The PCO - October 2022

5 Reasons Why Japan Should be Your Next International Meeting Venue

Why should organisers choose Japan as their next venue?

Mr Ori Lahav (President of IAPCO) and Mr Mathias Posch (Chair of IAPCO Training Academy), two professionals who have significant experience and knowledge of organizing conferences in Japan, help us answer this question for future event organizers.

1. A hub of innovative academic societies

Japan is a country with a wealth of knowledge and an abundance of human resources in both the academia and industry sectors. Japanese academic societies have a good membership round-up and solid foundations that attract many companies with high technological credentials. One of the most significant advantages of this is that organizers can expect substantial support from these societies and their member companies. Japanese academic societies also have an extensive network and influence with neighboring Asian countries, which can be helpful to further increase participants and members from the Asia-Pacific region and obtain sponsorships.

2. Multiple dynamic and diverse host cities Japan has a number of city options for hosting international events. As Japan stretches a considerable distance from north to south, cities are also highly diverse. Each offers unique cultural experiences and traditions wrapped up in splendid natural surroundings, thus offering participants an enriching and memorable experience upon each visit.

3. Reliable and effective event management at all times Japan is experienced and well-prepared to efficiently tackle natural disasters and sudden challenges. Even in highly critical situations, business in Japan never stops. Thanks to its reliable management skills, event organizers can rest assured that any

challenges will be met accordingly and that their conferences will be held successfully and smoothly at any time.

4. Unique culture and splendid nature Japan combines fantastic natural resources with rich traditions, unique culture, and exquisite local cuisine. On the nature front, over 70 percent of Japan's land is covered in forests, and the country boasts dozens of national parks. This provides plenty of opportunities to incorporate natureinspired activities into international meetings' programs in any given city. Japan is a destination that offers a wide variety of exclusive local tours and cultural experiences that would undoubtedly help make event participants’ stay memorable.

5. Involvement in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Japan has always placed a great emphasis on the importance of coexisting in harmony with nature. This is a country where the "mottainai" culture was born and continues to thrive, prompting people to naturally practice conscious consumption and active recycling. The majority of cities in Japan are active in production for local consumption, have preserved traditional culture, and are engaged in promoting sustainable lifestyles for their communities.

Be confident that your meetings in Japan will be successful! As we have demonstrated so far, Japan is a country that blends unique culture with modernity and tradition and is safe, clean, and has a well-functioning infrastructure and technology to meet professional travelers' needs. Hosting a conference in Japan can open numerous opportunities for your business.

Evolving to Keep Up with the Pace of Innovation

One of the biggest debates surrounding innovation is its definition. Answering the fundamental question of what comes first: Is innovation finding a solution to a problem, or is it creating a product or service organisations didn’t know they needed?

In either case, innovation is critical for any organisation to continue to thrive, scale, and grow.

The ever-accelerating pace of innovation has become almost impossible to follow. However, something that excites me the most right now is Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how it is already impacting our daily lives.

The AI today is already capable of creating and rewriting text, creating videos from a text brief, writing software codes, driving autonomously, and much more. One popular example of Open AI is DALL-E. It is a new AI system that can create realistic images and art from a description in natural language, combining concepts, attributes, and styles. In simple words, you describe your picture, and the AI computer paints it for you.

AI has the power to change our very own global meetings industry and the role of the PCO. Changing the way we learn, meet, network, work and even travel. And someday, it will not surprise me to see some of our clients’ keynote speeches delivered by AI-enabled humanlike robots.

In this fast-paced world of innovation, we need to ask ourselves - are we evolving as quickly and what are we doing to ensure relevancy?

Ori Lahav President, IAPCO

Successful new innovations are difficult to assimilate realities without having an appreciation and understanding of what has worked and not worked beforehand.

As I reflect on the recent passing and celebration of the life of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, it causes me to stop and consider how a family that is based on such deep and long-standing traditions could possibly have the ability to innovate in order to remain relevant for today and tomorrow’s society.

Innovation comes in many shapes and forms and, as a conceptual theme, it empowers people, groups of people and, organisations to adapt a concept, service, product and practice to better meet the needs of those it engages with. One could argue that the British Royal family has changed the manner in which they communicate, interact and serve their people, but I am certain it has not been without its challenges.

What is without doubt in our own community is that we have witnessed the immense growth and development of IAPCO Member PCO services over the past 2½ years. Our Members are more agile, digitally skilled and strategically consultative to the clients they serve and the stakeholders they partner with.

Innovation, in its many shapes and forms has helped to make this a reality and needs to be encouraged continuously from within every level of every organisation so that we can all continue to push the boundaries between what we fear will be lost (i.e. tradition) vs what is actually possible.

I hope you enjoy this edition of The PCO.

Toronto Insider, Simu Liu, shares his love of Toronto in You Gotta See What We See

Destination Toronto’s first U.S.-facing marketing campaign since 2019 showcases Toronto through the eyes of passionate insiders

TORONTO, August 23, 2022 – Through the eyes of five proud and passionate Toronto insiders, including actor and writer Simu Liu, You Gotta See What We See uses video storytelling to invite viewers to see the city through their lens, highlighting the diversity and uniqueness of Canada’s largest city.

In addition to Liu, the Canadian actor and New York Times bestselling author, known for portraying Shang-Chi in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the campaign features: Nick Liu, critically-acclaimed chef and owner of DaiLo; Mariah Amber, live and digital host for the Toronto Raptors; Santee Siouxx, a Dakhota and Odawa content creator who focuses on Indigenous history, representation, cultural appropriation, and sustainable brands; and Sonia Mangat, host and reporter on CTV's ETalk and CP24 Breakfast.

“Toronto has played such an integral role in the launch of my career,” said Simu Liu. “I am thrilled to be a part of this campaign sharing my love of this city. I owe everything to the arts and theater scene here; It’s an incredible community for the exchange of ideas, cultural perspectives and extraordinary stories.”

Each video takes a first-person approach to storytelling, featuring the insider’s favourite spots in the city, their unique perspectives on what makes Toronto special, and stories about what they love about the city.

"Toronto is best experienced by engaging with its people, neighbourhoods, cultures, festivals, cuisine and more. Our role is to share the stories from this incredible city - in this case directly from those who know and love Toronto best - to fuel curiosity and inspire exploration," said Scott Beck, President & CEO of Destination Toronto. "Our new campaign, You Gotta See What We See, is a video content series developed to amplify the voices of Toronto insiders, sharing their diverse and authentic local perspectives on what they love about the city."

Running until October 2022, You Gotta See What We See targets the major cities of New York/New Jersey, San Francisco/San Jose, Chicago and Washington D.C. with the primary goal of building brand awareness, fuelling curiosity and ultimately encouraging travel to Toronto.

This is the first U.S.-facing marketing campaign since 2019, when the city saw almost 2 million American travellers who brought nearly $1.36 billion in spending to the visitor economy. You Gotta See What We See follows the recent announcement of the country’s first MICHELIN Guide coming to Toronto later this year, and the recent addition of Canada's first Ace Hotel and the soon-to-be opened Nobu hotel.

IMPACT

Lately, there has been a lot written and said about ways to generate an extraordinary impact for the audience of a congress, an association or company. The aim is to have a positive effect on participants, employees or the general public. There are numerous informative texts and reports on how to generate an impact and what it should look like. But suppose we look at this idea from the other side? From the point of view of the people who are supposed to benefit from this impact? What could each one of us do to learn from the impact that others try to influence us with?

