Checklist Conference organisation

Checklist for planning and organising an academic conference
at the University of Kassel

1. 1.General information

   • Set conference date
     (ideally at least 10, preferably 12-24 months in advance)
   • Determine conference format
     (online, hybrid, in person)
   • Information to the conference management team at the University of Kassel with the title and date of the conference to be entered into the University of Kassel conference calendar (work in progress)
   • If necessary, determine the focus of the conference
   • If necessary, define the objectives of the conference

2. 2.Budget
   planning

   • (!) Contact the finance department(!)
   • Estimate event costs
   • Request and budget for plenary speaker(s)
   • Estimate the number of student assistants required and budget costs (recruitment of additional student assistants possible via Moodle course, contact via conference management)
   • Set budget _{(Budget planning tool is in development and will be available soon)}

3. 3.Location(s)

   • Room reservations on-campus for conference programme during the day via the Room Administration and Event Management team
     (Large rooms: Campus Center, “Zentrum für umweltbewusstes Bauen” [ZUB], Gießhaus, Science Park, ASL building)
   • Room reservations off-campus
     (e.g. UNI:Lokal, Brüderkirche/Renthof, IdeaLab at SciencePark, CVJM House, Filmpalast, Hallenbad-Ost (former public pool, now event location), South wing/Platform 1 at Kulturbahnhof, etc.
     → Contact via Kassel Convention Bureau)
   • Reservation of hotel rooms in hotels near the university (e.g. Renthof, Hotel Teatro [very ‘basic’ but inexpensive]) or hotels near the train station ‘Wilhelmshoehe’ (e.g. Pentahotel), framework agreements exist with these hotels); provision of hotel rooms on your own website for the conference →  Contact via Kassel Marketing.
   • Preliminary enquiry about catering – coffee breaks, lunch, snacks, evening reception (at the University of Kassel, e.g. via Forschungskantine / Campus Catering des Studierendenwerks or external, e.g. via Party Couture) - Please also refer to the information on sustainable catering as well as the checklist “Sustainable Catering" (the latter is currently only available in German).
   • If parking spaces for special guests are required on campus, you can apply for a short-term parking permit here (only available in Geman). Further information: Michaela Bierkandt.

4. 4.Social
   programme

   • Alternative afternoon programme 
     (e.g. city and campus tours [various, including personalised group tours available, booking via Kassel Marketing], bunker tours [fire brigade bunker tours, Weinbergbunker tours, Viktoria bunker tour by Vikonauten], visits to laboratories/departments, exhibitions at UNI:Lokal, etc.)
   • Planning the evening programme
     (e.g. reception/gala/party on campus in the Färberei /in the open spaces or at an external location, e.g. at UNI:Lokal, in a museum, theatre, etc.
     When booking an event location → contacting Kassel Marketing's Convention Bureau is recommended)
   • Catering if necessary (e.g. Grischäfer, Party Couture, Gaumenfreund, etc.)
   • Art & culture: e.g. live music, DJ, performance art, fire or LED shows/walking acts (contact to bands, sound engineers, flow artists and providers with band portfolios via conference management)

5. 5.Conference website

   • Creating the page in the respective FB domain
   • On request: linking the conference website at https://uni-kassel.de/tagung-konferenz via the online editorial team of the K&M department
   • Linking the registration page of the conference software on your conference website
   • Posting the preliminary conference programme
   • Updating the website (ongoing until the start of the conference)

6. 6.Conference
   software

   • Decision on a conference software provider 
     (Conf-Tool provides access to an existing University of Kassel platform. For further information, please contact the conference management.)
   • Creating the registration page for speakers
     (Setting up the registration page for registration and submission of scientific publications)

7. 7.Speaker

   • Send invitations to researchers (also via the FIT newsletter!)
   • Selection of eligible researchers

8. 8.Participants

   • Creating the registration page for participants
     (Activating the registration platform for participant registration; collecting participation fees, if applicable)
   • Advertising the conference and inviting participants (via DGW, by email, via university mailing lists, etc.)
   • Enquiring about childcare needs (further information available from the Equality Unit or from the contact person Ms Lacher)

9. 9.Infor-
   mation

   • If necessary, design programme booklets OR set up a conference app OR post the programme on a subpage of the conference website.
   • Send/post hotel recommendations or information about hotel quotas in the app or on the conference website (see 3 → Contact Kassel Marketing).
   • Information about arrival and registration on the day of arrival.
   • Planning the contents of information folders
   • If necessary, ordering public transport tickets for speakers
   • Creating a campus map for orientation at the venue
   • Ordering merchandise from shop@uni-kassel (Please note that prices differ for internal orders!)

10. 10.Finance

    • Identify sources of funding: 
      (Should sponsors or subsidies be sought (e.g. from companies, foundations or professional associations)? _{→ (Overview list to follow)}
    • Contact sponsors
      (If necessary, create a sponsorship package, contact potential sponsors for financial support (financial or in kind)
    • If necessary, plan and coordinate contributions or stands from sponsors

11. 11.Marketing

    • Finalise the conference website (see 8)
    • Advertise on social media if necessary
      (Recommendation: using existing social media profiles, e.g. from individuals (on LinkedIn), on Instagram, e.g. from departments or associations that already have a sizable following; create regular update posts)
    • Create flyers, brochures and posters
      (Recommendation: sharepic for online use, flyers for printing or sending as email attachments)
    • Email marketing: after invitations have been sent out (see 10), send regular updates by email and invite other interested parties if necessary

12. 12.Programme

    • Create the conference programme – once the speakers have been selected (see 9) 
      (clarify time slots with speakers, determine the structure of the sessions (e.g. keynotes, workshops, discussions)
    • Create a schedule
      (determine the conference schedule: e.g. times for presentations, breaks, networking opportunities).
    • Schedule moderators and helpers
      (ask/appoint people, assign tasks, recruit student assistants (recruitment of student assistants possible via Moodle course, contact via conference management), clarify/organise technical support)
    • Create an awareness concept for the conference (further information → Equality Unit, Ms Lisa Ferin)

13. 13.Logistics & Catering

    • Plan technical equipment
      (Check availability of necessary equipment/make reservations, e.g. microphones, projectors, laptops, streaming tools – contact the Service Centre Lehre (=Education) if necessary (same contact for event recordings if necessary); hire sound engineer if necessary (contact: GB Live Ventures)
    • Place firm order for catering based on final number of participants (see 6) - Please also refer to the information on sustainable catering as well as the checklist “Sustainable Catering" (the latter is currently only available in German).
    • If necessary, book travel and accommodation for VIPs ((e.g. hotel booking (framework agreements exist with these hotels), public transport tickets, taxi booking)

14. 14.Material & Documen-
    tation

    • Preparation & printing of additional materials (e.g. name tags, abstract books, conference programmes, handouts)
    • Participant certificates/diplomas, if applicable
    • Technical documentation (e.g. recordings – see 15 – and organisation of the provision of recordings and presentations)

15. 15.Post-
    processing

    • Conference documentation
      (Preparation of a summary including presentations, photos, videos, reports and publishing on the website of the University of Kassel/the department/unit)
    • Obtaining participant feedback
      (e.g. via LimeSurvey or similar tools)
    • Acknowledgements to supporters (by email or in print)
    • Invoices and finances
      (Settling the conference accounts, approving invoices in EVER – in accordance with the finance department)

Further tips