 October

KIT Royal Tropical Institute

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1584

12th Guidelines International Network Conference (G-I-N)

7 - 10 October

Beurs van Berlage

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1585

14th International Congress of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Toxicology (TDM-TOX)

11 - 15 October

De Doelen Congress Centre

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1586

Conference of the European Aquaculture Society (Aquaculture Europe)

20 - 23 October

De Doelen Congress Centre

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1587

23rd European International Conference on Software Testing Analysis & Review (EuroSTAR)

2 - 5 November

MECC

Maastricht

http://bit.ly/CH1588

International Conference on Biofabrication ( Biofabrication)

7 - 9 November

University Hall

Utrecht

http://bit.ly/CH1589

4th BORDERPOL Congress

8 - 10 December

Crowne Plaza Den Haag â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Promenade

The Hague

http://bit.ly/CH1590

11nd World Congress on Brain Injury

2 - 5 March

World Forum

The Hague

http://bit.ly/CH1602

2016

10th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC 10)

9 - 11 March

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1603

7th ACM/SPEC International Conference on Performance Engineering (ICPE)

12 - 18 March

Delft University of Technoloy

Delft

http://bit.ly/CH1604

21st World Congress on Osteoarthritis (OARSI)

31 March - 3 April

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1606

24th Congress of the International Federation of Hospital Engineering (IFHE)

16 - 21 April

World Forum

The Hague

http://bit.ly/CH1607

14th International Child Neurology Congress (ICNC)

1 - 6 May

Amsterdam RAI Convention Center

Amsterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1608

4th International Climate Change Adaptation Conference (ADAPTATION FUTURES)

10 - 13 May

Postillion Convention Centre WTC Rotterdam

Rotterdam

http://bit.ly/CH1609

39th Congress of the European Accounting Association (EAA)

11 - 13 May

MECC

Maastricht

http://bit.ly/CH1610

25th Congress of the International Committee for Insurance Medicine (ICLAM)

22 - 25 May

MECC

Maastricht

http://bit.ly/CH1611

Euroresidue conference (ER VIII)

23 - 25 May

Hotel Zuiderduin

Egmond aan Zee

http://bit.ly/CH1612