International Society for Aging and Physical Activity

Guidelines for the Preparation and Submission of Proposals for Hosting the World Congress on Aging and Physical Activity

Definition, Goals and Objectives
History
Organizational Structure
Congress Committees
Types of Sessions
Financial Arrangements
Sources of Income
Expenditures
Accounting
Awards
Aging and Physical Activity Lifetime Achievement Award
Raymond Harris Award
Timeline
Submission of a Proposal to Host a World Congress
Structure of the Proposal
Submission Procedures
Procedures for Review of World Congress Proposals

1. Definition, Goals and Objectives:

Every four years, the scientific community from around the world gathers together in an international scientific congress to exchange the latest research findings and clinical developments in the area of aging and physical Activity. The World Congress on Aging and Physical Activity is the principal professional meeting in the world whose goal is to disseminate information about the physical activity needs of older persons. The World Congress is designed to be an interdisciplinary forum in which information pertaining to the relationship between physical activity and the aging process is disseminated.

The Congress is organized in such a way as to be of interest and relevance to both researchers and practitioners. In addition to original research reports and scholarly symposia, the Congress also provides an opportunity for the presentation of information pertaining to the development, implementation, and evaluation of physical activity programs for older adults. Papers from the biological, behavioral, and social sciences, as well as from professional fields such as medicine, clinical psychology, physical and recreational therapy, health, physical education, and recreation are appropriate for presentation at the Congress. In addition, social programs and other special events involving older persons have become important components of previous World Congress programs.

2. History

The World Congress on Aging and Physical Activity has emerged from a series of international scientific meetings, the first of which was held in West Point, NY, USA, in 1984. Subsequent meetings were held in Budapest (1988), Jyvaskyla (1992), Heidelberg (1996), and Orlando (1999). The original impetus behind these international congresses came from the Center for the Study of Aging in Albany, NY initially under the direction of Raymond Harris, MD and more recently by Sara Harris. In recent years the international congresses have been co-sponsored by a variety of different scientific, professional, commercial, and non-governmental organizations including the World Health Organization Programme on Aging and Health, the United Nations Programme on Aging, the Center for the Study of Aging in Albany, the European Union, the American Senior Fitness Association, and Human Kinetics.

To date, no formal procedures or guidelines with respect to the World Congress organizational structure and financial parameters have been established. As a result, each World Congress Program Committee has had to design and implement operating procedures without the benefit of the experience gained by previous program organizers. Furthermore, the criteria used for the assignment of World Congresses to specific international sites remain unspecified and are not open to public scrutiny.

A major goal behind the establishment of ISAPA is to provide a membership-based organization that is charged with the oversight, supervision, and assignment of future world congresses. By electing executive committee members from the community of scholars from each of four geographic regions around the world, ISAPA has the breadth, diversity, and credibility to ensure that future World Congresses are assigned, organized, and administered in an equitable manner.

3. Organizational Structure

The most recent World Congresses have been held over a 5-day period. During the 5-day span, academic and professional programming is accompanied by social programming to allow international delegates to interact with each other. The organization of such a Congress requires the involvement of international and local representatives.

Congress Committees

Although other committees may be formed, two are essential to the management of the Congress: a local organizing committee and a program committee.

The Local Organizing Committee is entrusted with managing the Congress. Groups from any country may apply to be the organizers of future Congresses. Priority will be given to geographic regions in which the Congress has not been held. The organizing committee must be able to demonstrate its ability to finance the Congress, select a site; plan for appropriate sessions; develop and implement marketing, promotional, and sponsorship efforts; manage the registration process; and provide professional on-site and post-event conference management. Members of the committee should be offered a complimentary registration in compensation for their work on the Congress.

The Program Committee is essential to the academic and professional integrity of the Congress. This committee must operate independently of the local organizing committee and any sponsors. The committee should show a balance between regional and international representation as well as covering a wide spectrum of academic and professional interest areas.

The committee is charged with selecting the invited presenters and selecting the presentations to be included in the Congress from those abstracts submitted. The committee will schedule meetings at one or more international conferences prior to the Congress. Attendance at any meetings is at the committee member’s expense and not mandatory. The committee chairperson must provide alternative methods for individuals to provide input. Committee members should be provided with a complimentary registration in compensation for their efforts.

Types of sessions

Speakers and organizers for invited presentations should be selected carefully to ensure involvement of world-renowned researchers and practitioners, quality of presentations, variability of content, and international inclusiveness. Submitted presentations are those presentations that attendees have submitted to the program committee. The program committee selects which presentations should be included in the Congress based on merit, topic, and international representation. In planning for both invited and submitted presentations, adequate time should be allotted for attendees to ask questions of the speakers.

