Planning For IWMW 2018

As announced on the IWMW blog recently, planning is currently taking place for IWMW 2018, which will be held at the University of York on 11-13 July 2018. We are currently discussing the theme for the event and the format for the 3 days. We intend to announce the call for submissions before Christmas.

One of the IWMW 2018 project teams is working on the event theme and format with other teams working on various aspects of the event, including enhancing the speakers’ and delegates’ experience. marketing the event, finances, social events, the communications infrastructure and support for the wider web and digital communities.

We do not intend that this work will be carried out in isolation; rather we have been looking at other events from which we can learn. Since such events may also be relevant to IWMW participants we have decided to publish this posts which provides links to forthcoming events, as well as a summary of recent events. This post builds on a post published on April 2015 which asked “What Can IWMW Learn From Higher Education Web Events in the US?“.

Executive Summary

Events of Interest

Details of events directly comparable to IWMW (events lasting for 3 days and intended for those working in web and digital teams in higher educational institutions); 3-day events which may have some relevance for those working in the sector, shorter one- and two-day events and regional events are given below.

The summaries provide an overview of the events (and the organisation hosting the event if applicable), the length and costs of attending the event, with links to information about the content for the forthcoming and most recent events.

The following events are summarised below with further information and links given in the Appendix:

  • Two events similar to IWMW held in the US: Eduweb and HigEdWeb.
  • The J.Boye conference held in Denmark
  • High profile national events held in the UK aimed at those working in the digital environment in higher education: the UCISA Management/Leadership and UCISA CISG conferences aimed at those working in IT Service and MISC departments; the ALT-C conference aimed at those supporting teaching and learning in higher education and the CASE Europe Annual Conference conference aimed at those working in marketing.
  • The annual two-day Jisc Digital Festival.
  • One-day events organised by UniversitiesUK and CIM.

Summary

In brief the following points were noted which will be relevant when looking into the long-term sustainability of the IWMW event:

The Eduweb and HighEdWeb conferences in the US are comparable to IWMW, being targeted directly at those working in institutional web and digital teams in the US higher education community. As might be expected, these events are much larger than IWMW events; – although the main programme lasts for a similar length (3 days) they have many more sessions. The events also cost significantly more to attend (full rates are from $875 to $1,095 which excludes accommodation and additional pre- and post-event workshops) – in comparison attendance at IWMW 2017 cost £400 which included two nights’ accommodation.

J.Boye events, including meetings held in London (Content Strategy, Digital Strategy and Intranet and Collaboration), Manchester (Digital leadership and Employee Experience) and Scotland (Digital Strategy & Governance and Intranet & Collaboration) have attracted some interest. In addition to these one-day events the J.Boye conference, held in Aarhus, Denmark, may also be of interest although the conference is not aimed at the education sector.

The UCISA Leadership and UCISA CISG/PCMG conferences, however, are intended for those who work in IT in the UK’s higher education community. A number of sessions at these conferences are likely to be of interest to those working in digital teams, especially those with senior managerial responsibilities.

ALT-C conferences are also aimed at those who work in IT in the UK’s higher education community, especially those with interest in e-learning.

The CASE Europe Conferences are again aimed at educational institutions, and address institutional marketing issues.

The UCISA, ALT-C and CASE conferences are all 3-day events, which cost from £450 and £480 (UCISA conferences), £623 (ALT-C, no accommodation) and £995 (CASE Europe, no accommodation) although early bird discounts may be available. In contrast the two-day Jisc Digital Festival event is free for those working in the HE/FE sector. Although Jisc no longer directly supports those supporting web services, there will be sessions at this event which are likely to be of interest to those working in web and digital teams.

A number of one-day events are organised by various bodies which may be of interest. UniversitiesUK, for example, has hosted a one-day event on Innovations in University Marketing and Communications (costing £259) and CIM (the Chartered Institute of Marketing)  a one-day Digital Summit (although this event,. which costs £420 for CIM members, is not aimed at the HE sector. A more affordable regional one-day event is Camp Digital which takes place in May in Manchester, which has an early-bird rate of £99 and a full rate of £149.

Discussion

The 3-day IWMW event is more affordable than similar three-day events in the sector. However the US-based events do cover more topics than IWMW, so it would be helpful to explore the topics covered in order to see if there are emerging areas which we should look to address, either at this year’s IWMW 2018 event or at future events.

The US-based events, together with UCISA and ALT-C conferences have significant sponsorship arrangements. In addition they have more substantial governance models, with institutional membership rates helping to address possible financial risks associated with organising events.

For this year’s event we intend to take similar approaches to that taken since the event was relaunched in 2014, although the IWMW 2018 Advisory Group is paying a more significant role in the event planning.  But alongside the planning for the IWMW 2018 event we will also be looking into the longer-term sustainability for future events and the need for additional income if the event becomes larger or feels it would be beneficial for the community to attract high profile speakers, especially those based from outside the UK.

