Guidelines for Conference Organisers

Any individual wishing to submit a proposal to host a future ICMPC should ensure that their submission is informed by a close reading of these Guidelines.

These guidelines are provided to be of assistance to conference organisers within our subdiscipline, to promote academic quality and organisational efficiency. They do not have the force of regulations, and freedom must always be given to the individual organiser to adapt to local and circumstantial conditions. The Guidelines should be regularly reveiwed and updated in the light of experience.

These Guidelines were drafted in 1996 on behalf of ICMPC by the following individuals:
Prof E C Carterette, Chair 2nd ICMPC
Prof I Deliege, Chair 3rd ICMPC
Prof E Narmour, President SMPC
Prof S Namba, President JSMPC
Prof K Ohgushi, Chair 1st ICMPC
Profs B Pennycook and E Costa-Giomi, Chairs 4th ICMPC
Prof J A Sloboda, President ESCOM

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
1. A single building is required with several differently sized rooms for presentations, with good circulation space, and facilities for refreshments on site.
2. Good air-conditioning or heating is necessary according to climate.
3. Conference centre should be close to a range of accommodations varying from hotel to student-type hostel accommodation.
4. Rapid and efficient arrangements are needed for lunch, to allow maximum opportunities for delegates to continue interactions.
5. A well-run reception/office with facilities such as fax, e-mail, xeroxing, etc. available to delegates: and a 24-hour call-in telephone for urgent messages (answerphone at night will be sufficient).
6. The level of access for people with disabilities needs to be thoroughly researched, and a clear statement regarding access should be given in conference publciity.
DISPOSITION OF CONFERENCE ROOMS
1. All rooms to be supplied as standard with OHP, Slide-projector, video (capable of playing the 3 major world VHS systems), Cassette tape, CD-player, keyboard (acoustic or MIDI).
2. Specialist equipment, such as computers for computer-generated audio-visuals to be available by negotiation with speakers.
3. Where room acoustic is poor, a voice amplification system is to be available.
4. Preferably each room should have an accurate wall clock visible to both speaker and audience.
5. A number of additional rooms for demonstrations, poster sessions, impromptu meetings, should be available.
TIMETABLING AND STRUCTURAL ISSUES
1. The minimum conference length is 3 complete days, the maximum is 5.
2. There will be three types of scientific session, reading sessions (spoken papers), poster sessions, and demonstration sessions.
3. The preference is for two parallel sessions unless it is unavoidable to have more.
4. Posters should be presented as an attractive option for speakers (e.g. who have much visual data, or whom prefer to interact with their audience on a one-to-one basis). Posters should be included in the program on equal standing with spoken papers. Sound examples for posters should be presented via headphones to avoid auditory interference with other posters.
5. There should be some dedicated time within the conference timetable for the viewing of posters, during which no reading sessions take place.
6. Demonstration sessions may be offered for individuals with interactive displays (e.g. computer driven) or other specialised equipment requirements.
7. There should be some invited keynote speakers, but not more than 2 per day. Keynote speakers will normally be given 45-60 minutes. Tutorial reviews may also be invited.
8. All other papers should be 30 minutes (20 for presentation and maximum 10 for discussion). If the number of acceptable papers is too large, it may be necessary to reduce the length of all papers to 20 minutes (15 + 5) to avoid lengthening the conference, or creating too many parallel sessions. In this case, the organiser should give early notice to speakers of the reduction in duration. For diplomatic and practical reasons (e.g. movement between different rooms), the conference organiser is advised to fix on one duration for all submitted papers, either 30 minutes or 20 minutes. In no circumstance should paper length be reduced below 20 minutes.
9. Where possible, papers and posters should be grouped in thematic sessions.
10. Some thematic sessions may be announced at the time of the call for papers. In this case, a session convenor may be invited to submit a programme. The call for papers may also include an invitation for proposals for thematic sessions. Thematic sessions should contain between 4 and 6 papers. It should be made clear that the ConferenceOrganiser retains the right to reject individual papers within a set proposed for a thematic session.
11. Language. All transactions of ICMPC will be in English.
PROMOTION
1. Call for papers. The initial announcement and call for papers should be issued approximately 12 months prior to the conference. This should include:
  1. Date and place
  2. Registration fee (normally with reduction for early booking; reduction for members of particpating societies, such as SMPC, ESCOM, Japanese Society; and student reduction).
  3. Outline of additional cost options (e.g. accommodations, meals, etc.)
  4. Deadline for submission of abstracts (and acceptable mode of submission, e.g. e-mail, fax, disc etc.)
  5. Date by which applicants will be advised of the acceptance of their paper
  6. Names of members of Advisory Committee, Scientific Committee and Advisory Board.
  7. details of how to contact the organisers, including if possible, fax, e-mail, and web- page.
    1. Participating Societies will supply the conference organiser with lists of members for mailing of call for papers. Past Conference Organisers should also make available lists of previous delegates and mailings. Where feasible, electronic posting should be used.
    2. Final Call for Registrations. This should be made at least 3 months prior to the conference, and should include as much information as possible about the conference programme.