This article is about showing how everyone can make a contribution to absorbing this impact and benefiting from it in the long term.

Two scenarios are covered in this text: A congress, with the focus on participants and speakers, and an association. As associations and companies are somewhat similar in regard to providing an impact for clients and staff, the example of the association shows areas that can also be implemented by a company.

First of all, what do we mean by impact? At a congress, making an impact means that we want to make sure not to waste the time of the attendees. They should all walk away from the

How to Benefit from the Impact that Others Try to Influence Us With

event feeling that they have had a worthwhile and memorable experience, and gained some useful knowledge. This might be providing resources which are still accessible after the event, ensuring participants have got to know the speakers or just that everything was presented convincingly.

On the other hand, there is also the impact that an association or company can make. They may want to give something back to society in a way that is almost or completely independent of their core business. For example, the aim of Nike is to motivate their customers and employees to do something to help create a better world - this might be through partnerships that create more equitable commu-nities, using their voice and power to finance sustainability projects or simply helping kids to find joy in playing sport. Another example would be Walt Disney Animation Studios. They have made a great impact in the evolution of animating movies, while their theme parks have created thousands of job opportunities and supported local businesses and services.

CONGRESS Participant

Many participants may not be quite at their best during a congress. They might be overwhelmed by everything the event has to offer, distracted by e-mails during lectures, and might have to squeeze in a meeting during lunch breaks. This

leads to the reality that a sizable percentage of participants have often forgotten the most important information from individual presentations just a few weeks after the event. No matter how good the strategy of generating an impact was, it’s impossible for this to be absorbed by the participant if not enough effort has been made.

As a participant, you can make some small changes at the next congress to be sure to benefit more from the hard work of the presenters. Check the congress website early to know exactly what the committee is trying to achieve with the event. Make sure to go through the programme and pick out the lectures that will be most relevant and interesting for you. Schedule only the most important meetings at the event itself and learn how to say no when your calendar is too full. This will help you have a clear mind for the rest of the congress. During the presentations, turn off your mobile phone (at the very least, it should be on ‘silent’ mode) and take some notes to record anything that is particularly memorable. These notes should be made in such a way that you still know exactly what they are referring to six months later.

With these modest changes you will be able to benefit much more from the information on offer and generate your own impact from each event.

Association (Company)

As an association or a company, you want to leave an audience with a positive impression and, hopefully leave a lasting impact. This may be taken over by the management or, if possible, by a communication department. The employees will be informed about this and then continue with their duties. Most communication then takes place via the website or directly with association members and general clients. However, setting an impact should never be a marketing strategy or similar.

Therefore, have you ever asked yourself what your association or company has actually set as an impact target? If you do know it, do you personally feel it? If not, then ask yourself how the other members or your clients will be able to recognise it, if you were not even able to benefit from your own stated impact?

Many improvements start with questioning yourself, and often it is only you who can answer this question, based on your own instincts and experience.

As an association or company, first ask yourself if you notice your own impact and by doing this, involve all members or staff. Once you live and love it, make sure everybody else knows it as well as you.

Speaker

A speaker has a very important role at a congress. They must express and communicate the impact that a committee has set out to achieve. Therefore, either the congress committee or the speaker must be sure to know what the general goal of this event is - the individual presentation can then be based on this. Of course, the overall facts and figures of the presentations might not be directly related to the impact, but the overall theme of the presentation should be based on it.

For example, ask yourself as a speaker, have I been using the same template for the same presentation over and over again? Are some questions asked repeatedly by my audience, which I could avoid by making some changes? Am I really achieving the impact I intended at the start? And you could ask yourself, what would I like to see and hear if it was someone else making this presentation? Therefore, make sure to update your presentations regularly and be critical enough to ensure the best possible outcome.

In summary, this article could also be seen as having an impact. Why? The aim of the text is to make it clear that people should not be in a doubt about the effect others would like to have or how the perfect impact looks. Rather, take a step back and think what you expect for yourself.

This might mean seeing yourself as a student while being a participant at a congress. It might be the speaker that shows great interest in what the committee has set as a goal and knowing how to express it in their presentation. On the other hand, it can also be the association or company who stops promoting an impact which is more like a marketing concept and restarts everything by asking simple questions of themselves.

A Company is Only as Good as the People it Keeps

With the job market better than ever before, employer branding is growing in importance. When applying for new jobs, jobseekers tend to turn to various platforms, such as LinkedIn, Xing or kununu (German speaking countries), to get information on potential employers and companies – thus, it is important that a company has a strong backing. Negative reviews can influence perspective jobseekers to not apply for the advertised role. At CPO HANSER SERVICE, we have recognized the importance of employer branding and make use of its benefits.

Negative reviews can influence perspective jobseekers to not apply for the advertised role

As a professional congress organizer (PCO), we put a lot of emphasis on getting the best employees from a variety of backgrounds. Our aim is to provide clients, attendees, speakers, and exhibitors with a professional platform for knowledge transfer and an excellent congress experience as this also reflects on our positive image.

Negative online reviews don’t only affect the business, but they can also affect the way that potential jobseekers view a company and sway their decision to apply. At CPO HANSER SERVICE, our reputation is our bread and butter. For this reason we use a variety of employer branding tools:

Our main focus is the happiness of our employees, as they are our biggest advocates. We regularly conduct research into how we can improve their overall wellbeing – from work-life balance to team events and having packages delivered to the office – we listen to what our employees want and need.

COVID-19 brought about many changes within the job world that companies have had to adjust to. One of the biggest changes was the option of providing hybrid working options. CPO HANSER SERVICE was quick to adjust and offers its employees the option of working from home on one to three days a week. Employees are now able to combine their personal lives and appointments with their everyday working lives. For many employees this change has also led to a much better quality of life, as they no longer have to travel far distances to the office. Our overall productivity has not been affected by this change.

Despite not being able to have team events with a larger group during COVID-19, we ensured that there were regular exchanges via Teams and smaller gatherings for birthdays and other celebrations whenever possible. Often employees will bring baked goods and other treats to share with the team. We are now looking forward to an in-person Christmas meeting and party. Our Christmas meetings include educational sessions, professional exchange and team buildings. Our employees‘ mental health is crucial to us. For this reason we have a dedicated person that employees can reach out to whenever they are feeling unwell or overwhelmed. All information shared is treated in a confidential manner. Additionally, we are aware of the soothing effects that stroking dogs can have in stressful situations – we currently have two office dogs to brighten up our days.

employees and the public about our company, upcoming congresses, interesting facts about Germany or other news. A dedicated team spends a lot of time developing and researching a detailed communication plan. We find that it is important to have a mix of different channels, such as Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, as each channel reaches out to a different target group and thus we are able to reach more people.

Inge Hanser, Managing Director, says: “Over the years we have become aware of the fact that a company is only as good as the people it keeps. With more job offers on the market than ever before, providing employees with a certain set of benefits has become standard. At CPO HANSER SERVICE, we have recognized the shift and acted accordingly. This has paid off, as we have numerous employees that have been with us for over a decade, two decades and, even more; something we are extremely proud of. And we just welcomed four new team members!”

Iman Leanora Gähwiler, Marketing Manager, CPO HANSER SERVICE

Balancing our personal lives with our working lives can be quite difficult – especially when expecting packages. To make our daily lives a little easier, all employees can have their packages delivered to the office. This way we can avoid delivery delays and long lines at the post office.

Our social media channels are used to inform future

CPO HANSER SERVICE has been a specialist in the field of conference, event, destination and association management for 40 years, organizing events throughout Germany and all over the world. CPO offers full or partial service in conference management for national and international meetings of any size.

