New Pub: Learning At and From a Virtual Conference

In light of the COVID pandemic and the climate crisis, many academic conferences have switched from face-to-face to virtual or hybrid conferences. The advantages of completely virtual conferences are clear. The organizers don’t need to look for physical rooms to book or need to organize food or drinks for participants. For the participants, this form of conferences can also be advantageous because there are no travel expenses and no travel time. Those participating from other countries can even take part in the conference despite being in different time zones or continents. The advantages go hand in hand with the disadvantages of limited personal interaction: no scientific (or leisurely) discussions during a coffee break or a chance to get to know fellow researchers seated nearby before a session begins.

With all the pros and cons: How much value do participants find in taking part in a virtual conference? This question is evaluated in the recently published paper “Learning At and From a Virtual Conference: A Comparison of Conference Formats and Value Contributing Factors”.

To examine the value of virtual conferences from a participants’ point of view, the authors analyzed participant feedback from three face-to-face and two virtual LAK conferences. To understand how attendees perceived the overall value of the virtual conference experience, the study establishes a definition of conference value and pinpoints factors that influence the overall value rating of virtual academic conferences using insights from existing literature. How participants rate conferences is largely dependent on their individual experiences, anticipated outcomes and prior knowledge of conferences.

After analyzing the participant feedback, the study finds that the perceived value of virtual conferences is on par with that of face-to-face events. Satisfaction with social interactions and topics of interest were identified by the study as key predictors of conference value. The study suggests that on the whole, virtual conferences offer significant value for academics in their professional growth. To be able to create meaningful conference experiences in the future, organizers should especially concentrate on offering relevant topics for participants and on offering suitable possibilities for virtual social interactions when planning virtual conferences.