Earlier this year, we saw not one, but two impactful conferences being held by our Social Work and Social Policy department in Humanities and Social Sciences.
In June, we welcomed almost 300 delegates for the Joint Social Work and Social Policy Annual UK Conference, the UK's only conference covering the whole of the social work field. Taking place over two days, the conference acknowledged the vital role of social work during the pandemic and its continuing importance as we confront the ongoing challenges of Covid-19.
Delegates were treated to some thought-provoking abstract presentations with one attendee installing a Shepherd’s Hut outside the venue and another using a unicycle during her timeslot, both firsts for us at TIC!
_-_1600_x_600.jpg "TIC Auditorium B&C combined. Photo: Lucy Knott")
The team then quickly turned their attention to the 5th International Sexuality and Social Work Conference which saw almost 200 delegates arrive at TIC in the middle of July which focused on “Everyday gender and sexuality: justice, rights and activism in social work and helping professions”.
In addition to using our award-winning facilities, the team also took advantage of our Conference Management Service, available to all internal members of staff at the University when running an event, offering an alternative to external Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs). The service support clients with delegate registration, the management of abstract submission and review and the creation of event websites and conference apps meaning we can dramatically reduce the burden of organising a conference for our academic colleagues. This allows them the space to focus on the content of the conference, ensuring the programme is topical and relevant for delegates.
Dr Trish Hafford-Leitchfield, Professor of Social Work said: “We were ambitious enough to think that we could run two international conferences within two months. This is where the Conference Management Service was absolutely invaluable. Their friendly, expert and knowledgeable staff guided us through the whole process.”
With both conferences using our registration management service and support with abstracts, alongside a conference app and website, they made full use of the services on offer.
We’ve recently launched a new Sharepoint site for our internal colleagues where you can find lots of handy hints and tips about organising a conference and how we can support you. Make sure you check it out if you’re thinking about embarking on the challenge - we’re here to help.
What a feat for the Social Work and Social Policy department! With delegates attending from across the globe, and equality and human rights being at the heart of the knowledge exchange and policy changing discussions, it’s safe to say that both conferences have made a huge contribution in their field.
If you’re keen to host a conference and want to find out more, we’re always around for a chat! Please do get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!