Can virtual events achieve co-benefits for climate, participation, and satisfaction? Comparative evidence from five international Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy Week conferences

Yates, Joe; Kadiyala, Suneetha; Li, Yuemeng; Levy, Sylvia Ruth; Endashaw, Abel; Perlick, Hallie; Wilde, Parke

doi:10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00355-7

Cited by 29 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…This could have been due to the less appealing difference in time zone for international attendees or possibly the need to travel and obtain adequate resources to participate virtually such as a computer or Internet facilities. 28 , 29 We also speculate a potential reason for this result could have also been due to misinterpretation of phrase-structure, mistaking “less appealing” for “less travel time” or “less cost”.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

The Utility and Educational Impact of a Virtual Webinar to Deliver an International Undergraduate Cardiovascular Conference

Ganesananthan¹,

Zahid²,

Choudhry³

et al. 2022

AMEP

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Introduction Conferences are an important avenue for dissemination of knowledge, research and provide networking opportunities for career development. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted adoption of virtual platforms for delivery of these conferences. The aim of the study was to determine the utility and educational impact of a student-led virtual webinar to deliver an undergraduate cardiovascular conference compared to a traditional in-person conference. Methods We conducted a two-day virtual conference using the Zoom platform in June 2021. The conference consisted of cardiology subspecialty lectures, and workshops were conducted by a junior doctor, senior cardiology trainees and consultants. The conference also outlaid a virtual poster hall and oral presentation session while networking opportunities were encouraged using breakout rooms and poster hall chat function. A 38-item self-administered online questionnaire was designed and disseminated at the end of the conference to all attending delegates. All data analysis and data visualisation strategies were conducted on R statistical programming. Results Eight-hundred and forty students from 55 countries attended the event. Four hundred and ninety participants (58.5% response rate, 55.9% female) completed the questionnaire. Factors such as weekend conference (84.9%), student-led or organised (84.1%), environmental/sustainable (82.3%), appropriate level for me (81.5%) and comfort to present (80.8%) were deemed to be at least equal to traditional in-person conference. The conference also increased participants’ interest, their core cardiology knowledge and improved their critical analysis and basic echocardiography skills [median 4 (IQR 3–5) for all parameters]. Overall, participants also found it easy to use the virtual platform [median 5 (IQR 5–5)] and easier to ask questions compared to in-person conferences [median 5 (IQR 4–5) vs median 4 (IQR 3–5), p < 0.001]. Conclusion Our virtual conference provided opportunities to students that the COVID-19 pandemic would have otherwise affected; however, its utility and educational impact will need to be assessed within its individual context of delivery.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

The Utility and Educational Impact of a Virtual Webinar to Deliver an International Undergraduate Cardiovascular Conference

Ganesananthan¹,

Zahid²,

Choudhry³

et al. 2022

AMEP

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“…Registration increased 53% from 2020 to 2021, with a substantial increase in out-of-state registrants. This phenomenon is not unique to the GHC, as one study on five international conferences showed increased attendance from lower and middle-income countries [ 10 ]. Across all aspects of the conference (keynote speaker, discussion panel, roundtable discussion, poster presentations, and workshops), respondents rated the 2021 conference to be more effective or comparably practical than the 2020 conference in terms of the relevance of its programming to global health and participant professions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Migration of an Interactive Global Health Conference to a Virtual Platform: Engaging Learners During the Pandemic

Kubiszewski¹,

Gulani²,

Sutter³

et al. 2022

Cureus

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The COVID-19 pandemic has halted many large gatherings, and research conferences are no exception. Large conferences, once attended in-person, have primarily switched to a virtual format, utilizing online platforms. Every January, Medical Students Providing Across Continents (MedPACt), the University of Central Florida College of Medicine’s global health interest group, hosts a student-run Global Health Conference that features a keynote speaker, discussion panel, and research presentations, and workshops for participants to engage in. Though planning this event is always challenging, organizing the 2021 conference was particularly strenuous as accommodations had to be made to optimize the conference to fit a never-attempted virtual format. This drastic shift warrants further investigation into the efficacy and audience engagement of the virtual format. Using a post-conference survey with specific questions geared towards each component of the conference along with registration data, the virtual conference in 2021 was compared to the in-person conference in 2020. This study found that the virtual format was comparably efficacious in creating relevant and global health-oriented programming for the 2020 in-person conference. Additionally, the 2021 virtual conference received more registrants and cost less to plan, meaning the virtual model is a cost-effective way to deliver quality conference content.

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Section: Inequity In the Participation Of In-person Conferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Travel to and from conferences is typically both expensive and carbon-intensive, often dominated by the Global North, perpetuating existing power imbalances within global health, and possibly leaving a higher burden on the shoulders of attendees from specific geographical locations and socioeconomic, gender and ethnic backgrounds 4 5. At the same time, the carbon-intensive nature of this travel raises questions around planetary health impacts 4. Participation in global health convenings, such as WHAs over the past 74 years, has historically been inequitable, with limited representation of attendees from specific geographical locations—particularly lower-middle income countries (LMICs)—and those from certain socioeconomic, gender and ethnic backgrounds 1.…”

Section: Inequity In the Participation Of In-person Conferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Envisioning sustainable and equitable World Health Assemblies

Khorsand¹,

Chowdhury²,

Wyns

et al. 2022

BMJ Glob Health

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Can virtual events achieve co-benefits for climate, participation, and satisfaction? Comparative evidence from five international Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy Week conferences

Cited by 29 publications

References 23 publications

The Utility and Educational Impact of a Virtual Webinar to Deliver an International Undergraduate Cardiovascular Conference

The Utility and Educational Impact of a Virtual Webinar to Deliver an International Undergraduate Cardiovascular Conference

Migration of an Interactive Global Health Conference to a Virtual Platform: Engaging Learners During the Pandemic

Envisioning sustainable and equitable World Health Assemblies

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