Workshop Application Guidelines

The application to run a workshop must be completed by the workshop Chair via the ICS website. The online submission will be open from 1st Nov 2023 and will close 3 Jan 2023. You may amend your workshop application at any time up until the deadline even after you have submitted it. On successful submission of your application you will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of your application. All applications are then graded and selected by the ICS Education Committee by the end of May 2023.

The ICS is encouraging international, multidisciplinary applications in 60 and 90 minute formats. The Education Committee would expect to see all workshops having an element of interaction with the delegates. If you are preparing a technical hands on workshop then a 180 minute workshop may be considered.

Workshops are scientific activities (seminars, debates, discussion groups, forums and updates) proposed by ICS members. Workshops are not officially controlled by, nor is the content approved by the ICS. These activities do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the ICS, although the use of ICS terminology and standardisation is required.

The chances of a successful workshop application will increase if it contains the following elements:
• Multidisciplinary faculty with qualifications to deliver on the subject at hand (if a multidiscipline faculty is not relevant to the workshop this should be clarified in the application form)
• International representation (if international representatives are not relevant to the workshop this should be clarified in the application form)
• Is 60 or 90 minutes in length
• Relevant content and topics to the mission of the ICS and the educational needs of its members
• Clear objectives and means by which to meet the objectives
• Plan for audience participation

Workshops should not promote a single product or procedure. In general, the subject matter should be generic, broadly covered and unbiased. If not, applications will be rejected or adjusted accordingly. If you or any of your speakers will be presenting any of your own products, further details must be added to the application form. As with scientific sessions, presentations and state of the art lectures, disclosures of competing interests and potential conflicts of interest must be made by all speakers before they speak. Slides created for the workshop should be free of industry and Institution logos Individual workshops cannot be sponsored directly by industry.

The ICS Education Committee may select some workshops to be upgraded to core curriculum education courses, which are representing state of the art methods/theories and present accepted ICS standards, representing approved ICS content.

In making this application the Chair is agreeing to take full responsibility to coordinate this workshop and confirms to comply with the following:

1. Rules for workshops chairs and speakers –

   1. Workshops can only have one Chairperson, who must be an ICS member.
   2. All workshops must have a minimum of 2 speakers
   3. Speakers do not need to be ICS members.
   4. The maximum number of allowed speakers is determined by the length of the workshop
      60 minutes (Chair + Max 2 speakers)
      90 minutes (Chair + Max 3 speakers)
      180 minutes (Chair + Max 4 speakers) Note for hands on/technical workshops only
   5. As Chair of your workshop you cannot Chair another workshop. You can submit more than one workshop but only one will be accepted. It is therefore discouraged to submit more than one workshop.
   6. As Chair of your workshop you should also present in the workshop.
   7. Speakers and Chairs can only speak in a maximum of TWO workshops. Speakers can only be on a maximum of 4 submissions and therefore as Chair you must approach the speaker in advance that that they are aware of which submissions they have been added to.
   8. A workshop Chair cannot be a paid employee of a company in a related industry, full or part time.

2. Chairs responsibilities

   1. All speakers and Chairs must complete a Disclosure form. It is the Chair’s responsibility to ensure that these are all completed and sent to the ICS office in due time.
   2. It is the Chair’s responsibility to keep the speakers and the ICS office informed of any changes. Significant late changes may lead to cancellation of the workshop
   3. It is the responsibility of the Chair to invite all speakers and to organise them. Please check speaker availability before placing their name on the application form to avoid any changes – note rule1g. Should your application be accepted, the ICS office will require confirmation by all the speakers that they are willing to speak. This will be done via e-mail directly to the speakers requesting their confirmation of involvement. A deadline for confirmation will be given and speakers who do not confirm their involvement will not be included in the programme, and the workshop may be cancelled.
   4. All speakers and Chairs need to register for the annual meeting but do not need to pay to attend their workshop. Please advise your speakers accordingly.

3. A workshop will not be accepted if it has run two years in a row. Exceptions to this are well attended workshops and ICS Core Curriculum workshops. A variation of the workshop may be accepted and in this case changes should be outlined in detail in the application.

4. The ICS Education Committee reserves the right to amend your application and choose the length for your workshop or suggest changes to speakers in order to maintain the scientific merit and diversity of the workshops and meeting. The Chair maintains the right to refuse the amendments and suggestions; however that may result in the workshop not being accepted for presentation.

5. All workshops are evaluated by the delegates who attend and by members of the ICS Education Committee. Please leave 5 minutes in your schedule to allow for delegates to complete the feedback with the ICS app. These evaluations are then reviewed in detail after the Annual Meeting and are used when future applications are made. Copies of the evaluations are sent to the workshop chairs after the Annual Meeting. It is the Chair’s responsibility to then send this evaluation to the workshop speakers.

6. Workshops which involve special requirements must be outlined in the application form i.e. additional computers, live surgery, anatomical specimens and anything required for practical demonstrations. Any requests not specifically detailed on the application may not be approved and may therefore reduce the overall educational quality of your workshop. These workshops may be subject to a higher registration fee to cover costs.

7. Chairs and speakers at workshops will not be paid an honorarium or travel expenses. However, individuals whose areas of expertise are not represented by ICS disciplines and would not normally be expected to attend the Annual Meeting and are not ICS members can be paid expenses when the Education Committee considers their contribution to be particularly important. These expenses need to be approved by the ICS in advance and therefore must be noted on the application form in the Special Requirements section. If you have any speakers that you think are in this category then please advise on the application and give the reasons why expenses should be covered. Requests for expenses will not be considered after approval of the workshop. Special registration rates are available for speakers who will attend the workshop only and not attend the annual meeting. Please advise in the application if any speaker fits into this category.

You will be notified by e-mail whether your application has been accepted normally by mid-May.