Our employees‘ mental health is crucial to us. For this reason we have a dedicated person that employees can reach out to whenever they are feeling unwell or overwhelmed

Revealing the Mysteries of Medical Research, Education, and Publication

Monitoring the market changes and how medical schools witnessed a historical increase in applicants, as it increased almost 18% more than the last educational year, according to the data received from some international associations. ICOM Group, as a sustainable educational provider, believes that the role of any service provider is foundational, and a suitable method of founding education platforms is sufficient training and strong support, which can vigorously improve the excellence of learning as a whole. ICOM implemented a long-term strategy to accept the fast and sudden shifts that happen within the medical world. A strategy where the goal is to fulfill the needs of the healthcare industry and become its support system.

Upon that, ICOM initiated 10 years ago the "Medical Education, Research, and Publications Department" with a mission to bring to the medical industry newly shaped products that fit into the rapidly changing global conditions and occupy the sectors of medical research, medical projects, medical education, and medical publishing, each with a different customized approach and personalized activities. Putting ICOM Group in a niche position within the PCO industry and gave them the privilege of being supported by a strong medical advisory system.

“For many years, ICOM Group's main aim has been to provide various shapes and types of learning opportunities to the medical societies, aspiring for an intellectual world and a rapid reaction to any changes and updates, seeking perfection and being the real support system of the healthcare industry”Dr. Ahmed ElShal, ICOM Group Chairman.

1. The Medical Research Management:

Insights prove that medical research today promises to decrease the impact of the greatest health problems, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. And as research keeps developing, we will see profound changes in the treatment approaches. The department gave support to many facilities and entities in all types of research, either through its registries, white papers, or surveys.

The department members are skilled in collecting data needed for any topic or study. They are aware of the knowhow of medical research in all specialties, starting from any software needed, protocols, communications between all involved arms, and assisting in medical writing in the most contemporary way, to be used in various methods and shapes. Upon that research, the team members provide a unique

and extremely detailed statistical analysis report, making a documented and data-recorded manuscript, and at other times, they are professional in turning some registries into well-organized meetings or training for better in-person engagement and creating sustainable projects that positively affect society, some with the government, others with international or local associations.

“It’s our mission to improve the delivery and patients' access to treatment, thereby reducing the mortality and morbidity of patients suffering from acute coronary syndromes. Hope we succeed together with ICOM Medical Team in making a radical change with the registries and research work that they are conducting” - Prof. Mohamed Sobhy - Professor of Cardiology

Stent Save a Life Egyptian Initiative, cooperating with the Ministry of Health to implement a system for reimbursement to encourage hospitals to apply the SSL system to save millions of patients’ hearts

"ICOM was persistently supporting our everlasting efforts to establish a stable, all-inclusive "Database Registry" of all STEMI cases in Egypt" - Prof. Sameh Shaheen, Professor of Cardiology.

"The implementation of "The Global Heart Attack Treatment Initiative (GHATI)" in Egypt will build an invaluable data set that will advance the development and delivery of acute MI standards of care" - Prof. Mohamed Sadaka, Professor of Cardiology

Further intel of the Medical Department to support the junior doctors’ research and efforts. They can manage any “Grants Program” from initiation to execution. . Through the huge database of ICOM group, they can easily initiate different grants programs in different specialties and from different entities. Apparently, the department had created 3 different successful grants:

• Prof. Wael Al-Mahmeed Grant

• Prof. Sobhy Grant

• Prof. Abdelbanna Grant

“The process of grants is simple and smooth, aiming to encourage the research process, and allows more juniors to leave their signature in the cardiology department in Egypt”, - Prof. Wael Al Mahmeed, Cardiology Consultant

2. The Medical Education:

ICOM knows that it entails acquiring knowledge to have a greater understanding of various disciplines. The team members can smoothly provide different types of education for

the public in "Awareness Sessions" about different trendy topics with the collaboration of ICOM’s affiliate company "EXPAND", one of the main cornerstones which is societal awareness about diseases and health issues. And for the education opportunities for healthcare

professionals, the "E-posters" activities which support new topics or thesis of junior and senior physicians and provide them with a chance to present their "abstracts" or "challenging cases" they’ve faced before, exchanging their experience with other colleagues in an environment full of integrity and high spirit. Within this year, we’ve received 600+ submissions with around 500+ accepted research.

Furthermore, the medical department had created numbers of consensus (a general agreement of a specific cause) for different entities, tailored based on their requests and guidelines and presented in a professional manner. Even for ICOM-created conferences and events, the medical team assists in programme composition and suggests international and local speakers who perfectly fit the requested need.

"It was a great experience for my colleagues to share with the ICOM medical team in our Congress concerning the E-Poster presentation, and the attendees found it very fruitful and beneficial, especially between the sessions. Also, a number of attendees came specifically to these sessions to prepare themselves for next year's E-posters", - Prof. Tarek MolokheyaProfessor of Psychiatry

3. The Medical Publishing:

The medical department team is talented in creating impactful publications to be shared with our wide netwotk of medical journals, either international or national ones, all with high impact factors. For the greatest benefit to all parties, some of the collaborations are with The Endocrine Society, The European Society of Cardiology, Oxford University Press, Emirates Cardiac Society, and The Gulf Intervention Society, sharing many publications, in all their types, whether they are highlights, newsletters, booklets, posters, or E-posters, or conference highlights as in the Medical Spotlights project. All

of these can be digitalized or printed and perfectly created to meet the requested call in no time.

Also, they are capable of creating medical journals from scratch tailored on the requests of the medical societies to benefit the surrounding professionals. They’ve created more than 10 journals & proceedings for this year.

And believing that the importance of physical events as in-person engagement leaves higher chances of effective communication, strong relationships, and excessive productivity, the department changed the concept of "paper" publications into a more modern interactive shape, as in the "Master Spoke Out" studio.

The MSO is an analytical studio that happens during a medical conference time in which some epic speakers analyze and

discuss the most controversial topics presented at that specific conference for better chances of exchanging experience and knowledge. It happens to be one of the most effective ways of delivering new information to the physicians and healthcare professionals who have or have not attended that conference. Since the founding of this project, which was in mid-2021, they’ve created +115 episodes in 10 conferences of 6 specialties, promising to always keep creating new adaptive learning opportunities for the healthcare industry.

Dr. Noha Ghanem, Medical Education, Research, and Publications Department Director, said, "We began this journey years ago, creating services and projects to gear up with the global conditions and market needs and making sure that they are unique and of sustainable value for the healthcare industry and the public".

The medical industry's ideas alter every now and then, based on market updates and changes and social trends. This was the purpose of inventing the Medical Education, Research, and Publications Department with all its different services and products, shielding most of the needs of the healthcare professional, either junior doctors, seniors, or even professors!

It’s a vow we took to make the most out of our industry to benefit the professionals and be their ultimate support system, not only for a better healthcare industry but for an overall healthier society with no unacquaintance or diseases.

UX Analysis of Websites - How Well are Congress

For a successful congress it is essential to have an attractive, user-friendly web presence and therefore our recommendation is to undertake a UX analysis.

What is a UX analysis? Through a UX (User Experience) analysis, websites are tested for their user experience. All factors of a website that affect usage are examined. This process is done from a user perspective to find the factors that negatively affect their experience. Based on the findings, inconsistencies are fixed and the user experience is enhanced.

