Guideline to prepare a bid to host an international IAG event

Download guideline in Word format here.

Guidelines and requirements for responding to the Call for Hosting the IAG’s International Conference on Geomorphology (ICG) 2026

Version 3.1, 7th July 2021

Compiled by: Susan J. Conway (Vice President)

Version 3.0 Ratified by the Executive Committee: 15th February 2020

The main aim is to bring together people with a professional and scholarly interest in geomorphology and complementary disciplines, including those involved in research education and professional practice, in universities and equivalent educational institutions, state-run or private laboratories, and industry, in order to freely disseminate knowledge of scientific results in the domain of geomorphology, within the international community. The meeting should be accessible to all persons independent of their age, gender, ethnicity, physical capacities, financial, political or religious background.

 

General requirements:

  • Bids to be received at least three months in advance of the preceding International Conference (cf Bylaws, Article 18)
  • The IAG International Conference on Geomorphology lasts 5 days (Monday – Friday); full capacity (800-1000)
  • For IAG and other business meetings held on day preceding the Conference: reduced capacity: 50 Participants
  • Conference Preferred times: July or September to beginning of October
Minimum room requirements (full capacity)
  • 1 large auditorium (size: approx. 600-800 persons, theatre style)
  • 2 medium size lecture rooms (size: each room approx. 100 persons, theatre/classroom style)
  • 6 workshop rooms (size: each approx. 60-80 persons, theatre/classroom style)
  • 1 or 2 splinter meeting rooms (size: approx. 20-50 persons, classroom style)
  • All rooms should be of high-quality and accessible to all attendees, including those with reduced mobility and wheelchair users. Additional accessibility tools (e.g. hearing loops, virtual access and captioning) are desirable.
Additional space
  • Space for approximately 260 posters (i.e. either 260 single-sided boards or 130
    double sided boards) normally in A0 portrait format. This is based on two poster sessions.
  • Registration area with bar tables (standing tables). Registration counter
    for 4-5 computers including ticket/badge printers
  • Exhibition space for approximately 5-10 exhibition booths including electricity
  • Seating area / working space for 300 participants including power sockets
  • Enough space for catering spots
  • Storage space for exhibitors and conference organization (about 100 m2)
  • Cloakroom (for storing luggage) including staff
  • OPTIONAL 1 press room and one press conference room (size: approx. 20 persons, boardroom style)
  • OPTIONAL Provision of childcare, baby changing rooms separate from the toilets and prayer rooms are encouraged.
Location requirements
  • Safe and preferably attractive surroundings
  • If using university premises, make sure you have considered sufficient bathroom facilities and site security including any additional staff (cleaners, security staff).
  • Availability of a range of accommodation including affordable accommodation options for students
  • Good access to public transport
  • Easy international transportation preferably including low-cost carriers
Local Organizing Committee (LOC)

LOC members should be clearly identified with the role and responsibilities of each LOC member being described. It is up to the LOC how it wishes to structure itself. However, the average LOC contributes staff-effort approximately equivalent to 1 Full Time Employee for one year (225-250 days). This effort is usually spread between a core team of 3 or 4 key personnel and builds as the meeting approaches.

  • Strong and motivated Local Organizing Committee
  • Connections to local and national media (LOC member)
  • Please think about a diversity of, gender, age, career stage, social/political/ethnic backgrounds when constructing your LOC.
Wireless internet connection

A very important and significant aspect of the conference is a very stable internet connection. The participants do work with highly bandwidth-consuming software like cloud applications, etc. According to our experience of recent conferences, we need a wireless connection with approx. 400 simultaneous connections and a capacity of around 50 MB synchronized connection at all times.

Technical requirements

The auditorium, medium-sized lecture rooms, workshop rooms, and splinter meeting rooms each need the following setup:

  • 1 computer including Windows 10 (or higher) and specific software (powerpoint, acrobat, VLC, others to be determined)
  • 1 projector and screen
  • 1 sound-system including 1 hand-microphone and 1 tie-microphone
  • 1 podium desk (with 4-5 seats) and 1 lectern

The 2 splinter meeting rooms need the following setup:

  • 1 projector and screen
  • 1 podium desk (with 4-5 seats) and 1 lectern

The registration area needs the following setup:

  • Counter with sufficient space for 5 computers
  • A color printer (printer should also serve as a photocopier, scanner)
  • 5 wired / cable (LAN) internet connections

The poster area needs the following setup:

  • 130 double-sided (or 260 single) poster boards including fixation material for A0 portrait format posters. (assuming two poster sessions)
  • Minimum distance between two poster board 3 meters and between two poster rows 4 meters

The OPTIONAL press room should have the following setup:

  • Wired/cable (LAN) internet connections for approx. 20 users
  • 1 multi-functional color printer serving as printer, photocopier, scanner, and fax machine (fax number also required)
  • 2 phone lines and phones with 2 separate numbers

The OPTIONAL press conference room should have the following setup:

  • 1 computer including Windows 10 (or higher) and specific software
    (powerpoint, acrobat, VLC, others to be determined)
  • 1 projector and screen
  • 1 sound-system including 1 hand-microphone and 1 tie-microphone
  • 1 podium desk (with 4-5 seats) and 1 lectern
  • Seating capacity 20 persons
Catering requirements

1 icebreaker reception (cocktail reception) on the day preceding the Conference for approx. 300 persons, duration: 2 hours, including beer, wine, mineral water, soft drinks, nibbles/salty finger-food (e.g. peanuts, biscuits, etc.)