Keynote presenters should be internationally renowned individuals that researchers and practitioners would like to hear speak on an important topic of international interest. Such presentations should not be region-specific. These speakers are invited presenters.

Symposia can be either invited or submitted. Each Congress should include a number of invited symposia organized by internationally renowned scholars. In past Congresses, 10-20 invited symposia have been scheduled. In general, an organizer is invited to ask 3-5 colleagues to join together in presenting information about an issue of importance through interrelated presentations. Involvement of international speakers is preferred.

Hands-on presentations, or workshops, have become popular outlets for professionals to share their knowledge. Again, each Congress should offer invited workshops as well as accept submitted workshops for presentation. Workshops often demand a larger space so that attendees have space to move about while engaged in active learning.

Oral presentations are submitted presentations. These presentations are generally 15-20 minutes in length and are grouped together with other presentations in related interest areas.

Poster presentations are also submitted presentations. Presenters display their material on bulletin boards for several hours. At the close of the poster session, an hour or more is set aside for presenters to be stationed at their poster in order to answer questions about their work and interact with other attendees. Such presentations can be either research or practice oriented.

Roundtables are much less formal submitted presentations. The presenter provides a small amount of information to a small group gathered around a table. Once the initial information has been provided, the presenter serves as the moderator for the small group discussion.

Often Special Programs are of value to international attendees. These programs may include demonstrations by older adult activity groups, tours of local facilities, or volunteer activities at a local site.

Social Programs are important to the spirit of the Congress. In addition to receptions and banquets designed to bring attendees together and encourage networking, other events such as tour packages are excellent ways to share local sites with international visitors. While some receptions might be included in the Congress registration, it is quite appropriate to charge extra fees for involvement in such social programming.

4. Financial Arrangements

It is important that the Local Organizing Committee be prepared to assume the financial risk associated with managing a World Congress. We estimate the need to secure funding of up to $185,000 (1998 US dollars) to meet the financial obligations for managing the Congress.

Sources of Income

The Local Organizing Committee can count on income from the following sources:

Registration income
Sponsorships
Exhibitors

Registration

It is important to keep registration fees as close as possible to the fees charged at the previous conference. Fees within 10% of the previous conference registration fee are acceptable. ISAPA members must be given a 15-20% discount on registration fees.

Sponsorships

The Local Organizing Committee is encouraged to seek sponsorship from outside organizations and companies to help defray the costs of the program. External sponsorship will be necessary in order to provide travel funds and honoraria or stipends for invited speakers.

Exhibitors

The Local Organizing Committee may sell exhibition space to companies wishing to reach the worldwide audience attracted by the conference. Exhibit rates may be set at the discretion of the Local Organizing Committee.

Expenditures

The Local Organizing Committee will have numerous expenses in the management of the World Congress. Proposals for hosting the Congress should include coverage of the travel and living expenses of the Keynote speakers and the ISAPA Officers (President, President-Elect, and Secretary-Treasurer). In addition, honoraria must be paid to the keynote speakers and stipends provided for each of the symposia.

Travel and Living Expenses

The Congress organizers are responsible to provide airline transportation in coach class; transportation to and from the airport both at the individual’s point of embarkation and at the Congress site; lodging at the Congress hotel; meals during the Congress; and access to all Congress events to the keynote speakers and the ISAPA President, President-Elect, and Secretary-Treasurer.

Honoraria

Keynote speakers must receive an honorarium for their participation. Previous Congresses have paid honoraria in the region of $500 (US). These individuals also receive a complimentary Congress registration.

Stipends

Organizers of each invited symposium should be given a sum of money to use as they see fit to provide funds to the symposium speakers. It is the organizer’s responsibility to determine how the funds should be divided. Previous Congresses have paid stipends of $2,500 (US) for each invited symposium. One complimentary registration should be granted for each symposium.

Workshop presenters may or may not be given a stipend. If no stipend is provided, presenters should be offered a complimentary Congress registration and access to Congress events.

ISAPA Officers (President, President-Elect, and Secretary-Treasurer) receive no honorarium unless they are invited speakers. However, they should be give complimentary Congress registrations.