The next tangible action related to this work will be to analyse the content of the US-based conferences and to summarise the findings in a post on the IWMW blog. As ever, your thoughts on this post are welcomed.


Appendix: Summary of Events Similar To IWMW

The IWMW event series was launched in July 1997 and is probably the longest running national event focussed on the needs of those with responsibilities for managing institutional web sites in the higher education sector. As will be expected there are now similar events which take place in the US. A post published in February 2009 which asked “What Can We Learn From The eduWeb Conference?” described how the original conference started in 2000 although it previously had a different name and was relaunched in 2005. An updated summary of this event is given below.

Eduweb Conference

Summary: The Eduweb About page describes how:

eduWeb is a community of school professionals and industry partners who are passionate about advancing the communications field in education.  The self-sustaining conference is organized by volunteers and committee members from institutions around the country with year-round logistics managed by professional meeting planners.

and goes on to summarise the history of the event:

The eduWeb Digital Summit started in 2006 at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, MD. The conference has grown to attract 500+ attendees from 15 countries and 42 states.

eduWeb has established itself as the only conference focusing on your institution’s integrated digital marketing presence. Since its beginning 12 years ago, eduWeb has consistently seen an increase in the attendance of those working in the areas of:

  • Enrollment management
  • Advancement
  • Marketing communications
  • Web/IT

eduWeb prides itself in offering a diverse selection of presentations and pre-conference workshops from leading industry and higher education experts. The program focuses on the integration of mobile, social media, branding and communication content with programming, design, and analytics.

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: Eduweb 2017 was held on 7-9 August 2017. Eduweb 2018 will be held in San Diego, California on 23-25 July 2018.

Length: 2 days over 3 day (plus additional pre- and post-event workshops).

Content: The programme for the Eduweb 2017 event is available (PDF format).

Costs: Attendance at the Eduweb 2017 event cost $975 (early bird) or $1,095 with an additional $195 fee for half-day masterclass. Note this excluded accommodation (which was $209+tax).

HighEdWeb

Summary: As described on the HighEdWeb web siteHighEdWeb is the annual conference of the Higher Education Web Professionals Association, created by and for all higher education Web professionals—from programmers to marketers to designers to all team members in-between—who want to explore the unique Web issues facing colleges and universities.

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: HighEdWeb 2017 was held on 8-11 October 2017. HighEdWeb 2018 will be held in San Diego, California on 21-24 October 2018.

Length: 2 days over 3 day (plus additional pre- and post-event workshops).

Content: The schedule for the HighEdWeb 2017 event is available. Tracks held at the even covered Applications, Integration and Mobile; Development, Programming and Architecture; Marketing, Content and Social Strategy; Management and Professional Development; Technology in Education; Usability, Accessibility and Design and s Sponsors track (see details for the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the event. The additional sessions held over the weekend included a Technical AcademyContent/UX Academy and Leadership Academy.

Costs: Attendance at the for HigherEdWeb 2017 event cost $775 (early bird, Apr-July) or $875 (Aug-7 Sept) with an additional $160 for half-day pre- or post-conference workshop of $400 for two workshops. $400 for two-day Leadership, Content/UK or Technical academy .Accommodation costs are from $155/night.

Other Relevant International Events Of Interest to Digital Community

J.Boye Conference

Summary: J. Boye Aarhus Conference

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: The J.Boye 2017 conference was held in Aarhus, Denmark on 8-10 November 2017. The J.Boye 2018 conference will also be held in Aarhus on 6-8 November 2018.

Length: 3 full days.

Content: The programme for 2017 is available.

Costs £1,777 for 3 days, £1,375 for 2 days or £775 for 1 day (see prices) There is also a 10% early bird discount. Note discounts are available for J.Boye group members. There are UK groups based in London (Content Strategy, Digital Strategy and Intranet and Collaboration), Manchester (Digital leadership and Employee Experience) and Scotland (Digital Strategy & Governance and Digital Strategy & Governance). Note membership appears to cost from £1,350 per year).

Three Day Events Of Interest to Digital Community

UCISA Management/Leadership Conference

Summary: The UCISA web site explains how “Information technology and systems have become fundamental to universities, colleges and other educational institutions as vital infrastructure supporting an excellent student experience and operational efficiency. UCISA membership remains a priority for almost all UK universities and higher education colleges.”  and describes how “UCISA is a member-led, open, impartial and representative association. It provides a national and international presence for the people responsible for digital transformation and who make information systems and services work.” UCISA has several groups which organise annual conferences including the UCISA Management Conference which, this year, has been rebranded the UCISA Leadership Conference and the UCISA CISG () Conference,

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: UCISA 2017 was held in Newport, Wales on 8-10 March 2017. UCISA 2018 will be held  in Bournemouth on 7-9 March 2018.

