8EMESconf - Practical information and FAQs

1. Presentation and important dates
2. Conference rationale & thematic lines
3. Transdisciplinary Forum
4. Conference committees
5. Conference organisers
6. Abstract submission
7. Conference registration
8. Available support
9. Practical information and FAQs
10. Gallery

The Conference will have a hybrid format, so face-to-face and digital participation is foreseen. As organizers, we will continue to closely monitor the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic and keep all registered participants informed.

Preparing for an international research conference may be a daunting task, particularly after this pandemic year. We are aware that for many of you this will be your first travel abroad and we will do out best to create a unique moment of academic, professional and human exchange in Teruel.

We have prepared a list of questions that possibly addresses many of the doubts that you have with supporting documents and concrete information. However, if you still have any question or doubt, please do not hesitate to contact us at 8emesconf@emes.net

Most frequent questions (and answers!) for presenters and participants

1. General questions:

• 1.1 When and where will the 8th EMES Conference take place?
• 1.2 What will be the dynamic of the conference?
• 1.3 Are there any guidelines for presenting authors?
• 1.4 Will conference proceedings be published with the papers presented?
• 1.5 Is it true that EMES offers a Best Papers Award for PhD- and regular researcher-authored full papers?
• 1.6 Will there be a book-signing activity during the Conference?
• 1.7 What will be the time zone used for the Conference?
• 1.8 Where is Teruel, how do I get there and what are the accommodation options?

2. Registration process and platform:

• 2.1 How can I register and what does it cost to attend?
• 2.2 There are several authors in our accepted paper, who needs to register to the Conference?
• 2.3 Will I be able to change my registration from virtual to face-to-face in case I am able to travel in October?
• 2.4 What is the cancellation and reimbursement policy of the conference?
• 2.5 Are there any funds available to cover part of the cost of participating in the conference?

3. Other questions:

• 3.1 I’m new at the EMES conference? Is there any kind of welcoming for new comers?
• 3.2 I need a letter of invitation in order to process my visa application: how do I request one?
• 3.3 Will the face-to-face phase of the 7th COST-EMES-UCC training school take place in Teruel?
• 3.4 How do I participate in the Transdisciplinary Forum?
• 3.5 Are there any study visits scheduled and what do I need to do to sign up?
• 3.6 What is the social and cultural program for the Conference?

1. General Questions

1.1 When and where will the 8^th EMES Conference take place?

The 8^th edition of the EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise will take place in a hybrid format, combining synchronic (live) and asynchronic (pre-recorded) moments.

The face-to-face part of the Conference will be in the Teruel campus of the University of Zaragoza. The selection of this mid-size city campus for our international conference is the result of an interesting interaction with local, regional and national agents in the social enterprise and social economy ecosystem that we have summarized in this document.

The virtual part of the conference will take place on an online platform that is still in progress. It allow participants to join the sessions happening face-to-face, have access to simultaneous translation of the plenary sessions, and engage with pre-recorded sessions, and participate in live Q&As and chats. The possibility of networking with other conference attendees will also be possible. Registered remote participants will receive the login information in order to join the Conference from the place of their choice.

(Back to top)

1.2 What will be the dynamic of the conference?

As you know, there are different types of sessions in this Conference. Plenary sessions will combine face-to-face and online speakers and will be scheduled in the afternoon as a way to encourage participation from all parts of the world. Parallel sessions will be synchronic, with all presenting authors present at the time. We will do our best to schedule presenting authors at a time that is suitable with their time zone. Two chairs will be assigned to each parallel session and they will play a crucial role. They will be encouraged to contact the presenting authors in advance and organize a brief online meeting to get to know each other. Poster authors will submit their pre-recorded presentations in advance and then meet for a live session Tuesday afternoon during the Conference.

(Back to top)

1.3 Are there any guidelines for presenting authors?

Yes, there are full paper submission guidelines as well as guidelines for the recording and uploading of the poster presentation. You can find the former on the right hand side of this page while the latter will be published in early July on this “8EMESconf – Practical information” page.

Once you have completed your full text, please email it at 8emesconf_at_emes.net including in the subject “Full paper submission AUTHOR(S)’ LAST NAME (S)”. Please remember that if you wish to have your full paper considered for the Best Paper Award, you need to submit by June 25th, 2021. Should you prefer to submit your paper afterward for consideration in the EMES Selected Conference Papers series, you can do so until October 31st, 2021.

(Back to top)

1.4 Will conference proceedings be published with the papers presented?

Given the large number of papers presented at our conferences (almost 300), we usually don’t publish conference proceedings in the traditional sense of the term. Learning from our past experience and listening to the EMES community, we prefer to publish the majority of the full papers submitted in the form of EMES Selected Conference Papers (248 papers already published, ready to download). Should you be interested in having your full paper considered for this series, please be sure to follow the full paper guidelines available on the right hand side of this page and submit it by October 31st at the latest to the email 8emesconf_at_emes.net.

We also publish stunning conference reports that capture part of the academic quality of this international event and the human energy fueling the EMES community. We invite you to take a peak at those from the two previous conferences, 6EMESconf at Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium, 2017) and 7EMESconf at Sheffield (United Kingdom, 2019).

(Back to top)

1.5 Is it true that EMES offers a Best Paper Award for PhD- and regular researcher-authored full manuscripts?

Yes, this will be the 5^th edition of our EMES Best Conference Paper Award and it distinguishes the quality and original contribution of the research papers presented at the conference in two categories. Given the commitment of EMES with emerging scholars, the Award specifically distinguishes a PhD category but it also aims to emphasize the work of researchers who are in the initial phases of their careers.

