Organising a scientific conference

It is essential to start planning the conference well in advance. Ensure that the dates you choose do not clash with other events. Check Lund University’s calendar (in Swedish) as well as the department’s Google calendar. Also, consult with colleagues to see if any other events have already been scheduled for the same dates. For instance, a major conference in another country might be taking place at the time you have in mind.

Once you have found a suitable date, you must apply for approval to organise the conference. Once your conference is approved, you can proceed with the planning process.

The larger the conference, the earlier you need to start. Be mindful that many administrative staff are on leave during the summer, so if your planning period includes summer, you will need to start even earlier.

Depending on the number of participants, follow these minimum planning timeframes:

• Up to 100 participants: Start planning at least six months in advance.
• More than 100 participants: Start planning at least one year in advance.

If there are more than 50 participants and at least half of them are external participants who pay a registration/participation fee, you may apply for an exemption from overhead (OH). Information on the applicable regulations can be found in the document Exemptions for indirect costs for conferences and congresses, available on the Staff Pages (in Swedish; new tab, PDF, 204 kB).

To apply for an OH exemption, you must submit a paper form to the Dean (contact details can be found on the faculty’s website). You will receive the form from your division’s financial administrator, who can also assist you in completing it.

Additionally, check the OH costs associated with the venue you have booked. For example, if you book AF-borgen, you must always pay OH, whereas certain other venues do not require it.
If you are unable to apply for an OH exemption, it is crucial to create a preliminary budget that includes OH costs for the entire conference. Ensure clear communication with your immediate supervisor. You can use this Excel file to create a simple budget (download; xlsx; 10 kB).

Here are some potential sources where you may be able to apply for funding for a conference. The links lead to external websites.

• Fysiografen (please note that only members of the academy can apply for funding from the Guest Lecturer Fund).
• Crafoord Foundation
• Hans Kristiansson’s Scholarship Fund
• Carl Tryggers Foundation (in Swedish)
• Academic societies, such as the Society for Experimental Biology.
• Journals or society-based editorial boards, such as Nordic Oikos, which now offers targeted funding for networking meetings, and the Journal of Thermal Biology.
• Visit Skåne provides information on how to attract events or large meetings to Skåne (in Swedish). The site also outlines the requirements for Visit Skåne to become a partner. They only fund initiatives that create added value for Lund and Skåne.

For more details on sponsorship regulations, please refer to the Staff WPages.

• Form a working group and allocate tasks accordingly.
• Ensure that relevant administrators and communicators are included in the working group from the outset.
• Assign responsibilities and conduct regular follow-ups.
• Prepare a work plan and a checklist outlining who is responsible for each task and when it should be completed. Example of a checklist (download; xlsx; 10 kB).
• Share information via platforms such as OneDrive.
• Decide on an internal communication strategy. Avoid long email threads sent to everyone and aim for clear, concise communication.

Select a venue based on the size of the conference. Keep in mind that some venues require you to use specific catering services. Always check this well in advance with the venue you are booking. Information on contracted catering services can be found in Lupin.

On-site at the Ecology Building or other Lund University venues

Here, you can find an overview of available venues at the Department of Biology, along with booking instructions. In the TimeEdit booking system, you can book Blå Hallen (110 people) and Röda Rummet (100 people) yourself. For all other bookings, contact Jóhanna Bjarney Jónsdóttir.

The links lead to external websites

• AF-borgen venues and booking information.
• Venues at Forum Medicum and BMC – To book a venue, send a request to bmc [dot] reception [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se. Please note that a technical setup session must also be booked via the Faculty of Medicine intranet.
• Science Village Hall – Large conference hall in Brunnshög (in Swedish).
• An overview of larger venues at Lund University can be found on the LTH website (in Swedish).

External venues

• Booking conference venues outside Lund University – Information is available on the Staff Pages.
• Contracted external venues can be found in Lupin/Proceedo under Purchasing > Conference Booking and Congress Management > Meeting and Congress Management Services.

If you need assistance in finding a suitable venue, you can contact Visit Lund, which is part of Lund Municipality.

Visit Lund
Phone: +46 46 13 14 15
Email: info [at] visitlund [dot] se

If you wish to book a venue that is not contracted, the booking must be made through Svenska Möten, and an additional fee will apply as invoicing is handled through them.

Svenska Möten
Phone: +46 (0)771 505 500
Email: lundsuniversitet [at] svenskamoten [dot] se

Ensure that responsibilities and communication channels are clearly defined from the outset. Identify what the other organisation expects and communicate your own expectations as well. Make it clear in the programme or on the website whom participants should contact for different matters, such as finance, programme details, etcetera.

