27 April 2020
Dear EECERA Colleagues,
Due to the ongoing uncertainty over the safety and all round feasibility of running an international conference, the Board of Trustees in conjunction with EECERA 2020 Organising Committee have taken the decision to postpone the Zagreb Conference for a year to September 2021.
While the situation may be slightly improving in some parts of the world and we all hope lockdown across many countries will be lifted in the near future, what is referred to as a pandemic ‘exit strategy’ by governments is unclear and may be phased in gradually over many months.
Our personal and professional lives, businesses and economies have already suffered tremendously and while it is important that we carry on with our lives, our work and research in this new reality the best way we can, we all need to adjust and tailor our activities to remain safe and healthy and be sensible.
From a practical point of view, our event planning model relies on free movement between borders, air travel, ability to host large gatherings and the financial support from education research budgets many of you have been able to access through your universities and other education institutions to attend our conference. All of these aspects we can no longer take for granted at this time.
We will be contacting all those who had submitted abstracts for the 2020 Conference with further information, providing clarifications on aspects such as how abstracts and tickets already bought can be carried forward for 2021 conference, or withdrawn/reimbursed.
We will also be looking into options for providing alternative scientific networking forums in the interim. If you have any ideas or suggestions you can share, please contact us.
Here at EECERA, we are heartbroken not to be able to host our annual conference for the first time in 30 years but the safety and welfare of our community is most important to us. Thank you for your ongoing support, understanding and patience and please be assured that we are looking into the future already, focusing on working with partners in Zagreb to host the next conference in September 2021 (please browse the important dates page for new key dates relating to the 2021 conference).
Warmest regards,
Chris
Chris Pascal, EECERA President
27 May 2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we have had to take the heart-breaking decision to postpone the Annual EECERA Conference which was due to take place at the University of Zagreb, Croatia in early September 2020 for 12 months. Our Croatian colleagues have worked hard to secure a rescheduled booking for us at the university next year. We are aware some colleagues may not want to attend because of the two days of Rosh Hashana which we deeply regret, but due to the host university constraints we have no flexibility in rearranging these dates. We always try to be sensitive to, and respectful of, cultural and religious customs but in reality this year other variables have had to take precedence. We do hope that you will be able to empathise with our difficulties this year and know that we are doing our best to ensure the rescheduling of the conference enables us to look ahead with some security for everyone. We can reassure you that we will always do our best to make the conference as inclusive as possible.
EECERA Board of Trustees
