This year EIBTM has improved its very successful Association Programme, which provides a comprehensive programme of education, networking and appointments.

Two thirds of the spaces have already been booked on the programme due to the outstanding quality of the Group Coordinators, coupled with an updated Education Programme and the creation of an Association Contacts Exchange.
This year EIBTM has been working more closely with a variety of Group Co-ordinators on the Association Programme which has resulted in several groups coming from Europe, UK, Australia, USA, Germany and Belgium such as: Informa, Events Magazine, Meeting In-Site Corporation, The Association of Strategic Alliance Professional (A.S.A.P), Not for Profit Network and Julie Watterston Associates. The Group-Coordinators are currently responsible for sourcing approximately 30% of the delegate total.

This year EIBTM has set up a new initiative called the Association Contacts Exchange. This exchange of information effectively enables exhibitors to share their association clients. EIBTM will be inviting these clients register to attend the Association Hosted Buyer programme and to meet the destinations.

This year’s comprehensive education programme running on Monday 28th November begins at 15.30 with a networking buffet followed by a series of fifteen round table discussions. These include subjects ranging from insurance issues, logistics, confidentiality, risks management to procurement, planning stage issues, media issues and quality assurance along with much more.

There are also breakfast educational sessions running on Tuesday 29th November starting at 9am. Delegates will be given the option of registering to attend either case study sessions for experienced association executives, with challenging case studies aimed at developing strategic solutions on different aspects of association management, or roundtable sessions for association staff and volunteers, including practical discussions aimed at developing association management skills and introducing new ideas for example membership recruitment, training sessions for events etc.

The roundtable sessions will be led by Damian Hutt, Director of Informa Alliances and topic leaders include Belinda Busoli, Managing Director for Not-For-Profit Network (which also produces the Australian Association Management magazine), and Denise Harris, Training For Events. Roundtable sessions include topics such as “Working effectively with Conference Committees” and “Gaining and keeping your sponsors”.

Carole McKellar, MA CMM MCIPD Managing Director and Association Specialist Resources for Associations and The Association Gateway is leading the case study sessions and comments:

“I am looking forward to running a highly interactive session with lively discussions for the EIBTM 2005 Association Programme. I am sure we will see many creative and innovative solutions to the case study problems given on the day.” This has not been approved – I have asked her urgently but I don’t think we can use it unless I get a reply this morning

Florien Ceson, Administrator-Manager, Association of European Psychiatrists comments “The EIBTM Association Programme was a great success last year: it provided a fine balance between networking opportunities and educational elements. The event was a must for all international association executives”.

Registration is currently live but will end on the 14th October and Association Planners wishing to attend should register on the EIBTM website www.eibtm.com/association