How to plan and organize an academic conference in the digital world

The world of academic conferences has changed. If your conference is being held online — or even if it’s a hybrid of both in-person and virtual components — it’s essential to understand how to plan and organize an academic conference in the digital world. Fortunately, there are many tools available to assist such efforts, including virtual event platforms that allow for real-time collaboration and interaction between participants. In this article, we’ll discuss how these platforms can help you plan an effective academic conference by making sure that all participants have access to the resources they need in order to meet their goals while attending your event.

Understand What’s Expected of You

The first step in this process is to figure out what kind of event you are organizing. Is it an academic conference, a workshop or seminar? The answer to that question will determine the type of audience you are targeting and how much technology is required for the event.

For example, if your event is going to be held at an academic institution, then chances are that most participants will have laptops and smartphones available during their stay at the venue. However, if your conference takes place in another location such as a hotel or convention center where there may not be adequate Wi-Fi coverage throughout the venue (or even just one room), then having mobile devices with offline access capabilities would be helpful for attendees who need access while away from power outlets.

Make Good Use of Your Time

When you are organizing an academic conference, it is important that you make good use of your time. This can be done by choosing the right place and time for your meeting and using tools that will help make the process easier.

When choosing a venue, consider the size of your group and how much space is needed for people to speak comfortably in front of their audience. A large room might be better suited for smaller groups or one-on-one conversations; however, if there are many presentations going on at once then smaller rooms may better suit this purpose as well. Either way, try not to have too many presentations happening simultaneously because this could cause problems with sound quality (if speakers are sharing microphones) or confusion among attendees who are trying hard but failing due lack thereof preparation time beforehand — both situations which could lead up feeling frustrated later down line when things aren’t going smoothly enough between speakers/audiences respectively!

Another thing worth mentioning here: don’t forget about breaks during lunchtime hours so everyone gets some fresh air outside before heading back inside again afterwards.

Consider Your Audience

The next step in planning an academic conference is to consider your audience. Who are they? What do they need and expect from the event, and how will you reach them?

• Who is your audience? What kind of people will be attending the conference, and what are their backgrounds, interests, and needs? Do some research on previous conferences related to yours so that you can see what topics were covered and how they were presented. This information can help guide decisions about which speakers might be appropriate for this event.
• What level of expertise does each attendee have in terms of knowing about the subject matter being discussed at your event? For example: if there’s going to be a presentation about quantum physics (a topic I know nothing about), then maybe I shouldn’t invite myself along just because it sounds cool! Instead I should wait until another time when my knowledge would actually add value to those conversations happening around me instead of just sitting there quietly nodding my head like an idiot while everyone else talks shop amongst themselves.

Plan Early and Model the Behavior You Want to See

One of the most important things you can do as a conference organizer is plan early and model the behavior you want to see in participants.

If your event is an international one, planning even earlier than normal will be necessary to ensure that all communications travel smoothly across time zones. You’ll also need to make sure that any registration fees are paid on time so that people don’t miss out on something they’ve paid for–and so that those who have paid get their money’s worth!

To help keep things running smoothly, create a timeline for your entire event: when registration opens; when payment deadlines fall; where participants should go upon arrival at the venue; what activities will take place during breaks (if there are any), etc. These details will help ensure that everyone knows exactly what’s going on and when they should expect certain things from you or other members of staff at an academic conference.

Create a Timeline for the Event and Communicate it Clearly

Planning an event is one of the most important parts of your conference experience. It will help you to keep track of everything that is going on and make sure that everything runs smoothly.

Creating a timeline for your event should include:

• Conference start and end dates
• Registration deadlines (if applicable)
• Travel arrangements and check-in procedures (if applicable)
• Activities such as keynotes, panel discussions, workshops or tutorials

Communicate with Participants About the Activities that Will Take Place During the Conference

It’s important to communicate clearly with participants about the activities that will take place during the conference, along with registration and payment deadlines, travel arrangements and check-in procedures. This information should be communicated well in advance of the event so that there are no surprises for anyone involved.

The following should be included:

• Purpose of event – what is its purpose? What do you want participants to learn or gain from attending?
• Activities – what are the activities at each session? How do you want them to interact with each other during breaks between sessions or at meals (if applicable)?
• Registration deadlines – when does registration close, how much does it cost per person/per day/per session etc.

Be Ready That Things Can Go Wrong

You should be prepared for the possibility that things could go wrong. You may have a stellar online registration system, but there are still ways for people to get confused or register incorrectly, and no matter how good your tech support is, they won’t be able to solve all problems immediately.

If you’re hosting an event where participants will need to communicate with each other (for example, via chat), make sure there’s an easy way for them to reach out directly if they encounter an issue while using it.

Use a Virtual Event Platform

A virtual event platform like Eventtia is a great way to organize an academic conference. It can help you with everything from managing the technical aspects of your event to communicating with participants, collecting payments and registrations and keeping track of attendees.

You’ll be able to use the platform’s calendar feature to plan out when different parts of your conference will take place, such as presentations or workshops; this will make it easier for people who attend multiple sessions at one time because they won’t have any trouble finding them all on one page! You could also use this feature if you have multiple venues where various activities will take place at once (like having speakers talk in different rooms).

A virtual event platform gives you access to tools like surveys so that attendees can provide feedback after each session; this allows organizers to learn what worked well during an event while also providing suggestions for future ones (elements like presentation slides could be improved upon).

An Academic Conference Can Be Successful When Organizers Follow Simple Steps

Plan carefully. Keep in mind all of the details involved in planning an academic conference, and make sure you have a plan in place for each of them. You’ll need to decide on a venue, find speakers who are willing to present at your event, arrange transportation for them if necessary (and pay for it), get equipment such as microphones or projectors if needed–the list goes on and on!

Communication is key! Make sure that everyone involved knows what they’re responsible for doing so they can stay focused on their tasks without worrying about whether or not another person is doing their part right. If there’s ever any confusion over something related to an aspect of your event (such as payment), it’s best practice not only as an organizer but also as an attendee or speaker to reach out directly rather than assuming someone else will take care of it themselves without asking questions first because sometimes things slip through cracks unexpectedly due simply because there may be too much going on behind-the-scenes at once which could lead someone else into thinking something has been taken care off already when really hasn’t happened yet.

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that an academic conference can be successful if you plan carefully and keep the lines of communication open between participants. The key is to be flexible, adaptable, and willing to take risks when necessary. In addition, it’s always good practice for organizers to make sure they have enough staff on hand who are familiar with running an event like this one so there aren’t any surprises!