Forum of Sections

The Forum of Sections plays a key role in creating the professional programme of IAML Congresses.

Creation of a congress programme

• The Programme Officer invites a designated representative of the Local Organizing Committee to take part in the process of creating the congress programme.

• The Programme Officer sends out a call for papers and posters for the forthcoming congress in early September. The calls will be announced on the IAML website, social media platforms, listservs (such as IAML-L) and e-mails to the National Branches.

• Deadlines will be clearly indicated to facilitate the whole process of creating the programme, updating abstracts and collecting technical requirements.

• All proposals (also those prepared in advance by the Local Organizing Committee) must be submitted via the online submission forms.

• There are three online submission forms:
  a) one for a general call for papers
  b) one for a general call for posters
  c) one for IAML chairs (password protected)

• The single session that the chairs are responsible for creating will be automatically accepted.

• All other proposals will be assessed by the Members of the Forum of Sections.

• Once the Forum has completed the selection process the first draft of the programme will be shared with all IAML chairs.

• Applicants will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance by the Forum of Sections Chair.

• IAML chairs have the responsibility to maintain contact with speakers in their sessions; also to ensure that abstracts with translations are submitted and technical requirements are confirmed by the deadlines set.

• Sessions with no affiliation to branches, sections or committees shall be promoted by the Forum of Sections which will appoint chairs for these sessions. Appointed chairs are requested to contact speakers in these sessions; also to ensure that abstracts with translations are submitted and technical requirements are confirmed by the deadlines set.

• Detailed information about the preparation for sessions will be provided in “Guidelines for speakers” and “Guidelines for session chairs”.

Travel support

The Forum of Sections administers an annual travel fund of €1000. The policy governing this fund was approved by the IAML Council at its meetings in Warsaw, Poland in 2005.

Both the written policy and an application form are available online.

Background

The Forum of Sections (until 2016 the Forum of Commissions and Professional Branches) was established in 2014 based on Article VII  – Institutional and Subject Sections, Study  Groups, Project Groups, Committees, Subcommittees and Joint Commissions of the IAML Constitution:

10. A Forum of Sections, consisting of the Chairs of these groups, shall oversee the planning of the annual congress programme and advise the Board on other matters relating to their particular areas of interest

and Rule VII - Forums of National Representatives and Sections of the IAML Rules of Procedure:

4. The Forum of Sections shall meet during the annual congress. The meeting shall be chaired by the Vice-President designated by the Board as the Association’s Programme Officer, with one of the other attendees serving as Secretary. Agenda items for the meeting may be proposed by any member of the Forum. The Secretary General shall be an ex-officio member of this Forum; other Board members are welcome to attend.