This year, the most important innovation within our network was the introduction of the Newcomers Meeting, held just before the Opening Ceremony of the Emerging Researchers' Conference 2024 (ERC). Designed to orient new participants, the session provided an overview of the ERC’s schedule, along with advice on how to maximize conference experiences. Through this initiative, newcomers were warmly introduced to the inclusive ERC community and given a roadmap of the sessions, workshops, and events most relevant to their academic goals. Feedback on the Newcomers Meeting was overwhelmingly positive, with participants appreciating the chance to connect with Co-Convenors, fostering a welcoming atmosphere for all.
Lunch Break Sesssions
As in previous years, ERC hosted lunch break sessions, but this year, Co-Convenors provided some feedback to keep for the future. Locating the designated lunch area, 'The Loft,' proved challenging for attendees, partly due to limited signage indicating its location. Both days, Co-Convenors encountered delays when 'The Loft' was locked and had to find someone to unlock it. Additionally, many noted that managing lunch queues would be easier if lunches for registered session attendees could be distributed directly at the lunch break session. A similar arrangement in Glasgow allowed participants to gather more seamlessly.
Social Event
Monday night's social event was well received, especially with pre-arranged transportation to the venue after sessions, which many appreciated. However, there is an opportunity to improve by including details in the Whova app and online program sooner than the day of the event, which will make planning smoother for attendees.
Closing Ceremony
Discrepancies between the Whova app and printed badges caused some attendees to arrive after the ceremony ended. Schedule: Co-Convenors welcomed the designated time slots for the Poster jury parallel to other sessions, as well as a preparatory slot for lunch session leads, ensuring they had adequate time for setup.
Roundtable Session (30th Anniversary)
Based on experiences from this year, fully in-person roundtable sessions may be a better fit than hybrid options. Despite available hybrid facilities, unforeseen technical limitations impacted the session's flow and atmosphere. Avoiding hybrid setups in the future could prevent similar issues, ensuring a smoother experience for both presenters and participants.
Best Paper Award
Additionally, the Best Paper Award review process was enhanced this year with the introduction of a selection stage between the first and second review rounds. This adjustment aimed to provide more detailed feedback on submissions advancing past the initial stage, a response to requests from Studia Paedagogica editors to improve the quality of submitted papers. In conjunction with this, an online workshop on writing for publication was planned for emerging researchers, with an original aim to hold it in October or November. However, upon the editors’ request, this initiative will now launch as a pilot in spring.
Collaborative Approach
Finally, this year marked a significant shift toward a more collaborative approach within the network, with the Link Convenor intentionally encouraging greater involvement from the Co-Convenors in group activities. Due to the Link Convenor’s maternity leave and unforeseen circumstances during ERC, the Co-Convenors took on a more active role in managing the conference and responded excellently to the unexpected challenges, ensuring ERC was conducted successfully. This collaborative approach has strengthened the group’s adaptability and sense of community, creating a resilient foundation for future events.