Conveners

This page provides useful information for conveners of an ISHS Symposium and for ISHS members who consider to bid for hosting an ISHS Symposium in the future.

Considering to come forward with a bid for hosting an ISHS Symposium, requires adequate preparation and consultation with the Chair of the ISHS Working Group involved and/or the Chair of the relevant ISHS Division or Commission.

The bids with the proposals for hosting the next ISHS Symposium in a series will be presented during the business meeting taking place at the previous edition of the ISHS Symposium.

During that business meeting ISHS members in good standing are invited to vote for the proposal for hosting the next symposium.

The ISHS Executive Committee (consisting of the Chairpersons of ISHS Divisions and Commissions) under the guidance and leadership of the ISHS Vice-President, in Charge of Scientific Programs who is the statutory Chair of the Executive Committee, will consider every single proposal for organizing an ISHS symposium and is ultimately to approve the proposal to be formally accepted.

In this respect the role of the Working Group Chairperson(s) and their interaction with the Division Chairperson(s) is key.

Refer to https://www.ishs.org/elections and scroll down to the section about the ‘office of an ISHS Division Chair/Vice-Chair‘ and the ‘office of an ISHS Working Group Chair/Vice-Chair‘ respectively for a better understanding of the procedures, customs and rules in place.

Responsibilities/expectations of ISHS symposium conveners

maintaining an ISHS membership while planning and convening an ISHS symposium
agreeing to and signing an ISHS contract for hosting/convening an ISHS symposium
creating a website for the planned symposium
advertising the planned symposium
arranging for the finances and the scientific program of a symposium
working with Working Group Chair and Division Chair and communicating with the ISHS Secretariat on the overall organization of the symposium
arranging for the prompt collection of abstracts and manuscripts as well as review and editing of the papers associated with the symposium and submission of the manuscripts to the ISHS Secretariat in a timely manner but not later than 3 months after the end of the symposium
submitting a post-symposium report to the ISHS Secretariat shortly after the meeting occurs

Criteria for selecting ISHS symposium conveners and sites

potential convener must be a member of ISHS
involvement of the potential convener and/or members of their institute in previous meetings of the Working Group
scientific standing of the potential convener in horticulture and/or subjects related to the Working Group
evidence of organizational capacity of the convener and their supporting institution(s) and/or PCO (Professional Conference Organizer)
evidence of institutional and industry support
proposed location must be in a different country (preferably a different continent) than the previous meeting of the Working Group
likelihood of the proposed location for international participation (important criteria are e.g. infrastructure, safety, ease of access, political stability, etc.)
potential of the proposed location for providing interesting scientific visits for the attendees related to the subject matter of the Working Group
general attractiveness of the potential venue and location to attendees and their accompanying persons