Accounting

The Local Organizing Committee must, within 90 days of the close of the Congress, provide the ISAPA Executive Committee with a full accounting of all income and expense associated with the Congress. The Local Organizing Committee may assign a fair value to cover overheads for its management of the Congress and charge a fair rate for the work done on the Congress. Upon acceptance of the financial report by the ISAPA Executive Committee, any remaining funds from the Congress will be transferred to ISAPA within 30 days for use in conducting its business. Any losses associated with the management of the Congress are the sole responsibility of the Local Organizing Committee.

5. Awards

Aging and Physical Activity Lifetime Achievement Award

This award is presented at each World Congress to the individual who, through his or her actions, has made a significant contribution to the field of aging and physical activity. The ISAPA Executive Committee selects the recipient after a review of nominations made by members.

Raymond Harris Memorial Award

This award is presented at each World Congress. The Board of Directors of the Center for the Study of Aging in Albany, NY selects the recipient of this award, which is made in memory of Raymond Harris, MD.

6. Timeline

We recommend adhering as closely as possible to the timetable below to ensure optimal opportunity to promote the World Congress.

Submission of Proposal 4 months prior to the preceding World Congress

Evaluation of Submitted Proposals by ISAPA 3 months prior to the preceding World Congress

Presentation to ISAPA Executive Committee At the preceding World Congress

Notification of Acceptance of Proposal At the close of the preceding World Congress

Acceptance of Proposal At the close of the preceding World Congress

Committee Meetings As soon after notification as possible

Program Committee Meeting At an international meeting within 1 year of the notification

Keynotes and Invited Symposia Selected 20 months prior to the World Congress

Call for Abstracts and First Announcement 18 months prior to the World Congress

Deadline for Submissions 9 months prior to the World Congress

Abstract Review Committee Meeting 9 months prior to the World Congress

Notification of Submitted Presenters 8 months prior to the World Congress

Additional Marketing Efforts 8 months prior to the World Congress

7. Submission of a Proposal to Host a World Congress

Structure of the Proposal

Proposals to host a World Congress should include sections detailing the following information:

Proposed location and dates of the Congress. Although the Congress dates and site do not need to be exact, information about the proposed month and city, along with a rationale for hosting the Congress at the proposed time and location is vital.
Goals and Objectives. Please include a description of the programming emphasis you would like to pursue if your proposal is accepted.
Provisional Program Committee membership. The listing of Program Committee members should include their affiliation and interest area within the field of aging and physical activity.
Local Hosts. Please include a statement of the credentials and experience of the host group in managing international meetings.
Program Outline. Provide a skeleton outline of the days of the Congress and how the sessions will be allotted throughout the Congress.
Proposed Financial Arrangements. Provide evidence of the ability to generate funds to support the World Congress. Specifically, detail plans for sponsorships, registration fees, and exhibit fees. In addition, provide a preliminary statement of the honoraria and expenses to be paid by the Congress.
Timetable. Prepare a timetable for the development of the World Congress. The ISAPA Executive Committee will consider this timetable in its deliberations. ISAPA will be looking for a plan that provides adequate planning and promotion time to ensure a successful meeting.
Benefits of the Proposal. Describe why ISAPA should select your proposal. In preparing this section, assume that the Committee is unfamiliar with the personalities, experience, and location that you are proposing. Explain why should your proposal be selected over other proposals.

Submission Procedures

Those interested in submitting a proposal to host a future World Congress should submit 15 copies of their proposal to the ISAPA President no later than four (4) months prior to the next scheduled World Congress. Proposals for the World Congress scheduled for 2003 are due by April 15, 1999.

The ISAPA Executive Committee will determine which of the proposals submitted warrant further discussion and will invite the appropriate individuals to make a presentation to the Committee at the scheduled World Congress. By May 15, 1999, the potential local organizers will be invited to make their presentations. Those applicants not being selected to make a presentation will be notified of their status by the same date.

Those making presentations will be notified of the status of their proposal by the ISAPA Executive Committee while at the World Congress. ISAPA hopes to be able to announce the tentative date and location of the next World Congress at the close of the current event.

8. Procedures for Review of World Congress Proposals

Proposals are submitted to the ISAPA President, who will share them with the other members of the Executive Committee, which will select invite selected applicants to make a presentation at the World Congress. Following all of the presentations, the Executive Committee will, by a simple majority vote, determine which, if any, proposal to accept.

The following criteria will be considered in deciding which proposal to accept:

Completeness of proposal
Composition of the Program Committee
Feasibility
Previous experience
Fiscal soundness
Ease of access/attractiveness of location
Equitable rotation of World Congress sites among geographic regions