    3. Confirmation of registration. This should be sent at least one month prior to the conference, and should include full instructions on travel to the conference site, contact addresses, fax and telephone numbers for the conference site, timetable and social programme.
  8. ORGANISATION
    1. Advisory Committee. This would normally include Presidents of participating societies and former ICMPC organisers. It forms a source of expert advice for the organiser(s). In particular, the Advisory Committee should offer advice on acceptable fee levels for the conference (see 5.4 below), and should be responsible for ensuring that relevant information and documentation from previous conferences (e.g. announcements, letters, publications, data-bases, budgets) are passed to the current conference organiser. The Advisory Committee will also provide a line of communication and oversight from the participating societies to the organiser, and will ensure that the organiser is informed of relevant policies and procedures which might impact on the conference.
    2. Scientific Committee. This should be a small number (no greater than 4) of senior scientists chosen to assist the Conference Organiser in the responsibility of selecting papers, grouping them into thematic sessions, and constructing the timetable. It is the responsibility of the Conference Organiser to constitute the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Advisory Board.
    3. Scientific Advisory Board. This should comprise senior researchers who intend to attend the conference and are willing to review submissions, act as session chairs, and/or convene thematic sessions. All submissions should be graded by two members of the Board on a 5-point scale:
      A = excellent, B = good, C = adequate, D = poor, E =unacceptable.
      Acceptance should be offered to all A or B graded papers. C papers may be accepted after A and B papers if there are remaining spaces within the programme. D papers could be accepted at the discretion of the organiser (for instance if from a country with little history of work in this area, to encourage development). Any paper receiving E grading from both reviewers should be rejected. The same grading should be applied to all proposals, whether for reading sessions, poster sessions, or demonstration sessions.
    4. Host organisation. The organiser should ensure adequate secretarial and administrative support from the host country. This could come from a number of sources, but should always include the organiser's own institute/university. During the conference, the organiser should be supported at all times by at least six conference assistants who look to the needs of participants. Past practice has been to appoint graduate students to such positions in return for free attendance. Specific duties to be assigned may include:
      1. Registration Officer. To be at the registration desk at all times. More assistants may be required during the first day of the conference.
      2. Equipment/technical support. To ensure proper and timely installation of equipment, and prompt attention to faults and queries. To be available at all times during which equipment is being used. To be available to speakers prior to each session, for testing of materials.
      3. Room monitors. One per reading session. To provide presenters with any help they might need. To ensure timely start/completion of sessions, and to prepare the room. They should remain in the room at all times during their assigned session. Room monitors should not be asked to assume the responsibility of session chairing, introducing of speakers, handling of questions, handling of speakers who over-run their allotted time, etc. This responsibility should be given to a senior scientist acting in the capacity of session chair and named as such in the conference programme.
      4. Refreshment monitor. To ensure that between-session refreshments are ready at the required time, and to solve any problems concerned with supply etc.
    5. Fee policy. The Registration fee should be kept as low as possible. In particular, conference organisers are strongly advised not to use fees to cover the cost of the social program or the expenses of other speakers, but to cover such costs with funds raised from other sources. The only exception to this might be a small contingency fund to help defray the travel costs of invited keynote speakers who might otherwise be unable to attend, and for whom funds cannot be found from other sources. Individuals attending in their capacity as officials of sponsoring societies (e.g. SMPC, ESCOM, APSCOM) are not eligible for support from Delegate's fees. The Advisory Committee should be considered a source of advice on the appropriate level for the registration fee, and its members should be informed of the proposed fee structure before it is published.
    6. Young researcher awards. The conference organiser will announce any awards being offered by participating societies or other bodies in respect of the conference, and co-operate with the administration of these awards as needed.
    7. Business Meeting. A business meeting of one hour's duration should be scheduled during the conference at a time when no scientific sessions are taking place. The platform should be taken by the Presidents (or nominees) of any participating Societies who will choose from their number a chair for the meeting. A primary purpose of the meeting is to consider the location of future meetings, and to receive suggestions on relevant matters from delegates. Items of business relevant to individual participating societies may also be taken, but only after all matters relevant to ICMPC have been covered.
    8. Conference publications. A proceedings volume should be made available to all participants. This may be in paper or electronic format, or both. A programme book, containing timetable, abstracts and a list of participants (with addresses and e-mails) should also be produced. These should be included in the registration fee.