HERE ARE A FEW PRACTICAL TIPS: Images

The use of many images is becoming significantly more important, as they transfer information in a quicker, more comprehensive manner – thus less text and more images. But: Not just any stock photos should be used as decoration for the text: emotionally appealing images, which convey values (e.g. cohesion, joy), and a consistent visual language for a coherent overall picture are recommended. Icons can also be used, because they serve to loosen up and are easily recognized, which is what it is all about.

User guidance

A good user experience is the name of the game, as users generally leave websites if they are unable to find the desired information.

A poor user experience can have many causes, such as the general structure of the website, the hierarchy of the content, the structure and functionality of individual elements, the visual design (readability, contrast, the quality of images, etc.),

Links should be named in a comprehensible manner to ensure that users can easily see where they lead ("what do I get if I click here?").

It is important to meet expectations: users will leave a page if they can't find their way around. Users expect things to behave in a similar way to what they are familiar with: which is why we should only deviate from standards when necessary!

Users leave websites if they are unable to find the desired information

When labeling buttons, we should also bear in mind that it should be a: "what do I get?" ("Learn more") as opposed to a "what do I need to do?" ("Read more"). Users want to get something and not perform something! This also includes a good structure: present benefits before costs, for example, emphasizing "what do I get" as opposed to "what do I have to give".

Likewise, consistency must be taken into account: buttons with the same function should also have the same label.

There is a lot to consider when aiming to enhance the user experience and this is only part of it. If the site uses Google Analytics or a similar web analytics tool, you should regularly analyze the data. This way you can see anomalies, such as bounce rates at certain points. Understanding at what point a user enters a page and where they come from (organic search, social media posts, etc.) can also be very helpful.

CPO HANSER SERVICE's own IT company GLOBIT GmbH creates congress websites, but is not responsible for the content, layout and structure. This is usually handled by the project team and, in certain cases, together with the association. However, the more people work on a website, the higher the risk that inconsistencies will occur. For this purpose GLOBIT has specialists who regularly analyze the websites for user experience.

Information should be given where it is needed: if there are 5 steps to achieving a goal, don't explain everything at the beginning, but rather gradually. Too much information at once can overwhelm or discourage.

The most important information on a page should also be the most eye-catching (highlighted in color, through images/ graphics, etc.) and placed at the top (i.e. not accessible only by scrolling).

Unnecessary hurdles should be avoided: do not ask for too much information at once, instead offer forms and do not include too many steps/clicks to reach the desired goal.

In general: only open new tabs on the website for external links, not for internal links within the website.

Texts

Avoid long, continuous texts by using subheadings and text highlighting (e.g. bold). This way, readers can read/scan across the text to see if is relevant and interesting to them.

It should immediately become evident what a text is about. So it's better to have clear headlines than creative ideas that don't express anything (it's also important for search engine optimization for the headline to inform the reader what the text is about!)

As a rule, direct address is well received, as it tends to motivate readers to act.

Lisa Schneller, Project Manager at CPO HANSER SERVICE says:

"Since we started analysing our websites, we have gained more traffic and followers. And we've learned what to look out for."

GLOBIT also works independently of CPO HANSER SERVICE for other clients: www.globit.com.

About the author: Evi Steinhaus - UX-Designer, B.Sc. Informatics, joined GLOBIT/CPO HANSER SERVICE in 2021. In her spare time she loves to draw (see below).

Too much information at once can overwhelm or discourage.

10 Ways to Create a More Inclusive Event

We often focus on environmental aspects of sustainable events, but social capital - referring to diversity, equity, access and inclusion - is another important sustainability pillar. Collaboration among all event stakeholders is key to improving the social capital of events. Here are Arinex’ top 10 tips for creating a more inclusive event.

Starting with a diverse managing committee will ensure a broad mix of opinions, ideas and perspectives

1. Start with a diverse managing committee

Starting with a diverse managing committee will ensure a broad mix of opinions, ideas and perspectives, which reduces unconscious bias. Diversity could include gender, culture, qualifications and experience, age and ability. Now is also the time to set key objectives for the event around diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion. A wellplanned and promoted inclusive event is likely to attract more attendees and create a positive experience for all.

2. Create diverse and inclusive program content

To create an inclusive program, it is important to consider the purpose of your event and who you would like to include. Are the topics diverse enough to appeal to a range of attendees?

Is the speaker line-up too heavily weighted towards one gender? If so, it may be time to overhaul speaker selection criteria to include a variety of voices and perspectives. Take into account attendees’ different learning styles, communication abilities and attention spans. Consider how a mix of oral presentations, panel discussions, videos, workshops and breakout sessions, interactive posters or field trips could engage more attendees.

Event Case Study: International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors (ICPS) 2022

Objective: To increase diversity in the field by including more women and students in the conference.

Actions:

• The Organising Committee comprised 50% women

• Gender diversity was prioritised in the speaker selection process

• A new equity, diversity and inclusion panel session was created

• A networking breakfast saw successful women in the field provide career advice

• Discounted student pricing was offered

• Grants for student attendance were provided via an abstract selection process

• High school students were hosted at an event where they met keynote speakers and gained insight into science careers

3. Maximise the registration process

Registration is one of the first contact points an attendee has with an event and it is an ideal time to communicate your values and goals around inclusion.

By maximising this opportunity, organisers will be positioned to secure more attendees and gather valuable information about their needs and expectations.

Asking questions about dietary requirements, accommodation needs, mobility requirements and preferences on other matters such as gender identification ahead of time will help to make attendees feel welcome and reduce lastminute workarounds.

Offering a variety of registration rates such as student and day-only rates are an effective way to make your event more accessible to a broader audience. Organisers may also partner with sponsors to offer scholarships to cover the full cost for eligible attendees.

Event Case Study: The Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPATH) 2022 Conference.

Objective: To make the event more inclusive.

Actions:

• Scholarships were offered for local trans people to attend, specifically those from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and/or current students.

• Organisers included the option to add pronouns and gender-neutral titles on name badges.

• Organisers ensured there was gender-neutral toilet signage.

• Organisers educated venue staff on trans inclusion and gender terms ahead of the event

• The local trans community were invited to enter a conference logo design competition

4. Partner with like-minded sponsors, exhibitors and suppliers

Just like organisers may choose sponsors, exhibitors and suppliers that are environmentally responsible, consider partnering with those that represent your values or actively promote diversity and inclusion within their own businesses. In addition, event organisers can aim to create more inclusive supply chains by utilising businesses that are local to the event.

5. Throw out the one-size-fits-all approach to delegates

Expecting delegates to fit around your event design is a guaranteed way to exclude people. Use the information gained from attendees during registration to meet their needs and preferences as much as your resources will allow. Some examples of how an event may be adapted to meet attendees’ needs include language and sign language translation, gender neutral toilet facilities, family friendly services such as on-site day care, a variety of food options, and quiet spaces for attendees to undertake work, study or religious practice between sessions.

before attending the conference. It was identified as one factor that greatly contributed to strong attendance across the three days.

6. Choose an accessible venue… then make it more accessible

Select venues and accommodation options that meet the accessibility requirements of all speakers, attendees, staff, exhibitors and entertainers. According to the Australian Government, about 4.4 million people in Australia have a disability. These disabilities are broad and range from physical disabilities such as people with mobility, vision and hearing difficulties to people with psychiatric, intellectual and neurological disabilities and disorders.

