A cactus, mobile phone, laptop showing open conference call, and blue pen.

At the virtual conference

What to expect of the virtual elements at this year's conference.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the Annual Conference.

This page provides more information about arrangements for those attending online. If you are attending the conference in person, you can plan your attendance for in-person sessions and events.

To join a specific session, find the session you are intending to join in the online programme, then click 'view stage' under 'ways to watch' (the box to the right of the session description). You will be taken to the online 'stage' and, from there, given the option to 'click to join' the livestream.

Sessions taking place in-person only will not be live-streamed to online delegates or available for these delegates to join.

Read the guide on navigating the online event space

Preparing for online sessions

We recommend that you download and install the desktop version of Zoom prior to the conference. If you already have Zoom installed, please make sure you are using the latest version.

There is extensive guidance in the Zoom support centre about how to use Zoom. Articles that may be particularly helpful are their frequently asked questions guide; how to join a meeting; and how to view closed captions and live transcription.

To get the most out your attendance at the conference, follow these tips:

Ensure your microphone and speaker work well in advance of the conference, and that you have a stable internet connection. (If your internet connection is unstable during the session, turning your camera off can improve the connection.)
Find a quiet space away at home or work, away from distractions
Keep your microphone muted, so as not to disturb presenters and other delegates
Engage with the session by adding comments and questions to the Zoom chat, and raising your hand (click the 'raise hand' icon) to ask questions of presenters
Follow the instructions of the session Chair and Stage Manager, to ensure the session runs smoothly.

Joining online only sessions at the in-person conference

There are many quiet spaces available across the University of Birmingham campus. If you are struggling to find somewhere suitable, please come to a Helpdesk for advice.

We will have headsets available to borrow from the conference Helpdesk, though we also encourage delegates to bring their own. Delegates must use headsets/headphones for joining sessions, to avoid disrupting other delegates.
Space will be allocated on first come, first served basis, with no need to pre-book.
If there are no spaces available and you urgently need to join a session as chair or presenter, please come and see us at the conference Helpdesk (if possible at least 20 minutes ahead of the session start time)

Read the guide on navigating the online event space

Uploading presentation files and asynchronous content

Presenters have the option to upload files in advance of the conference for other delegates to view in advance of, during, or after the conference. You can upload presentation slides, copies of your paper, images, and pre-recorded videos. We encourage authors to make the most of this functionality before the conference commences.

If your paper features as part of an online or hybrid session, we particularly encourage you to upload a pre-recorded video of your presentation in case technical issues prevent a live presentation from taking place on the day.

Follow our guide on uploading files

Certificates of attendance

Certificates of attendance can be provided by the conference organisers upon request. These will be provided in digital copy after the conference.

Request your certificate of attendance

Session recordings

Some sessions at the conference will be recorded, including the chair's plenary lectures. The decision to record other specific sessions sits with the session organisers. Recorded sessions will be available subsequently to registered delegates, and may be used for other educational purposes.

Getting help during the conference

To access help during the conference, contact the Helpdesk:

by telephone, on +44 (0)20 7591 3027
by email at ac2025@rgs.org

If you need help before the conference, seek help by contacting the conference organisers via email.

Get in touch with the AC2025 organising team

Reporting problems

Each online session will be provided with a Stage Manager, who will have been provided with training about how to manage sessions, including how to manage disruptive behaviour. We will also provide training and resources for session chairs, too.

If you experience or observe behaviour(s) that contravene(s) the code of conduct, we encourage you to flag any issues to your session chair or Stage Manager during the session wherever possible using the session’s chat features.

You can also contact the main conference team via email (ac2025@rgs.org), or use the assigned reporting phone number +44 (0)20 7591 3022.

There is a monitored inbox (harassment@rgs.org) for reporting issues encountered at the conference. This will be regularly monitored during the event by a small sub-group of the conference team, including the Named Person(s). Messages will be acknowledged with an automated response outlining key processes, response times, and so on. We will do our best to respond within 24 hours.

Find out more

Ask the organisers: drop-in sessions

We will host a series of drop-in sessions to give presenters and Chairs the opportunity to ask questions of the organisers, and to familiarise themselves with Zoom's functionalities. This will be particularly helpful to those presenting online via Zoom.