How to practically go about organising a course or a conference

Before the Course

The outset of your IUC programme will be either an idea of how to internationalise an existing research theme in your own university or national context - or it will be about meeting (parts of) your existing European or overseas research networks or starting to create new ones. You will want to explore the potential of your research themes or your already existing courses at graduate and Ph.D. level internationally. Within the tradition and framework of the Inter University Centre any discipline is welcomed, along with inter-disciplinary or cross-disciplinary courses.

You have to present a team of two or more researchers as course directors and their home universities - representing a minimum two countries. One of the course directors must be the ‘organising’ one, with whom the IUC will communicate.

You will set the date of your programme, design the title and a brief description of the course, a list of professors and other staff, teaching, instructing or supervising during the course.

You will submit your plan to the IUC Secretariat with a view to its approval by the Executive Committee by March 31st every year. Your course will be reviewed and approved by the IUC Executive committee, announced on the IUC web pages, other media and IUC annual poster, sent to all member universities. After a consultation with the IUC Scientific Committee, the Director-General has the authority to accept courses offered all year round as long as they meet the IUC criteria. Those courses are also announced on the web pages.

In case of queuing up for space, the Director-General will suggest and negotiate a solution. You are encouraged to announce the course yourself to all relevant potential partners all over the world. You will of course secure the best possible networking and diversity of approaches within your field, and attempt to recruit participants from as many countries as are relevant in your field. Course participation should not fall below ten or exceed 60. This rule does not apply for conferences.

The competence of accepting participants rests with you as the organizing course director.

You will keep the IUC Secretariat informed of the process of recruitment for your course, and you will receive current information from the Secretariat about potential participants approaching the IUC through web pages. You will in due course inform the IUC of your needs of technical equipment and of any extra demands for classrooms; exceeding the lecture room you are allotted.

The IUC requires the payment of a small individual fee, currently 55 EUR, to be paid by all participants except programme organizers. Under very exceptional circumstances the DG may grant permission to change the amount of the course fee. In such cases, the organizers must contact the DG, stating the reason, and the terms and conditions granted by the DG must be fully observed.

For each programme general fee of 600 EUR is to be paid if one of the organizers is coming from the paying IUC member institution or University of Zagreb. For organizers coming from non IUC members or from non-paying members, the general fee is 1000 EUR. Eventual reductions may be possible if requested by letter stating specific reasons.

In case a conference is lasting 3 days or less, a general fee is 300 Euros. For conferences of the same duration when organizers are coming from non IUC members or from non-paying members, the general fee is 500 Euros.

For online participation in IUC programmes, individual fee is 27.50 Euros.

The IUC encourages course directors to complete the course with a course evaluation. The theoretical and methodological innovations acquired in each course will often form the basis of new courses in a continuous and yet renewing tradition within each research field.

All students who have paid and participated actively are entitled to a Certificate of Attendance, comprising an assessment in ECTS or other point systems regarding their general post-graduate and PhD education, if course directors have secured them at home universities. Special Certificates are issued to participants who had presented a paper.

Participants’ travel and accommodation costs are not the responsibility of the IUC. However, the IUC Secretariat will help organisers or individuals to find the most convenient accommodation and assist in any other practical issues such as social programme, organisation of coffee breaks, meals or possible transfers.

A brochure on how to organise a new IUC programme can be downloaded here

General Organization

The IUC building is open every workday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Other working rhythms, especially through weekends, are possible with previous arrangement with the IUC Secretariat.

The overall space consists of a large conference hall, which can accommodate 110 participants, 10 classrooms of different sizes and few cabinets. The conference hall and classrooms are equipped with powerpoint and overhead projectors. Simultaneous translation equipment is also available in the conference hall.

Participants of IUC courses and conferences have a computer room with an internet connection and a printer at their disposal every workday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The copying of course material is available at no extra cost.

There is a University of Zagreb Dormitory at the top floor of the building, which offers discount prices to participants of IUC courses. Please visit the page http://www.iuc.hr/dormitory.php

Guidelines

1. The courses of the IUC are self-managed in accordance with these guidelines.

2. All courses proposed to be held at the IUC need the approval of the Executive Committee, which represents the Council between Council meetings. Smaller conferences and symposia need the approval of the Director General (DG).

3. Proposals for courses should be received at the IUC Secretariat latest by 31 March in order to be on the Agenda of the spring EC meeting.

4. A course announced on the annual IUC Academic Programme poster can only be cancelled with the approval of the DG.

5. Course Directors should begin their planning as early as possible and finalise the arrangements for their course at least half a year before the academic year in which the course is to be held. The DG will need two sets of information:

   • For the Annual Programme poster, Course title, names of Course Directors and their institutions, and dates at which you wish the course to be offered. Please indicate who will be the Organising Course Director (of. item 6, below) Deadline: 31 March.

   • For each programme, a summary course and conference description and the names of lecturers and their institutions. This information must be received by 25 April if the course is to be offered between 1 September and 31 December, and by 30 September if the course is to be offered between 1 January and 31 August of the following year.

6. Every course must have at least two Course Directors, representing institutions from two countries. One of these should be the Organising Course Director. She or he will be responsible for all matters concerning organisation. All correspondence in relation to a course should be addressed to the DG.

7. Every effort should be made to secure the cooperation of a suitable and diversified number of lecturers and experts, representing at least three different countries. Similarly, every effort should be made to recruit students from as many countries as possible.

8. The course should be taught at postgraduate level.

9. The total number of persons taking part in a course should not, as a rule, fall below 10 or exceed 60. This rule does not apply for conferences.

10. Applications for admission to a course should be sent to the Organising Course Director and to the IUC Secretariat in Dubrovnik. The Course Directors decide about admission.

11. Course Directors, Lecturers and participants are expected to secure financial support to cover their expenses from their universities or from other organisations and funding bodies.

12. a) The IUC requires the payment of a small indivudual fee, currently 55 EUR, to be paid by all participants except the programme organizers. Under very exceptional circumstances the DG may grant permission to change the amount of the course fee. In such cases, the organisers must contact the DG, stating the the reason, and the terms and conditions granted by the DG must be fully observed.
    
    b) For each programme a general fee of 600 EUR is to be paid if one of the organising course directors is coming from the paying IUC member institution or University of Zagreb. For organizers coming from non IUC members or from non-paying members, the general  fee is 1000 EUR. Eventual reductions may be possible if requested by letter stating specific reasons.
    
    c) In case a conference is lasting 3 days or less, a general fee is 300 Euros. For conferences of the same duration when organizers are coming from non IUC members or from non-paying members, the general fee is 500 Euros.
    
    d) For online participation in IUC programmes, individual fee is 27.50 Euros.

13. The Organising Course Director is required to submit a written report including an estimate of the real costs of the course. This should be submitted to the DG within four weeks after the course.

14. Upon request, every student shall receive a statement of participation. If ECTS or other types of points are available, they are confirmed by course directors and home institutions.

         Certificates are issued only upon the approval of the Course Director and the DG.