Depending on the event and venue, organisers should think about potential barriers to participation and alternative ways to make the event experience rewarding for all attendees. Depending on the size and complexity of the event, organisers may wish to engage with an accessibility expert to liaise with the organiser and venues to ensure all requirements are met. Through this process, organisers may need to adapt the event program to allow time for all attendees and assistance staff to move between rooms or include more frequent breaks to cater to various needs.

Event Case Study: The 14th biennial AGOSCI National Conference (formerly known as the Australian Group on Severe Communication Impairment)

Objective: To be accessible for more than 400 members with complex communication needs. Actions:

• Organisers undertook communication access training

• A code of conduct was developed to ensure a welcoming experience for all

With virtual events now commonplace, organisers may consider making an event fully or partially virtual to include attendees that cannot travel to the event or require live captioning.

Event Case Study: 17th Conference of the International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientists (IACIS) 2022 Objective: Support family life Action:

Traditional program timings were redesigned to run from 11am – 6.30pm daily. This new format allowed local delegates to undertake family responsibilities such as school drop-offs

• Sweeping changes to the conference format and floorplan to remove attendance barriers

• Key documents were translated into easy English and conversation cards were produced

• Quiet rooms and change rooms were provided for stretching and time out

• Wider aisles and lower tables ensured access for wheelchair users

• Food blending stations were available in catering areas.

• Charging stations were designed for wheelchair accessibility

Expecting delegates to fit around your event design is a guaranteed way to exclude people

7. Cater to more than just taste

Dietary requirements are the most obvious consideration when catering events. It is important that any dietary and allergy information is collected from attendees during registration and a thorough process is in place to ensure this information reaches the catering staff. Most venues are equipped to meet a range of common and less common dietary needs. Organisers can also empower attendees to make informed choices by labelling food and beverages. Consider a locally sourced, plant-based menu which ticks all the sustainability boxes.

In addition, be mindful of any religious or cultural considerations around food and alcohol, and whether there is adequate space for people to eat together or in private if needed.

8. Clearly communicate your values and actions

Communicate your objective to create an inclusive event across all touchpoints such as the website, registration form, social media, marketing material and media activity. Communication extends beyond words, so ensure any imagery reflects your inclusive messaging and represents the audience you are targeting.

Consider whether your event would benefit from a simple statement or code of conduct on inclusion that can be easily understood by all attendees, regardless of age, culture, mental ability or education level. This could include both written and video content in plain English with subtitles or translation. Encourage two-way communication by providing a way for attendees to offer ideas or feedback on your inclusive initiatives.

Event Case Study: The Australian Professional Association for Trans Health Conference (AusPATH) 2022

Objective: Communicate a key objective to include local trans community members, especially LGBTQI+ Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples (known as brotherboys and sistergirls).

Action: Organisers included the following statement on the conference homepage: “We welcome all trans (binary and non-binary) people in the community to attend, and we especially welcome Sistergirls and Brotherboys. We also welcome all doctors-in-training, and parents of trans (binary and non-binary) youth.”

9. Evaluate your efforts

Where possible, measure how the event performed against goals or objectives for inclusion, such as tracking the diversity of speakers and delegates. Seek feedback from speakers, delegates, sponsors and exhibitors to determine what worked and what can be improved for the next event.

10. Leave a legacy

Creating a legacy through your event will ensure efforts to improve diversity, equity, access and inclusion have a longerterm impact.

There are many ways to do this. A legacy may relate to the way the event is organised such as making inclusive processes standard for all future events or establishing diversity objectives or quotas for the managing committee and invited speakers.

It could also involve establishing a scholarship program to ensure the event remains accessible to underrepresented groups, partnering with local institutions to undertake research, running an aligned event or project involving the local community, or utilising the event to support a relevant charity.

Your event alone can be an educational tool to help venues, partners, exhibitors and suppliers in the host destination learn more about diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion.

Nicole Walker is Managing Director of Arinex, an award-winning Australasian PCO with a track record spanning 50 years. Nicole is passionate

about sustainable events and driving success for Arinex’ clients. Along with being a contributing member of IAPCO, Nicole is President of EEAA (Exhibition & Event Association of Australasia) and holds several global industry memberships.

A letter from Peter King, MCEC Chief Executive…..

If you told me in 2019 of the challenges that lay ahead of our business at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) I would never have believed you. The pandemic presented existential questions about the future of our business. We had to close our doors for events for the first time since we opened more than 25 years ago. Our very successful business fundamentally changed overnight. Rather than stand still and wait for the doors to open, like some businesses, we used it as an opportunity to transform how MCEC works.

Unprecedented obstacles forced us to ask very difficult questions about how we did business. We had started a review of our business in 2019, however, the outbreak of COVID-19 forced us to examine everything we had taken for granted about our operations in more detail. Was our business fit for purpose in this new world?

In 2020 we completely reviewed our operating model to see if it best served our customers and their needs and maintained our competitiveness in this new environment. This involved reviewing everything about how we interact with customers and how we work on events from beginning to end including customer feedback, customer journeys, employee journeys, process mapping and more.

Our team looked at how Agile is working in other sectors and how global industry leaders like Google and Spotify use Agile at scale, and the Agile transformations at ANZ and Telstra in Australia. We saw how large organisations across sectors such as technology, utilities, and government have introduced agile ways of working so we were confident we could bring this to business events.

We wanted a strong customer-focused structure, so we decided to introduce an Agile model. Following a comprehensive review and phased introduction we now have a new Agile model in place that makes us more competitive moving forward.

What does it look like? We’ve introduced two new cross-functional groups focused on customer experience that work directly with our customers and event producers every step of the way, to make their interaction with the MCEC more streamlined. What this means for customers is that instead

of working with multiple departments across our business based on internal structures – such as Sales, Planning or Food and Beverage - they’ll now work with a single team. This team brings together the knowledge needed at different stages of the customer journey, from building an event, to planning and delivering it.

Our cross-functional teams focus on different customer groups, meaning customers with multiple types of events will build relationships with the same customer experience team to deliver their events, regardless of whether it’s a conference, an end-of-year cocktail party, or a monthly board meeting. While other support functions in the business may continue to be structured traditionally, all our employees complete Agile training and apply it in their day-to-day work. All these teams are supported by our Lean Agile Centre of Excellence, a dedicated Agile team that drives organisational change and continuous improvement across MCEC.

We’re still at the beginning of our Agile journey, but we’ve already seen it work successfully on several projects we’ve stood up, including the launch of The LUME Melbourne, the introduction of hybrid events, and the introduction of new floor planning technology.

It has been a great opportunity to reset our business. The transformation and change we’ve been managing over the last two years will ensure that we remain a leader in business events. We’ve decided to move forward with a model that reflects the uncertainty of the world we live in to provide the flexibility our customers need from us as a business in the 2020s. The hope is that as we look towards the future, MCEC can move with customer needs and be prepared to adapt to the world around us in a more agile way.

If you’re interested in learning more about our business transformation or operational agility, please feel free to get in touch with one of our friendly team members. Or better yet, why not experience the difference first-hand by booking your next event with MCEC today?

Zone of Genius, Excellence and Leadership

Why would you make a great effort to do something that doesn’t come naturally to you – probably not achieving satisfactory results – when there is somebody else out there who’s a genius at it? The “zone of genius” is a concept often used in the field of human resources to highlight that everyone has a unique quality that makes them natural at achieving remarkable outcomes for specific tasks.

Understanding and activating the strengths of individuals within a team consolidates leadership that allows for the incorporation of excellence at every level. Being able to identify and put to great use these unique skillsets is a prominent characteristic of transformational leaders, who are known for having the ability to perceive, use, understand, manage, and handle emotions through strong essential, interpersonal skills such as active listening, decision-making, rapport, assertiveness, and empathy.

