EANS2018: how to give more value to congresses

The European Congress of Neurosurgery, organised by AIM Group for the fourth consecutive year, recorded a boost in sponsorship and a surge in the use of digital tools for engagement and attendance, thanks to a collaborative dialogue with the association client and the sponsor partners.

By Andreas Penz, Project Manager Congress Division – AIM Group Vienna Office

Over 1,500 European neurosurgeons came to Brussels for the European Congress of Neurosurgery (EANS) 2018, to share current best practices and future developments. Attendees experienced a combination of interactive courses, plenary sessions and high-level discussion platforms.

AIM Group organised the congress for the fourth time and co-developed the goals with the client, to improve congress effectiveness, participants’ engagement as well as a better economic balance. Here are some of the key actions that were put in place:

• Foster learning outcomes

The content was very relevant and the three days included 99 Scientific Sessions, based on 1,100 selected abstracts. More space was given to small interactive sessions such as 23 Masterclasses where a small group could freely interact with well-known surgeons to discuss clinical cases. Also, a new communication format called Science Slams was introduced. This involved a contest where young physicians have a short time to present their research projects in an effective and appealing way, they were then evaluated and voted on by other attendees.

• Going Digital

A complete digital experience was offered to attendees: with a user-friendly poster area, interactive e-posters, and special scanning stations which sped up the completion of evaluations for CME credits.

• Facilitating sponsorship growth

One of the main objectives of the congress was to create more valuable partnerships, to attract new and more sponsors and increase sponsorship revenue. Building on the collaboration that was developed with the sponsor community at previous congresses organised by AIM Group – more sponsorship opportunities were found and more space was dedicated to booths. This resulted in a substantial 26% increase in sponsorship, exhibition revenue, and a 28% increase in the sold exhibition area.

• More networking

The opportunity to meet with other international colleagues informally is increasingly important for medical congresses. The social programme was developed so that ad hoc events were organised with a mix of traditional and modern attractions, from the Autoworld Brussels Museum for the networking dinner, to the prestigious Palais D’Egmont for the Presidential Dinner and the iconic Brussels City Hall for the international closing dinner.

EANS2018 in numbers

+1,500 European Attendees

1,200 Abstracts received

99 Scientific Sessions

23 Masterclasses

118 chairpersons and 433 speakers

+28% Exhibit sold area

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