Monday to Friday: two coffee breaks each day (one in the morning, one in the afternoon), each coffee break based on 500 persons;

  • Morning coffee break including coffee, tea, water, juice, pastries/cookies
  • Afternoon coffee breaks same as morning coffee breaks but without snacks

A minimum of 2 poster sessions (e.g., Tuesday, Thursday), each based on a duration of 2 hours, approx. 400 persons, including beer, wine, mineral water, soft drinks, nibbles/salty fingerfood (e.g. peanuts, crackers, etc.)

3 water dispensers around the conference area being refilled all times when necessary

Still water provided in the lecture rooms for the speakers

Social Event

Capacity of up to 300 persons. Due to different dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, allergies,…) and to favour social interaction, the dinner is recommended to be a buffet. We emphasize that this event should be financially accessible to encourage maximum participation.

General Conference requirements
  • A Conference website should be provided at least one year in advance to make the program information widely available as it evolves, receive declarations of interest, abstract submissions, and process registrations securely Transport information, hotel options, visa details, fieldtrip details and all other information pertinent to the conference should be made available in a timely manner.
  • The conference organizers should open abstract submission and registration at least 6 months before the conference.
  • The organizers need to ensure that letters to support visa applications are produced in a timely manner and the local consulates are contacted in advance for advice.
  • An abstract booklet should be produced and made available electronically after the conference (ISBN – ISSN code)
  • Normally, the form of the international conferences will be a mixture of joint plenary sessions and a number (6-10) of specialist, group sessions running in parallel. We recommend oral presentations are 15 min in length and timekeeping must be strict to allow people to follow parallel sessions.
  • Scientific Committee (recommended to be up to 25 people): to be agreed upon / to be set up by LOC in consultation with the IAG Executive Committee. Please think about a diversity of, gender, age, career stage, social/political/ethnic backgrounds when constructing your Scientific Committee. The role of the Scientific Committee is to set up session topics, invite conveners and chairs.
  • Session conveners and chairs (recommended maximum 4). These can be the same as the Scientific Committee and at least one person per session should be present at the conference as a chair (or elect someone to act as chair). If possible a local convener/chair should be included. Please think about a diversity of, gender, age, career stage, social/political/ethnic backgrounds when selecting conveners/chairs.
  • The organizers must ensure adequate insurance for the conference.
  • The schedule of events should take into account the holding of the general assemblies, council meetings and the meetings of the executive committee. The IAG liaison person on the organizing committee must contact the IAG secretary to determine IAG meeting requirement prior to determining the Conference programme.
  • Holding public lectures and press conferences during the meeting is highly recommended.
  • The organizers are expected to integrate within the conference programme a training event for Young Geomorphologists*, which can be held before or after the conference.
  • We recommend that the organizers ensure nearby poster printing is available and we recommend negotiating special prices for the conference.
  • Negotiated rates with nearby hotels is highly recommended and we encourage contact with the local tourist office.
  • Sustainability of the conference is desirable and will be considered in a bidders favour.
Field trip requirements

It is desirable to organize excursions to take place within (usually day 3), after and before the conference. A range of topics suitable for the local area are expected and a range of budgets. The mid conference field trips should be financially and, at least one, physically accessible to all participants.

 

Budget Proposal

A budget estimate that identifies all cost elements should be included in the proposal, including the cost of a conference organizer. All technical equipment that would need to be rented should be identified in the budget and their cost estimated through a request for quotation. We encourage proposers to identify potential sponsors for the conference in advance, e.g., local/regional/national government, academic partners, local tourist office, industrial partners and indicate the possible level of sponsoring anticipated. Please note that IAG conferences are under the entire financial and legal responsibility of the hosts and should be designed in a way to adequately cover costs without intervention of the IAG. The financial commitments of the IAG and the host (including arrangements in case of profit) shall be settled via joint agreement once the bid has been approved.

Conference bid format

Maximum 10 pages (single spaced, size 11 Arial font with min. 2cm margins), including a summary of the requirements fulfilled and those that cannot be fulfilled and a 1 page budget summary. Please structure your bid under the same sub-headings as used in this document. Appendices can be used to provide materials such as quotes, multimedia, bibliography etc.

*Young geomorphologist defined as undergraduate, postgraduate, Master, PhD students or scientists who have received their highest degree, i.e. BSc, MSc, or PhD, within the past seven years. Provided parental leave fell into that period, up to one year of parental leave time may be added per child, where appropriate.