In addition, having a clear strategy that is well communicated to the team brings a strong sense of connection among co-workers, who are then driven by a common goal. Overall, individuals who are seen and valued for their authentic gifts aligned by a north star with other team members and inspired by a leader who seeks to transform, are ingredients for excellence.

Nevertheless, there is no perfect recipe. Especially in an everchanging market, being prepared to fail – and okay with it – is key to driving innovation. To create new things is a process of exploration and experimentation that ultimately will bring in new knowledge and know-how regardless of outcomes. And this also is excellence.

Louise Gorringe, Director of Association Management at Kenes Group, has vast experience leading teams. In the following short interview, she shared her view:

How to understand and activate the strengths of the people you lead? How do you identify them in the first place?

Watch, listen and learn about your team. Give them the opportunity to give their input and feedback. Recognise that no one is good at everything, and everyone is good at something and try to harness that strength. Involve the team in activities and projects outside of their role so there is space for their light to shine and you can see beyond their day-today performance.

How do you see, give, and incorporate excellence?

Be clear about what excellence means for your team and share that vision. Lead from the front, reward efforts and strengths, not just results . Recognise that sometimes people have made enormous efforts, but circumstances might have impacted the results. See and respond to the small things, the everyday impact, and the small improvements and impacts the team is making in their daily role. Take the time to listen to the team sharing their successes no matter how small - it is still progress.

How to best direct everyone toward a common goal?

Setting a clear vision and expectations. Imparting that responsibility and giving the team the freedom whilst reassuring that support is there should it be needed.

Transformational leadership is about inspiring others by example and leading from any seat. To get people enrolled and motivated in teamwork, make sure to give them the opportunity to tap into their zone of genius, to be of service naturally. Meet their expectations at a higher level: not only salary and benefits but emotional satisfaction. Put your heart into your leading and your team will put theirs into their jobs.

Effective Exhibition Design to Gear Up Your Brand at Events

5 tips and two case studies illustrating ways to make your booth and exhibition marketing more productive and personalised.

How many times have we managed a small or large exhibition area? How often have we obsessed over booth dimensions and the best way to wedge them all into the available space? These questions doubtless resonate with you to some extent. What may be less familiar is the concept of the booth as part of a much larger marketing strategy, not only for our sponsors, but also for our association clients.

Designing and building a stand is about so much more than deciding how many walls it should have!

So here are 5 ways to transform a stand to boost your brand:

• SMART SPACES: Ensure that structural panels include the right mix of useful data/relevant news and brandaligned design elements that make it a “beautiful” space. A stand should be brand-aligned, using the relevant colors and shapes, but should also function as a source of information and catalyst for strategic networking

• SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS: Begin with the basics. Before considering colors and content, liaise with the stand building company to agree the most appropriate materials. The structure should be modular, easy to build and to dismantle, and made with recycled or sustainable materials wherever possible. This also offers a smart communication opportunity and an additional tick in the box, reinforcing the company ESG growth model. And wood and green corners are very “Instagrammable” too!

• INTEGRATED PROJECTS: Think of the booth as a part of a wider marketing strategy. Within an association congress, for instance, the expo area is the place that companies want delegates to visit. An integrated campaign should therefore be put in place to drive that traffic. Leaflets around the venue, social ADV campaign, Google ADS campaign, email marketing, podcasts: a variety of channels, both online and offline, should be used to drive awareness and interest, always ensuring that the material is relevant and consistent with the overall strategy.

• CREATIVE CONCEPT: Design a strong creative concept to respond to the company’s strategic needs. This could be

the launch of a new product, a specific corporate objective or an important acquisition… Work closely with the art director and creative team to define a concept which can be developed further on panels with pictures and graphics and can also be incorporated within engagement activities at the booth.

• BRANDED ENGAGEMENT: Choose one or more items that drive engagement at the physical booth itself. It doesn’t need to be high-tech or incredibly expensive; it could instead mean choosing furniture with a specific style - vintage, futuristic, or playful - or dedicating a panel to a collaborative game such as tic-tac-toe, wheel of fortune or Tetris which is consistent with brand values and communication goals. Floor signage leading to showcasing goods or services ‘physically’ by placing them within glass interactive boxes might also be an interesting strategy. don’t be constrained by convention when considering your next stand

AIM Group International and AIM Communication’s operational teams of event planners, creative strategists, and art directors have recently been developing concepts and structures of this kind for diverse clients.

Amongst these is ATM, Azienda Trasporti Milanesi, Milan’s public transport company who commissioned us to design a booth to participate alongside the Municipality of Milano in the European Mobility Expo in Paris in May this year. Our creative team had the honor drafting a strong creative concept for the stand. The city’s shape was the inspiration for the design: Its circular structure became the leitmotiv to depict the mission and commitment to sustainability and innovation. A balanced mix of facts and figures, infographics, nice big pictures, and a transport map of the city created a functional and goodlooking booth, using the rule of smart spaces and a strong creative concept.

So don’t be constrained by convention when considering your next stand, free your imagination and design an augmented, lasting brand experience.

Sustainability as a Key Component of COSPAR2022

The 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in Athens was completed with delegates and audience enjoying the screening of the emblematic concert "Alpha Mission-ΔEli’s: the [uncertain] four seasons", a Vivaldi concert that took place in the island of Delos, the archaic, timeless birthplace of Artemis and Apollo and the event marked the convergence of humanity, arts and technology with the universe itself. The great message of Delos arrived in Athens with the very purpose of changing the way we think and act on the human induced climate crisis - the ultimate goal of preserving the only home we have.

COSPAR 2022 incorporated the Sustainability component in various aspects of the meeting, from the scientific program to suppliers’ chain and social program.

There were several actions related to the Meeting that highlighted and enhanced Sustainability:

• More than 140+ volunteers, students and young scientists from the University of Athens and other academic institutions were part of the team supporting COSPAR 2022, the ultimate event on Space Research. Volunteers had also the opportunity to attend as participants in the educational program

• Encouraging Knowledge and Expertise sharing - This action was achieved throughout the entire Meeting Programme, however special support or benefits were offered to students, such as the COSPAR 2022 Grants Program

• Education for Young Leaders of the Space CommunityCOSPAR 2022 contributed greatly to the transfer of knowledge to the Next Generation Leadership on the Research for Space and aims in bringing young scientists closer to the Community

• Promotion of the City of Athens as a sustainable meetings destination and promotion of local sights and culture. In very close cooperation with the City of Athens and The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau, a complete program of tours was created and promoted extensively through the meetings’ website, newsletter and SoMe, focusing on the local biodiversity and sights with environmental, social and cultural interest. On this basis, detailed information was provided on the Astronomical facilities of the host city

• Digital application and reduction of printings - A dedicated digital app has been created including all relevant information about the meeting program

• Encouraging delegates to recycle and contribute to the overall sustainability strategy of the meeting by using the conference app

• Hybrid component - COSPAR 2022 was a hybrid event, with emphasis on physical participation. The digital element was fully incorporated in the meeting

• Support by the Hellenic Red Cross during COSPAR2022, providing medical services to all delegates and organizing team

• Sustainability Actions by all Meeting Suppliers and Partners involved in the organization and execution of the meeting were encouraged. All partners were invited to adapt the strategy and to showcase their sustainability actions. This involved especially AV and Technology Service partners

• Encouraging Early Registration - Encourage early registration and discourage on-site registration