A selection committee will be put together from the Scientific Committee to select the best papers based on the following selection criteria: academic quality, relevance, impact, originality, and overall contribution to the future of the research in the field of social enterprises. The two winning papers receive a symbolic prize and a certificate and undergo a layout process to make it easier to read. The winners from the last conference were Irina Opincaru from Romania in the PhD category (read the paper here) and Luigi Corvo, Lavinia Pastore, Emanuele Doronzo and Antonio Salvi from Italy (read the paper here). Remember that in order to be considered for this award you need to submit your paper by June 25^th, 2021.

(Back to top)

1.6 Will there be a book-signing activity during the Conference?

Indeed, although it will have to be adapted to the hybrid nature of the Conference. A call for submitting books to present will be launched to registered presenters in the summer. In short, two sessions will run in parallel: for the face-to-face one, we will gather authors in a room as we usually do while a virtual room will be opened for virtual participants where presenting authors/editors will be given a chance to present (5 min) and then interact with the rest. All presenting authors/editors will be invited to submit a 2-minute presentation about their books in advance that participants can watch in advance.

(Back to top)

1.7 What will be the time zone used for the Conference?

The Conference will take place in Central European Summer Time (CEST), UTC +2. While we understand that such time zone will not fit all participants, we will try and adapt presenting sessions to the times of the speakers and schedule the plenary sessions in the afternoon, so as to maximize the possibility of participants accessing from different parts of the world.

(Back to top)

1.8 Where is Teruel, how do I get there and what are the accommodation options?

You can download the document that we have prepared “How to get to Teruel & accommodation options” on the right side of this page.

(Back to top)

2. Registration Process and Platform

2.1 How can I register and what does it cost to attend?

Registration opened in April and can be completed through this link:

https://members.emes.net/event/8EMESconf

Regarding the registration fees, there will be different modalities of registration available and they are explained here. Members, including PhD students and regular researchers, enjoy a preferential registration fee so if you are a member already make sure to be logged into the members platform before proceeding to registration. If you are not a member yet and would like to sign up for your annual student or regular individual membership, you can do so easily here.

There is also a special registration fee for scientific committee members, non-OECD and ICSEM project members, and professionals interested in participating in the conference (in addition to the Transdisciplinary Forum).

Payments can be made via Paypal or bank transfer. Remember that if you are a presenter, you need to register by July 15^th (extended from June 25^th) so we can consolidate the program. In addition, remember that June 25^th is the deadline for registering with the early-bird registration (extended from the original May 28^th).

(Back to top)

2.2 There are several authors in our accepted paper, who needs to register to the Conference?

At least one presenting author must be registered in order for the paper to appear in the program. S/he does not have to me the main of the author of the paper. Registration is needed to present a paper and there are no single day registrations. Please remember that only registered and participating authors will be able to request a certificate for conference attendance.

(Back to top)

2.3 Will I be able to change my registration from virtual to face-to-face in case I am able to travel in October?

Indeed, you will be able to shift between registration categories once by the final registration deadline, which is on September 13^th, 2021. In case you register under the face-to-face fee and in the end you are unable to travel due to mobility restrictions, you will be able to change to the digital fee and we will reimburse the fee difference.

(Back to top)

2.4 What is the cancellation and reimbursement policy of the conference?

Refunds will be possible for cancellations notified by written notice before September 13th, 2021. Except in the case of mobility restrictions applied by public authorities, a 50 € administrative fee will be charged. There will be no refunds for cancellations made after September 13th, 2021.

(Back to top)

2.5 Are there any funds available to cover part of the cost of participating in the conference?

Indeed, the 8EMESconf is co-organized by the COST Action Empower-SE. This means that there is a budget assigned to PhD candidates, early career researchers and scholars to participate in this Conference to cover travel, accommodation and meals. Registration fees are not covered. If you are interested in being considered for this funding, you need to indicate so in the registration form and set up your profile on the e-COST platform as son as possible if you don’t have it yet.

(Back to top)

3. Other Questions

3.1 I’m new at the EMES conference? Is there any kind of welcoming for new comers?

Welcome to our conference! You will see that you feel part of a scholar and human community right away. We have a system of “fellow partners” for new PhDs and scholars coming for the first time. This means that we will match you up with one of our members who will greet and guide you through the “Teruel 8EMESconf zoo” (to use the expression coined by our PhD community!

(Back to top)

3.2 I need a letter of invitation in order to process my visa application: how do I request one?

No problem. We can provide one to registered participants. You can email us at 8emesconf@emes.net with all your details (full name, passport number, country of origin and birth) so we can prepare one for you.

(Back to top)

3.3 Will the face-to-face phase of the 7^th COST-EMES-UCC training school take place in Teruel?

Yes, indeed. The face-to-face part of the 7^th COST-EMES-UCC training school will take place during the conference. We are still working the details and will communicate with all the participants as soon as it is ready.

(Back to top)

3.4 How do I participate in the Transdisciplinary Forum?

The Transdisciplinary Forum (TF) will take place in the morning and afternoon of Monday, October 4^th, before the official start of the Conference. If you are registered to the Conference, your registration to the TF will be included. If you only participate in the TF, then you need to register in the platform that will be set up in September.

(Back to top)

3.5 Are there any study visits scheduled and what do I need to do to sign up?

The last day of the conference, Friday, October 8^th, we will propose a trip to Zaragoza to visit the local social enterprise and social economy ecosystem. If you are interested in participating, please email us at 8emesconf@emes.net although we will approach conference participants in advance once we have defined the plan for the day.

(Back to top)

3.6 What is the social and cultural program for the Conference?

We are still working on this and will update this question as soon as we have confirmed the program but get ready to enjoy a region with unique cultural and natural resources!

(Back to top)