Annual Report 2013, Istanbul
The network received a healthy number of submissions (68 including redirections from other networks). The reviewers were eager to maintain the quality of the conference, possibly to improve it further. Quite a few proposals had to be redirected. This brings the overall acceptance rate for the 2013 conference to around 47%, lower than previous years. It resulted in the scheduling of 3 symposia, 7 long papers, and 22 regular paper presentations.
The well attended (and thoroughly enjoyed) conference dinner took place on Thursday, September 12.
The 2013 business meeting (September 12) had around 25 participants. Paul Smeyers, link-convenor detailed first the general reviewing procedure (all convenors review all submissions, then a majority decision is made). No issues were raised. It was therefore decided to continue with the procedure that is in place. The meeting discussed the format of submissions. Several convenors expressed the problem they experienced with standard paper submissions (as they are rather ‘short’, it is sometimes difficult to review them). It was therefore decided (after a vote – in favour 23; against 0; abstentions 2) that the network will no longer accept this kind of submission, instead only Long Paper submissions (minimal wordcount 2000) will be accepted for review. Obviously, there is no change for the other formats (poster, symposium, research workshop). ECER office will be asked to adjust the website along these lines.
The network is further reminded that those who present are expected to provide a one page summary (to be distributed at the session to the participants) and a full paper (to be handed to the chair at the session).
During the business meeting of 2012 the link-convenor was asked to explore a publication channel for the material that is presented at the conference. The effort has been successful; Ethics and Education (published by Taylor & Francis) is interested in publishing this material (however, it will go through the normal channel of reviewing, but as several members of Network 13 are involved respectively as Editor, Assistant Editor, or member of the Editorial Board, presenters will be encouraged to send suitable manuscripts to the journal). Colleagues who send a submission to ECER for presentations are asked to take notice of this opportunity.
Finally, the suggestion was made to announce at future conferences (at the beginning of the conference) a place where participants could meet during the conference.