• Catering Services - Use of local and organic food products and local recipes and presenting the local cuisine and gastronomy to the delegates

Various Actions related to the Scientific Program were organized such as:

• Promotion of the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection prior and during the Meeting Program

• COSPAR organized an important workshop focusing on the issues of “Enriching Scientific Discovery through Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility – IDEA for Today and Tomorrow”. Recognised experts who have devoted their careers to advocating for diversity and inclusion shared their perspectives, the critical imperative to cultivate diversity, and the way in which COSPAR can lead these efforts in the global scientific community. As a first step to implementation, COSPAR approved the appointment of the first Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Coordination Officer (ICO), reporting to the President and Bureau in a 4-year term to 2026

• Panel on Innovative Solutions. In space sciences, indeed in all of science, the development of innovative technologies opens new fields of research and provides sophisticated new tools for research. The Panel on Innovative Solutions provided a forum, open to all COSPAR Associates, to present, consider and discuss new technologies for and approaches to scientific research

Additional information can be found on the Meetings website cosparathens2022.org

Dubai Adds to Major Association Events Pipeline with Key Bid Wins

A strong period of successful bidding activity - with Dubai Business Events working with the local associations, scientific societies and government departments, among other entities – has resulted in Dubai building a strong pipeline of major association events over the coming years.

Among the high-profile events captured has been the 2024 edition of the International Congress of Endocrinology (ICE), which will take place 1-3 March at Dubai World Trade Centre and is expected to attract approximately 5,000 participants.

Dubai is also set to host the next edition of the International Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies (IFOS) World Congress, in January 2023, providing its members with the opportunity to finally meet face-to-face at the first in-person edition of their flagship global gathering since 2017.

Other events are contributing to a healthy pipeline extending into 2028, and adding momentum to the city’s events sector, which was one of the first to reopen globally in the wake of the pandemic.

Among them are:

• World Hospital Congress – November 2022

• World Congress of Gastroenterology – December 2022

• World Congress of the International Confederation of Plastic Surgery Societies – April 2023

• International Confederation of Plastic Surgery Societies Congress – May 2023

• International Congress of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy – June 2023

• Urological Association of Asia Congress – November 2023

• World Congress of Sports Medicine - March 2024

• Congress of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic AssociationSeptember 2024

• International Congress of the Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine - May 2024

• International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis CongressSeptember 2024

• International Council of Museums General Conference –November 2025

• UITP Global Public Transport Summit - April 2026

• International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property World Congress - September 2026

• International Symposium on Dental Hygiene –March 2028

In focus: record number of participants at the European Congress of Pathology in Basel

The city on the Rhine has hosted numerous international congresses this autumn, including the European Congress of Pathology which was staged in the Congress Center Basel from 3 to 7 September 2022. And what was particularly gratifying was that, despite the conference being held as a hybrid event, almost 4,000 participants were welcomed in Basel in person.

Basel is Switzerland’s third-biggest city and has 200,000 inhabitants and a surface area of 37 km2, it boasts a vibrant social and cultural life and has one of the world’s most productive economies. The appeal of this region lies both in its unique position at the point where three countries meet –offering direct access to all the key transport routes and the world’s oceans – and in its long tradition as a science and research location. It is thus hardly surprising that those in charge opted for the city.

The choice also fell on Basel, however, because the Congress Center and Messe Basel are located in the heart of the city, offering participants a high-quality stay. As Raed Al Dieri puts it: “Participants can reach the Congress Center in 5 – 10

minutes on foot or by public transport, giving us some exercise while ensuring we are environmentally-friendly at one and the same time.” Apart from an opening ceremony introducing participants to the customs of their host country, attendees benefited from no fewer than 177 live sessions.

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AFEA CEO, Sissi Lygnou, shared the stage with the President of IAPCO, CEO Kenes Group, Ori Lahav at #PCMAEMEA

#CONVENINGEMEA

2022 in Vienna, representing IAPCO.

Angeles Moreno New Country Manager AIM Spain

The recognised manager, specialised in event strategy and business management, will relaunch the activity of AIM Group International in the Spanish market

Milan, 7 September 2022 – Angeles Moreno assumed the role of Country Manager AIM Spain, as of 1st September, the local branch of AIM Group International.

Angeles will manage the business in the country with a focus on relaunching AIM’s activities in the market and developing the three strategic business lines of the company: congress,

A New Brand Identity for AIM Group International

A new logo, website, and corporate identity, are a milestone in the regeneration and development of the Group, which specialises in events, communication and consultancy Milan, 20th September 2022 – Effective change starts from within. It is this belief that underpins the new brand identity that AIM Group International, a market leader in meetings,

corporate events and DMC. Her mission will be to achieve purposeful growth, increase revenue, accelerate innovation, improve organisational positioning, as well as promoting talents acquisition to reinforce the operation in Spain.

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events and communication, presents today. The business events market has changed structurally, as have clients and event attendees. Crises follow one another in quick succession, demanding constant adaptation. AIM Group, an acknowledged innovator in the sector, has chosen to redefine its market position, relaunch its role and redesign its brand image.

“The new brand identity better corresponds to our corporate personality and the image we now want to project,” explains Gianluca Buongiorno, president of AIM Group International. “The rebranding is an important part of the Group’s development and regeneration strategy, coming as it does after a period of significant disruption, which required

considerable agility and resilience, and a commitment to defining and achieving new strategic goals”.

From today, the group presents a new logo, a new website (at the same URL www.aimgroupinternational.com) and a new coordinated image for all communication materials.

The logo is based upon the iconic shape of the triangle and plays upon the interaction between its three sides. “These represent the three fundamental pillars on which the Group’s business is structured, the key specialist areas of events, communication and consultancy” explains Gianluca Scavo, CEO of AIM Group International.

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Creating an Inclusive Conference for People with Complex Communication Needs

Event: AGOSCI Conference 2022

Dates: 3 – 6 September 2022

Venue: Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart

PCO: Arinex Pty Ltd

Background:

AGOSCI is an inclusive group interested in enhancing the participation of all people with complex communication needs. Members include individuals with complex communication needs, family and community members, teachers, speech pathologists and other professionals.

Challenges:

To meet the varying abilities of around 400 delegates, every aspect of the AGOSCI Conference needed to be considered with accessibility and inclusion in mind. Building on the solutions and learnings from previous conferences, the Organising Committee also strove to build a stronger community network by creating a more welcoming and enjoyable experience for delegates’ families.

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View from Japan: Congrès Inc.’s Initiatives for a Sustainable Workplace – Generation Z Networking with Top Management

Congrès Inc., IAPCO member headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, has identified 4 materiality themes (priority issues or key challenges) to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) for resolving issues in society through its business.

As a part of the priority issue, “Creating a sustainable work environment in which the company and employees can grow together,” Congrès held a hybrid meeting on August 24, 2022 between new graduates who joined the company from 2020 to 2022 and the President, TAKEUCHI Noriko. The main venue was one of our Tokyo headquarters’ conference rooms, connected online with employees participating from their respective locations, including Knowledge Capital – Congrès Convention Center in Osaka, owned and operated by Congrès, as well as our Nagoya and Fukuoka branch offices.

As the world transitions toward post-COVID while the virus still impacts us, face-to-face meetings like these are now unremarkable, yet masks are commonly worn to ensure safety and peace of mind.

While remote work has become widespread due to COVID-19 in our industry as in many others, various issues have arisen regarding internal communication. Good internal communication in a corporation is said to be one of the keys to sustaining productivity, and Congrès is undertaking activities in this regard, one of which is this interactive session with top management.

