Call for Symposia, Special Trainee Symposia and Technical Workshops
TYPES OF PROPOSAL
Symposia
About 30 symposia will be selected by the Programme Committee. They will last 2 hours and they must address scientific issues around a coherent theme of interest to a broad audience. The total number of speakers in each symposium is limited to four, the number of chairpersons of each symposium is limited to two. Each chairperson must give a talk in his/her symposium, i.e. is also among the four speakers.
Special Trainee Symposia
Technical workshops
2 to 3 technical workshops will be selected by the Programme Committee and will take place in the morning preceding the formal opening of the Meeting. These are meant to discuss technical advances in various fields of research, with the emphasis on techniques, not on scientific results. They may last around 2 to 3 hours. The number of attendees at a technical workshop is limited to 50-100 in order to encourage interactions between them.
CHOICE OF CHAIRPERSONS AND SPEAKERS
Recommendations
The basic criteria for selection are the scientific interest of the topics, the achievements of the speakers in the field, and their ability to present their work to a broad multidisciplinary audience. Preference will be given to symposia that tackle a topic from various angles and aim to present different views and opinions rather than presenting the work of collaborating groups. The balance of gender, ‘scientific seniority’ and geographical distribution of the affiliation of speakers will also be taken into consideration by the Programme Committee when selecting the successful proposals. Junior as well as senior scientists are encouraged to participate in the proposals. However, all speakers should be experienced in presenting their research to a broad multidisciplinary audience.
Number of speakers/chairpersons
Symposia: A proposal must include 4 speakers. Symposia are chaired by 1 or 2 persons. Each chairperson must give a talk in his/her symposium, i. e. is also among the four speakers.
Special Trainee Symposia: A proposal must include 4 – 8 speakers. Symposia are chaired by 1 or 2 persons. Each chairperson must give a talk in his/her symposium, i.e. is also among the four speakers.
Technical workshops: A proposal must include approx. 4 – 6 speakers for a 2 – 3 hours workshop. They are chaired by 1 or 2 persons. It is recommended that no more than 1 chairperson be among the speakers.
Countries
The involvement of scientists from European laboratories is strongly encouraged, but proposals may be submitted by or may include any scientist from any country as chairperson and/or speaker.
Affiliation
The proposed speakers/chairpersons at the symposium or workshop should belong to different institutions from different countries, but never exceed 2 speakers from the same country.
Gender
A reasonable gender balance of speakers and chairpersons is strongly encouraged.
Eligibility
The following rules should be followed for any symposium or workshop proposal:
- A symposium or workshop chairperson or speaker from the previous Glial Meeting cannot be a speaker. Please check the program of the last meeting to this end. This rule does not apply to chairpersons or speakers of the previous Introductory Course.
- Members of the current Programme Committee cannot be speakers in a symposium or workshop.
- Individuals can participate only once as speaker and chairperson.
STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE
1. Choice of themes
Novelty and scientific interest are essential. Looking at the programme of the previous Glial Meeting will help to select the theme. The title of the proposal must be brief, meaningful and precise. Avoid terms devoid of real semantic content such as “New insights in…”, “Trends in…”, “Advances in… “
The description should
- state the scientific purpose and content of the proposal,
- explain the choice of speakers/chairpersons,
- present its novelty and scientific interest in the context of international research.
Remember that the Programme Committee will have to examine dozens of proposals. A clear message is the best way to make yourself understood.
2. Choice of speakers/chairpersons
Do not propose someone without his/her consent, or someone who is not eligible (see above “Eligibility”). Individuals may participate in several proposals, but if accepted, they can participate in only one symposium or workshop. You must make sure that you have been informed about the other proposals in which your partners participate. The Programme Committee will assume that all partners of a given proposal are fully informed about each other’s projects.
Each proposed person is committed to participate in the Glial Meeting in case of acceptance of the proposal. By submitting a proposal, each speaker and chairperson agrees to follow the rules described in the section “Agreement and disclaimer”.
A form will have to be filled in for each proposed participant (chairpersons and speakers).
3. Proposal submission
During the submission period (December 2021 until April 1, 2022), all proposals must be submitted on the online forms found at the Glial Meeting’s website by connecting to https://glia2023.eu/.
For administrative purposes, all correspondence with the Glial Meeting will be done exclusively by the person who submitted the proposal (designated in the submission form as corresponding partner).
Prepare carefully your proposal before submitting it on the internet server. Submission consists of several forms or pages. It is essential that you fill in each of the pages. Once the last page is completed, then your proposal will be effectively submitted. Incomplete proposals (i.e. no chairperson and/or less than 4 speakers, and/or missing communication titles) will NOT be considered by the Programme Committee.
DECISION ON PROPOSALS
The Programme Committee will examine all proposals, which are complete and follow the rules. Proposals may be accepted as they stand. In some cases, the Programme Committee may accept a proposal provided that the chairpersons include modifications necessary to improve the proposal and/or to make it coherent with other selected symposia.
Decisions will be sent by email to the participants at by July 2022. The proposals will be definitely accepted once the chairpersons have replied and confirmed their participation.
DATES AND DEADLINES
December 2021 | Submission opens on the website |
April 1, 2022 | Deadline for submission |
July 2022 | Decisions on proposals sent to the chairperson |
July 2022 | Preliminary programme on the website |
FUNDING
Symposia and Special Trainee Symposia: If the proposal is accepted, the registration fee will be waived for each speaker and chairperson. However, travel and accommodation expenses will NOT be covered. It is up to the chairperson or/and proposed speakers to find funding for travel and other expenses.
Workshops: If the proposal is accepted, the registration fee will be waived for the chairperson(s). However, speakers of a workshop have to pay the registration fee. Travel and accommodation expenses will NOT be covered. It is up to the chairperson(s) or/and proposed speakers to find funding for travel and other expenses.
AGREEMENT AND DISCLAIMER
By submitting a proposal, all proposed participants agree that:
- The proposal must comply with ethical guidelines for scientific research in general, and in particular for human and animal research,
- Programme Committee will not consider any incomplete proposal or any proposal including persons who are not eligible (see Choice of chairpersons and speakers),
- Each one of the proposed participants has given his/her consent for the proposal and is committed to participate in the Glial Meeting in case of acceptance,
- In case the proposal is accepted, each speaker accepts the conditions of participation in the Glial Meeting,
- The Programme Committee may require changes in speakers or in topics for the proposal before final acceptance,
- Any change after a proposal has been accepted by the Programme Committee may be refused, and therefore a session which would no longer correspond to the approved proposal may be cancelled. Any change must have the prior approval of the Programme Committee,
- In no event will the Glial Meeting be liable for the content of a proposal with respect to its participants or any other person or institution.
NECESSARY ITEMS FOR PROPOSALS
List of items necessary to fill in the forms in the submission period:
- Title: < 100 characters. Please do not use abbreviations or Greek characters
- Brief description: 2.000 characters maximum, spaces included
- Name and address of the chairperson(s)
- Name and address of the speakers
- Title of the speakers’ presentations, their full postal addresses including phone and email, a short outline of their contribution (max. 1.000 characters) and 3 – 5 key publications (not mandatory for the Special Trainee Symposium speakers)