Final Report on ICEE - 1999

Report on the development and realisation
of the International Conference on Engineering Education, ICEE'99, 10. 8. - 14. 8. 1999,
Ostrava and Prague, Czech Republic.

Technical University of Ostrava Prof. Ing. Vaclav Roubicek, CSc. Prof. Ing. Tomas Cermak, CSc. Prof. Ing. Jaromir Polak, CSc. Ing. Andrea Krizakova Ing. Radim Farana, CSc.

Ostrava, 1999

1 Introduction

The objective of this report is a brief outline of turning points concerning the development and realisation of the International Conference on Engineering Education, ICEE'99, which took part at the VSB-Technical University of Ostrava and Czech Technical University in Prague, in August, 1999.

For the Conference development, opportunities offered by IT's were fully observed. For this reason an indispensable part of this report is a brief characterisation of the Conference communication system made by Dr Farana.

2 Basic data on action

Title:

Subtitle:

Date and Venue:

Organisers:

Preceding action:

3 Schedule for ICEE'99 Development

8/1997

ICEE'97, Chicago, USA - the ICEE Steering Committee decided that ICEE in 1999 would take place in the Czech Republic at VSB-Technical University of Ostrava.

8/1998

• A large delegation of VSB-TUO academics and representatives of big industry in Ostrava region took part in ICEE'98 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
• At the festive closing of ICEE'98, Rector of VSB-TUO, Prof Roubicek, invites to participation at ICEE'99 in Ostrava.

9/1998

Development and publication of the first Web pages for the Conference.

9/1998

Establishing National Committees – Organising Committee (Prof Cermak, Chair), Programme Commitee (Prof Polak, Chair), nominating their members from University staff, allocation of responsibilities.

10/1998

Commencement of data filing (name, institution, address…) of possible participant in the KONFER System (format, ACCESS, author, Dr Radim Farana),

Data input source provided by the List of Participants at ICEE'98, and SEFI Guide 1997 (list of HEI's in Europe).

Deficiency: In spite of repeated soliciting, Mr L Scavardo do Carno did not provided the ICEE'99 List of Participants in electronic form which asked for laborious copying. This meant delay and implicated potential error.

10-12/1998

Bulk e-mailing of about 1200 possible participants – Call for participation, Information on tentative subjects and schedule, the so called Call for Papers.

Advantage: all messages for all participants (inclusive addressing) are simply generated form the general database KONFER System, which was the case with all other correspondence.

Deficiency: The message, Call for Papers, was adapted several times (it concerned especially deadlines for abstracts and later Papers themselves). The last change was as late as in April 1999, which meant confusion for those who had been the first senders.

10/1998

• Receipt of the first abstracts understood as first applications for ICEE'99
  Abstract form:
  1. Online application form
  2. By e-mail on the address icee99@vsb.cz
• Personal data on applied participants and abstracts of their presentations filed in KONFER System; participants and abstracts received identification number.

11/1998

Steering Committee Meeting for ICEE'99 took place at VSB-TUO: members informed about standing development; members acquainted with Secretariat services and Communication System facilities.

11/1998

Producing and dispatching leaflets which contained similar information as Call for Papers, the so called First Announcement; sent by post to leading staff of important universities, enterprises, and other institutions active in education; leaflets attached to Rector's Letter of Invitation and such more significant than sole e-mail messages.

1/1999

• Online instruction for format of Papers introduced,
• Presenters informed about acceptance of their Papers, and simultaneously provided with information on Paper format.

3/1999

Preparing official application forms.

4/1999

• On assessment of Papers provided, individual tentative Sessions defined
• From ranks of VSB-TUO staff, guarantors of Sessions nominated; guarantors commissioned with selection of Papers for their Sessions.

5/1999

• Second Announcement developed, booklet informing on Sessions, Papers and presenters, Hotels, transport, payments, etc.,
• About 600 booklets dispatched by post to those already applied and also other possible participants, important education institutions, and many representatives from industry,
• Final Application Forms:

  1. Final Application Form inclusive information on payment mode,
  2. Order of accommodation in Ostrava and Prague from offered choice,
  3. Application form for accompanying programme;

  These made available to participants in three options:

  1. Online application via ICEE'99 Web pages,
  2. Application Form for downloading in MS Word format,
  3. Hard copy attachment to Second Announcement - Application Forms attached to dispatched booklets;

• Note for b) and c): Completed forms could be faxed or sent by post to Conference Secretariat.

Deficiency: Original Application Forms did not contain information on payments - later participants had to fill in for the second time; also online Application Forms did not contain data on payments and participants usually applied twice, sometimes giving different information.

6/1999

• Participants who had applied by means of Final Application Forms, and sent their Papers in full text, were informed about final acceptance,
• Papers allocated to individual Sessions (Poster or oral presentation) or Panel Discussions.

7/1999

• Developing and publishing the Conference Final Programme,
• Printing of the Proceedings of Abstracts and producing the Conference Proceedings on CD-ROM,
• Preparing publicity materials for the Conference.

8/1999

Completing materials for registered participants.

4 Realisation of ICEE'99

a) ICEE'99 in Ostrava

8-9 August 1999

Registration of participants

9 August 1999

Hradec nad Moravici - social event, dinner, informal opening of the Conference, distinction of the Conference IP's – awarded with Commemorative Medal, 150^th Anniversary Celebrations of VSB-TUO.

10 August 1999

• DK Vitkovice, Ostrava - Formal Opening of ICEE'99 jointly with the Festive Sitting of the VSB-TUO Scientific Board,
• VSB-TUO Campus, Ostrava-Poruba - Presentations in individual Sessions and Panel Discussions, Part I,
• DK Vitkovice, Ostrava - Concert of Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra.

11 August 1999

• VSB-TUO Campus, Ostrava-Poruba - Presentations in individual Sessions and Panel Discussions, Part II,
• VSB-TUO Campus, Ostrava-Poruba - Poster presentations,
• Roznov pod Radhostem, Walachian Open Air Museum, social event, dinner.

12 August 1999

• VSB-TUO Campus, Ostrava-Poruba - Presentations in individual Sessions and Panel Discussions, Part III,
• Transfer of participants by special conference coach train to Prague.

b) ICEE'99 in Prague

13 August 1999

• Czech Technical University in Prague - Workshops,
• Bethlehem Chapel - Concert, Formal Closing of ICEE'99.

14 August 1999

• Czech Technical University in Prague - Special Seminar for Invited Delegates.

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