Topic 1: Planning Conferences and Workshops for Academia-Industry Coll
Topic 1: Planning Conferences and Workshops for Academia-Industry Coll
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Topic
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Topic 1: Planning Effective Conferences and Workshops for Academia-Industry Collaboration
Discussion Prompt:
What are the key elements of planning successful conferences and workshops that foster collaboration between academia and industry? Share your experiences and best practices for organizing impactful events.
Key Points for Discussion:
Identifying themes and topics: selecting relevant and timely subjects that attract both academic and industry participants.
Engaging speakers and panelists: strategies for securing thought leaders, industry experts, and academic researchers.
Structuring the event: designing agendas, session formats, and interactive components to maximize engagement.
Marketing and outreach: promoting the event to target audiences through various channels.
Evaluating success: metrics and feedback mechanisms to assess the impact and outcomes of the event.Detailed Information:
Planning effective conferences and workshops that foster academia-industry collaboration requires careful consideration of various elements. Identifying relevant and timely themes is crucial to attract participants from both sectors. Engaging speakers and panelists who are thought leaders and experts can significantly enhance the event’s credibility and draw.The structure of the event should include a well-designed agenda, diverse session formats (e.g., keynote speeches, panel discussions, breakout sessions), and interactive components such as Q&A sessions, networking opportunities, and hands-on workshops. Marketing and outreach efforts should target the right audience through academic institutions, industry associations, social media, and other channels.
Evaluating the success of the event involves collecting feedback from participants, analyzing engagement metrics, and assessing the overall impact on fostering collaboration. Sharing experiences and best practices can help organizers refine their approaches and improve future events.
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Replies
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When discussing the organisation of conferences and workshops that genuinely foster collaboration between academia and industry, it is worth highlighting the “Civil Engineering – Science and Practice” (GNP) conference. This event is organised biennially by the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Montenegro, consistently applying several elements that can be regarded as particularly effective:
1. Careful selection of topics that link research and practice, ensuring clear applicability to the real sector. At the most recent GNP 2024, these included, among others: AI in engineering, seismic design, project management, climate adaptation, and infrastructure revitalisation.
2. Balanced representation of industry professionals and academic researchers, which creates a dynamic environment for exchanging perspectives. At GNP 2024, approximately one quarter of all authors came from industry.
3. A variety of formats that encourage active participation, including traditional keynote lectures, panel discussions (Education in Civil Engineering – problems and challenges; Challenges that the Chamber faces in its work with an emphasis on its position in society and professional development), special sessions (Capacity Building in Higher Education; Special Session devoted to 45 years since the devastating Montenegro earthquake; The importance of improving the project management process in construction – theory and practice), thematic blocks, and workshops. In addition, parallel technical sessions and poster presentations allow each participant to engage with the content most relevant to their interests.
4. Opportunities for informal networking, as meaningful collaboration often begins outside formal sessions. Cultural programmes, social events, and shared activities create an atmosphere in which connections are more easily formed and future projects initiated.
5. Strong industry visibility through integrated sponsor presentations. Instead of limiting sponsors to a peripheral role, giving them space within the main programme facilitates direct interaction between companies and researchers.
6. International dimension and linkage with projects, including Erasmus+ initiatives, international panels, and guests from multiple countries. This enables knowledge transfer and broadens perspectives, further strengthening the academia–industry connection.
Taken together, these practices make the conference not merely a collection of presentations but a platform that truly generates collaboration, initiates new projects, and reinforces ties between researchers and practising engineers.
We therefore welcome and look forward to seeing you at the upcoming 10th International Conference “Civil Engineering – Science and Practice” (GNP 2026), to be held in Budva, Montenegro, from 4–7 March 2026 (https://www.gnp.ucg.ac.me/)
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