IBTM Knowledge Virtual Centre will provide education on demand following shows.

The leading global event for the meetings and event industry, EIBTM, is set to launch its first Hybrid Conference at the show this year. The virtual conference will stream five key education sessions on Wednesday the November 28, 2012 from 9 am (CET) as they happen live at EIBTM, allowing virtual delegates to join over 150 physical attendees for a dedicated interactive experience.

In addition to the live-streamed education sessions, The Hybrid Conference will also feature a virtual exhibition hall, resource centre and networking lounge.

Participants joining the live streamed keynote and interactive panel discussions will be able to ask questions live to the conference hall via a virtual MC, network real time with other participants within the communications centre and earn CEU credits for each seminar they attend.

The virtual event centre will be available to access for 12 months following the show. Participants will be able to view sessions on-demand, network with other participants and gain access to various white papers, which have been produced through research in association with EIBTM.  In addition, content from the other IBTM events – AIME, GIBTM, CIBTM, AIBTM and BTM will all be available in the centre after each show.

The Hybrid Event will commence with a session delivered by Doug Keeley, CEO & Chief Storyteller, The Mark of a Leader, (9:00 am EST). Keeley will use live storytellers and powerful videos, referring to case studies including Cirque du Soleil, Dabbawala, Zappos and the Shackleton’s Endurance to inspire meetings industry professionals and demonstrate that new strategies and innovative plans are needed, in times of great uncertainty and change.

At 11:00am (EST), Sally Greenhill, Managing Director, The Right Solution and Rob Davidson, Senior Lecturer – Event Management, Greenwich University will combine forces in the The IBTM Research findings: A discussion. This dynamic session will take the existing global research findings one step further by providing a summary and interactive discussion platform of the industry-wide research.

The Hybrid Event will also include a session dedicated to Making Digital Events Happen at 1:45pm (EST). This session will commence with an outline of key building blocks essential for hybrid events, Presented by Paul Cook, Managing Director, Planet Planit. The session will then provide an interactive forum for both the physical and remote participants discussing what creates comfort at a hybrid event.

The last segment of this session will include an ‘on the couch’ question session facilitated by Paul Cook, Ruud Janssen, Founder, The New Objective Collective (TNOC) and Mike Clanton, Head of Global Corporate Event Solutions, My Meeting Professional (MMP) as they share some of their observations and experiences of what happens next with developing digital content, how to make the most of it and where your social media/communications strategy needs to go next.

Source: EIBTM