KNOWLEDGE ARTICLE – THE FUTURE
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE, POST GRADUATE LEARNING, EFFICIENT NETWORKING THE FUTURE OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS Author: Christian Mutschlechner IAPCO Member: Congrex Switzerland
The format of scientific congresses
used already in the latest business
and exchange – we might be surprised
has been the same for decades:
environment. We will need to be bold if
by how fascinating these new formats
they typically have plenary sessions,
we are to dramatically change the look
could be.
parallel sessions, poster sessions and
and feel of the traditional session. There
discussions; some have introduced
are so many tools on the market and
Networking: we attend conferences with
hands-on workshops, but the overall
the challenge is how to introduce them
an idea of the type of person we want to
impression is that nothing much has
into scientific meetings – how can these
meet but often we do not know exactly
changed.
tools help make those meetings more
who is this person. How do you connect
engaging and attractive for participants?
with the right person among two-
But times change, technology advances
The word participant is derived from the
thousand participants? Networking is
and expectations increase. Attendees
verb ‘to participate’ – we must provide
among the primary reasons most people
expect more of a return on the time they
as many opportunities as we can for
attend conferences – if we cannot
have invested to attend a conference or
participation.
provide this, we risk losing participants
meeting. The younger generation, those
for the future. As organisers, we need
who have grown up with the internet,
Tools like World Café, Open Space,
to make sure that we fulfil expectations
social media and instant access to a
Pecha Kucha and Fish Bowl, to name a
and meet the needs of our attendees.
world of digital information, will be more
few, can significantly help to increase
inclined to attend scientific meetings
the quality of knowledge transfer. We
The potential for learning and the
if those meetings fit with their needs.
should not delay to at least have some
exchange of knowledge in a scientific
Maximum results in a minimum of time
sessions in a scientific congress where
meeting is enormous, but do we really
are the goal. And the younger generation
these tools are tested. It won’t always
see the benefit of this – do we make this
will not hesitate to vote with their
be a good fit, but if we do not try, we
fully available for everybody attending?
feet: if something does not meet their
will never achieve the vision of better,
expectations, they will walk away and
more interactive participation and
search for something better.
knowledge exchange. The younger generation is interested in interaction,
Leaders of associations, programme
in debates, in sessions with a different
chairs and members of scientific
format. We could simply provide an
committees need to introduce meeting
open space where young scientists can
tools which have been tested and
build their own environment for learning
10
| November 2019
Let’s give it a try – if we do not take the risk we will never have a chance to run better meetings that deliver a more positive experience for each participant.