Length: 2 days over 3 days with session on first morning for newcomers..

Content: The programme for UCISA 2017 is available. The draft programme for UCISA 2018 is available.

Costs£480 (including 2 night’s accommodation) for UCISA members or £650 for non-members. See the prices pageNote UCISA membership costs from £640-£2,560 for institutions, £1,920 for corporate members, £640 for affiliate membership or £400 for individual membership.

UCISA CISG/PCMG Conference

Summary: UCISA CISG (Corporate Information Systems Group) is a UCISA group which draws on the experience and shared knowledge of staff in the areas of Business and Corporate Information Systems. In recent years the annual UCISA CISG conference has been held in conjunction with the Project and Change Management Group (PCMG)

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: The UCISA CISG/PCMG 2017 conference was held in Manchester on 8-10 November 2017. UCISA CISG/PCMG 2018 will be held  in Glasgow on 21-23 November 2018.

Length: 2 days over 3 day (plus additional pre-event workshop).

Content: The programme for UCISA CISG/PCMG 2017 is available. The programme for UCISA CISG/PCMG 2018 is not yet available.

Costs£450 member residential rate; £600 non-member rate. See UCISA CISG 2017  prices.

ALT-C Conference

Summary“The ALT Annual Conference is an event managed by the Association for Learning Technology (ALT). ALT is the UK’s leading membership organisation in the learning technology field and a registered charity. Our purpose is to ensure that use of learning technology is effective and efficient, informed by research and practice, and grounded in an understanding of the underlying technologies, their capabilities and the situations into which they are placed.”

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: ALT-C 2017 was held in Liverpool  on 5-7 September 2017. ALT-C 2018 will be held in Manchester on 11-13 September 2018 and ALT-C 2019 will be held on 10-12 September 2019.

Length: 3 full days (plus additional pre-event workshop).

Content: The programme for ALT-C 2017 is available.

Costs£623 (for members, no accommodation) or £779 (for non-members). Accommodation for 2017 was £61/night. Note ALT membership costs £395-£963 (for organisations) or £54 (for individuals) or £1,390 (for sponsoring and partner members).

CASE Conference

SummaryCASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) is an international association of educational institutions.

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: CASE Europe Annual Conference 2017 was held in Birmingham  on 28 August – 1 September 2017. CASE Europe 2018 will be held in Edinburgh on 27-31 August 2018.

Length: 3 full days

Content: The programme for CASE Europe 2017 is available. The programme for 2018 is not yet available.

Costs£695 (early bird members rate); £750 (standard members rate) or £980 (early bird non-members rate) and £1,050 (non-members rate). Note does not include accommodation. 

Two Day Event Of Interest to Digital Community

Jisc Digital Festival

Summary: The Jisc Digital Festival “offers a unique opportunity to see, hear and share the latest thinking. [The event will] deliver an innovative schedule of keynotes, workshops, lightning talks and networking opportunities, presented by experts and peers from the further education and higher education sectors“. These events are aimed at “middle and senior managers from FE, HE and other education organisations”.

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: The Jisc Digital Festival 2017 was held in Birmingham on 8-10 March 2017. Jsc Digital Festival 2018 will be held  in on 7-9 March 2018.

Length: 2 days.

Content: See the programme (and slides) for Jisc Digital Festival 2017. The event features Exhibitor zones, Peer meetups, Hosted discussion lunch tables and Discovery tours (quick-stop tours of the exhibition, led by Jisc experts).

Costs: The event is free for members of the HE/FE sector. Otherwise attendance costs £130+VAT for 2 days. No accommodation is provided.

One Day Events Of Interest to Digital Community

UniversitiesUK Events

Summary: UniversitiesUK offer a number of one-day events, some of which may be relevant for those involved in providing digital services including the following:

Length: 1 day.

Content: The programme for 2017 is available. The draft programme for 2018 is available.

CostsPrice for typical UniversitiesUK events are £259 (HE delegates) or £359 (other).

CIM Digital Summit

Summary: CIM, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, organise a number of one-day events.

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: The one-day CIM Digital Summit was held in London on 17 October 2017.

Length: 1 day

Content: The programme for the CIM 2017 Digital Summit is available. It should be noted that the event is not aimed at the higher education sector.

Costs £420 (CIM member) or £480 (other).

Regional Event

Camp Digital

SummaryCamp Digital is “an inspirational conference that brings together the digital, design and UX communities for a series of seminars exploring the latest thinking in our industry.

Dates of recent and forthcoming events: Camp Digital 2017 was held in Manchester on 24 May  2017. Camp Digital 2018 will be held in Manchester on 2 May 2018.

Length: 1 day

Content: The speaker list for Camp Digital 2017 is available. The speaker list for Camp Digital 2018 is available.

Costs£99 (early bird) or £149.