Not only headquarters and branch office employees participated, but also those stationed at facilities, such as the convention venues, science museums and cultural facilities, etc. that Congrès operates as part of its business. First, as an “ice breaker,” the attendees formed pairs and asked about each other’s work, recent activities, hobbies and how they spend their days off, and then were tasked

Scene from a Congrès Tokyo H/Q meeting room, connected online with each hub in a hybrid format. The layout of these rooms is designed to stimulate dialogue.

with introducing their pair to the president and others. After that, they had a two-way Q&A session, where participants took advantage of the opportunity to quiz the president! The meeting also enabled them to renew friendships among colleagues, and think about future goals and growth together.

As another initiative, new graduates up to their 3rd year in the company are invited to participate in the international drone exhibition “Japan Drone” organized by the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association (JUIDA) and Congrès every year. The employees attend a study session geared for them on the exhibition business, and then can personally see how the organizers and PCO event management personnel operate the exhibition on site. During the event, there is also a networking event for these young employees to connect with the president.

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Celebrating a Corporate Community Day with a Legacy

The teams from Ipsen bio pharmaceutical company in Italy gathered for the first time in-person since the pandemic. To make it a memorable and community building experience, AIM Group created a unique event which allowed the team to give back to the community and pursue a common goal.

The first in-person meeting after the pandemic was a really important moment for Ipsen to engage its employees, allowing them to re-connect, communicate, share ideas and find solutions for future projects. The company also wanted to find a way for the teams to give back to the community and produce a positive legacy.

AIM Group, which is collaborating with the company on several projects already, helped conceptualise and organise their Re-Connect Meeting in Salerno, Southern Italy, involving employees in an engaging CSR project. To make it a memorable and teambuilding experience, the Community Day was therefore celebrated with a beach clean-up, which allowed the Ipsen teams to give back to the community and pursue a common goal.

“The project, thanks to a creative approach, was able to put in contact different organisations, that until today haven’t collaborated: the Giffoni Film Festival, a famous film festival dedicated to young people which is held annually near Salerno; Legambiente Campania, the local chapter of a national ecologist association; and Ipsen, a bio pharmaceutical company. First, Ipsen sponsored, in 2022, the first edition of the ‘Giffoni Green Festival’, dedicated to sustainability, and a company representative intervened as speaker about their diversity and inclusion programmes. Then, we designed a simple, engaging and impactful activity in the area, with a beach clean-up of the protected natural oasis and pine forest in Marina di Eboli” explains Alessandro Capasso, Project Manager AIM Group International.

Ipsen involved more than 130 employees who headed to the beach to collect rubbish and plastic debris (small items like bottles and wastepaper as well as big ones like tyres, PCs, TVs) that was hidden in the sand and the trees. 214 kilos of rubbish were collected overall... READ MORE

Case Study: Building Diversity in Semiconductor Physics

Event: International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors 2022

Dates: 27 – 30 June 2022

Venue: International Convention Centre, Sydney

Background: COVID-19 led to the postponement of the biennial International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors (ICPS) in 2020, meaning the 2022 event in Sydney would mark four years since delegates would meet in person. Despite the pandemic and other international events impacting travel, it was an ideal time for the conference to be held in Australia due to local advancements in the field. A world-first breakthrough in quantum computing, led by ICPS co-chair Professor Michelle Simmons AO, was announced just days ahead of the conference taking place.

Challenges

To build interest in semiconductor physics research and careers, the organising committee understood it needed to increase the participation of women and students in what was traditionally a male-dominated field. This would require a commitment to prioritise diversity throughout the conference and introduce new initiatives to increase the profile and presence of women and students.

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Interplan Founds New Company

In February of 2022, Robert Oberhauser and Interplan joined forces in order to establish this exciting new opportunity. Together, they were able to successfully combine over 50 years of experience in Event Management, with an innovative “Startup Approach”. The newly established company, “derCampus 360 degree event realization GmbH” will continuously redefine continuing medical education in the future.

derCampus is an independent organiser of certified continuing medical education, and does so by combining the experience and expertise of motivated professionals. The founders know the needs of the pharma industry as well as the medical profession, understand the legal framework, the compliance requirements and know how to combine these with current technical possibilities. With an innovative platform, new standards have been set for both livestream and hybrid education.

More than four hundred general practitioners participated in the first online training course in September – an extremely successful debut. On 15th October, the first hybrid event will take place in Munich as well as online.

Bruno Lichtinger, Interplan Managing Director & co-owner, is certain that by investing in derCampus and thus in the continuance of high-quality continuing medical education, especially for physicians in private practice, Interplan has taken a more than successful first step towards securing the future of the entire Company.

We welcome derCampus, newly based in Interplan's Munich office.

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Hong Kong has a proven track record of hosting an array of successful technology conferences. Here are three which were conducted recently as hybrid events.

The 15th International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology (i-CREATe 2022), (26-28 Aug) welcomed some 500 occupational therapists and other healthcare professionals to exchange knowledge and tackle the challenges of ageing, under the theme “Enabling All with Assistive Technology”.

“As a Hong Kong Convention Ambassador, I’m proud to bring i-CREATe 2022 to Hong Kong for the first time with the great support of the Hong Kong Tourism Board. The success of the conference welcomed a new era of rehabilitation with assistive technology, backed by with the recent advancement of the Internet of Things, smart technology, artificial intelligence, and rehabilitation robots”

Ms Stella Cheng, Chairperson & WFOT Delegate of Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association (HKCA)

“Despite the impact of COVID-19, i-CREATe 2022 went very smoothly with the incredible hybrid setup and the city’s excellent adaptiveness, leading digital infrastructure and in-person operational efficiency, especially the annual iconic activity, the Global Student Innovation Challenge (gSIC). The seamless operation allowed local and overseas participants to join in and see very innovative prototypes that address the needs of people with disabilities.”

Professor Kenneth Fong, Co-Chairman, Organising Committee, i-CREATe 2022

Hong Kong –a Premier Innovation and Technology Hub

Revive Tech Asia (22-26 Aug) was a home-grown inaugural conference and exhibition that gathered the world’s influential minds to exchange insights across topics from AI & data to cloud, cyber security, and digital commerce to fintech and sustainability. The event which was held at AsiaWorld-Expo welcomed over 4,000 physical attendees.

“Hong Kong, with its can-do spirit, is the perfect place to drive technology advancement for reviving economies. With the city’s unique position as the I&T hub and meeting hub of the Greater Bay Area, we are excited to host this inaugural event and looking forward to seeing its further growth into a flagship event presenting enormous opportunities from the region’s thriving tech industry and the fast-growing GBA markets.”

Candice Wong, Co-founder of Revive Tech Asia

The Human, Machine, Art, Creativity International Symposium (9 Aug) is the world’s first high-level symposium about the integration of AI with Chinese and Western culture, creativity, art, and ethics. Organized by the Hong Kong Baptist University and held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event welcomed together 800+ world-renowned scholars and experts to take forward a ground-breaking conversation between machine intelligence and human creativity.

“As we push the creative boundaries in Hong Kong by unveiling the future of art with Human-Machine symbiotic art creativity, we have fostered a world-class AI art creation platform driving a new creative revolution, with Hong Kong leading the art-tech charge on the global stage.”

Professor Yike Guo, Vice-President (Research and Development), Hong Kong Baptist University.

Strategic & Affiliations

Destinations

& Annual Meeting Hosts