Our communication officers, Inger Ekström (Inger [dot] Ekstrom [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se) and Anders Örtegren (Anders [dot] Ortegren [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se), can assist you with the external communication for the conference.

Website

Does the conference require a dedicated website? For smaller conferences, a page on the department’s external website may be sufficient. If the conference needs a separate website, it is crucial to start the process well in advance (at least six months before the event). The decision to create a new website involves several approval stages, which can take time.

For the website, you will need to prepare image and text materials. Before you begin, contact Inger Ekström for guidance on what to consider and what materials are required.

Marketing

The department’s communication officers can also assist with conference marketing. Make sure to contact them well in advance of the conference.

Printed materials

Printing is handled by Media-Tryck, Lund University’s printing service. They offer special templates for name badges and other conference materials. The department’s communication officers can also assist with the layout of conference materials.

To ensure a safe and inclusive environment at conferences, it is essential to follow clear guidelines for preventing harassment.

Appoint volunteers as support persons

Designate a group of volunteers to act as support persons. These volunteers must undergo training before the conference, where they will receive instructions on how to handle situations involving harassment. Support persons should be easily accessible to participants and have clearly defined roles during the conference.

Risk analysis and safety planning

Conduct a risk analysis and identify potential risk factors. For instance, doctoral students or other junior participants should not travel alone to the conference. Additionally, consider a seating plan –open seating is recommended to prevent participants from being placed in uncomfortable situations.

Zero-tolerance policy against harassment

Clearly communicate that there is zero tolerance for any form of harassment. All participants should be informed of this policy in advance. Ensure that they know how to report incidents and that there is a process in place for relocating or removing individuals who engage in harassment.

Engaging a professional conference organiser can significantly ease the workload when planning a conference. They can assist with registrations, payments, and catering, among other tasks.

LU Konferens offers a wide range of services for organising conferences. A list of the services they provide can be found on the Staff Pages.

In Lupin (external website), you can view the contracted conference organisers. The platform also provides detailed descriptions of the services each provider offers.

Where possible, invited speakers should arrange their own accommodation and travel and then invoice the Department of Biology. The invoice must include specific information, which can be found on Lund University’s contact page. If the lecturer is unable to issue an invoice, you must book travel and accommodation through our travel agency, BCD Travel.

Please keep in mind that Tax-Free Reimbursement (expense claims) is a time-consuming task for our administrators. Therefore, it is not a good idea for lecturers to book their own accommodation, as hotels are then unlikely to send us an invoice.

Visit Lund provides information on accommodation options, ranging from Airbnb to large hotels. Participants are always responsible for booking their own accommodation and travel.

Unfortunately, the department does not have the resources to manage conference fees internally. If you plan to charge a conference fee, you must use a professional conference organiser.

However, we can create registration forms on the conference website and provide links to an external payment solution, if applicable.

A detailed schedule should be in place so everyone knows where they need to be and what tasks they are responsible for. Additionally, establish a backup plan to ensure that roles can be covered in case of illness.

Presence of support persons

Support persons should be available throughout the entire conference and easily recognisable to participants. They should pay special attention to situations where alcohol is served, as the risk of harassment may increase in such settings. Support persons should act quickly and non-confrontationally if an incident occurs and always acknowledge and support the affected individual.

Active observers

In addition to support persons, conference hosts and other responsible staff should act as active observers. They should be vigilant about any potential issues and intervene when necessary. These individuals also have a duty to maintain a safe environment and ensure that all participants feel secure.

Grounds for discrimination

Harassment can take many forms. In addition to sexual harassment, observers and support persons should also be aware of other grounds for discrimination, such as gender, age, ethnicity, and religion, and ensure that no forms of discrimination occur.

Always ask for consent before taking photos of participants. Encourage attendees in the invitation/registration process to inform the organisers if they do not wish to be photographed.
During the conference, you can designate a specific area where no photography is allowed.
If you require assistance with photography, please contact one of the communication officers well in advance.

After the conference, participants should be offered an anonymous evaluation form to provide feedback on both the conference content and any experienced safety concerns. Formulate the questions in a way that encourages honest feedback, for example, by using non-confrontational open-ended questions. You can create a survey yourself using Sunet Survey (available on the Staff Pages).

Review the budget and report any surplus or deficit in consultation with the financial administrator. This may include decisions on how to manage any surplus or which costs need to be covered in the event of a deficit.

Formal reporting

When reporting harassment, incidents should be documented, and a formal investigation should be initiated if necessary. Anonymity cannot always be guaranteed during an investigation, but it is crucial to ensure that affected individuals receive full support throughout the process.

Support and follow-up

Support persons and other staff should remain available even after the conference to provide follow-up and continued support to those who may have been affected. It is also important to inform participants about the measures taken to ensure that everyone feels heard and safe.