Conference Policy

Purpose


CCEAM Conferences support professional development in educational leadership and promote the aims of the Commonwealth. 

Their purpose is to disseminate knowledge about practice, research and role preparation. The committee aims to increase the participation in conferences and to increase the relevance of conferences to members and associations. 

Guidelines

  1. The Conference Committee of CCEAM is a standing committee of the CCEAM Board with its Chair on the CCEAM Executive.
  2. The committee manages the CCEAM Conference Programme. The committee recommends future conferences to the CCEAM Board, supports the conference committee planning the next conference and fosters CCEAM representation/presentation at the Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers and at major educational conferences.
  3. CCEAM will conduct a conference every two years. Conferences may be held in Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth venues. Regardless, the CCEAM Board will meet at the biennial conference.
  4. Representation at Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers will be given priority on the alternate years between CCEAM Conferences. The delegate/s attending CCEM should be as close to the venue as possible.
  5. Each CCEAM Conference will be managed by a local committee, that should include a CCEAM Board Member. The committee will liaise through the Chair of the CCEAM Board Conference Sub-committee.

Procedures

1.    Membership
Committee membership will consist of: a CCEAM Board Member elected as the committee chairman, the chairs of the previous six conferences, and the CCEAM President, ex-officio. The Chairman may second other members, ex-officio, as required. In the event of a position falling vacant the Executive will identify a suitable replacement. At the conclusion of each conference, the person with the longest tenure is replaced by the next conference chair.

2.    Committee tasks 
a.    Call for proposals for future conferences. 
b.    Review proposals and rank them in order of preference. The top ranked proposal is recommended to the Board. (Identification of the preferred proposals will be based on one vote per committee member with the Chairman having a casting vote.) Where the Conference Committee is unable to distinguish between the two most suitable proposals it may request a Board decision. 
c.    Negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding between the successful conference committee and the CCEAM Board for ratification by the Board. 
d.    Arrange for the successful committee to provide the Board with a general presentation on the venue and programme four years in advance of their conference, then a detailed briefing two years in advance of their conference. 
e. Co-ordinate the participation of CCEAM Representatives in CCEM and other major educational conferences 

3.    Planning schedule 
Year 1 Call for and review of proposals five years in advance. 
Conference Committee ranking of proposals and recommendation to Board 
a.    Year 2 Board endorsement and successful proposals outline presentation. 
b.    Year 4 Negotiation of MOU 
Detailed conference briefing to Board 
c.    Year 6 Conduct conference. 

4.    Proposal Outline
Proposals will include: 
 .    name of the principal organisers, including titles, organisational affiliation and addresses; 
a.    name of sponsoring organisation (ordinarily a university or a national educational organisation); 
b.    name of the Dean or CEO of the sponsoring organisation and an indication that the organisation knows about the proposal and is prepared to lend at least moral support, if not more; 
c.    proposed location of the conference and tentative dates; 
d.    the theme or themes of the conference; 
e.    rough flow chart of the process by which the conference will be developed and carried out including individuals and organisations involved; 
f.    a general statement about the anticipated costs of the conference, including fees for participants and including any sources of support other than fees of participants. (It is recognized that this information would be tentative and subject to modification); 
g.    if possible an outline programme should be presented, indicating the length, the mix of keynote and major speakers, types of sessions, visitation to educational organisations and social events, and 
h.    a brief statement of marketing plans should be provided, i.e. number and kinds of mailings, newsletters, brochures, Call for Papers, Programme etc. 
i.    an outline budget including percentage of registration to be returned to CCEAM