Education Education Strategic Partner: We’re delighted that Reed Travel Exhibitions will again be the Strategic Partner for the Congress education programme. Their support has helped us create what we’re sure will be ICCA’s strongest and most innovative programme ever. Congress Education Each year ICCA puts together a comprehensive 3 education day programme specifically for that year’s Congress, bringing together a creative mix of clients, external experts, and a wide range of those ICCA members who are undertaking the most innovative and exciting initiatives around the world.  We avoid “off-the-shelf” presentations to ensure that the content is custom-designed to be as relevant for ICCA members as possible. A large proportion of the content is designed to stimulate strategic thinking and to consider future directions in which our industry is likely to evolve, and the economic, technological and societal changes that are driving this evolution. More than 100 contributors drawn from all regions of the world participate each year as speakers, panellists, moderators, and discussion leaders  - not only sharing existing know-how and experience, but creating entirely new practical ideas and alternative ways of thinking about the meetings industry. As well as the highlights that have now become traditional: the ICCA Best Marketing Award and the Copenhagen-Denmark Lecture (the speaker for which we’re hoping to announce very shortly), we are in the process of creating a tremendously exciting range of topics, some of whose working titles have been listed below to provide members with an advance taste of what will be available in Puerto Rico.  With our local hosts we’ll also be arranging some great offsite educational sessions that take advantage of local speakers, business ideas, and unique settings. PROVISIONAL LIST OF TOPICS • The rise and rise of patient power: implications and opportunities for medical events • Ethics in bidding for international events • Information is beautiful – using images to communicate information and ideas • Developing a stronger international meetings market in the Caribbean region • Opportunities for developing new association events at trade fairs • Fire your least productive clients and customers! • “Geek Nation” – the rise of Indian science and the Indian delegate • Developing a stronger international meetings market in the Central American region • Super-broadband: the future challenges of WiFi and connectivity at international events • New models of collaboration – results from 2011 Congress case studies and even newer initiatives • ICCA University research projects ICCA has commissioned member universities to carry out research projects which combine academic rigour with relevance to the business objectives of ICCA members, and whose results will be launched at the Congress.  Topics shortly to be agreed/announced. • Fundamentals of bidding for international association meetings (for relatively inexperienced bidders) – two and a half hour workshop • Advanced bidding for extremely experienced bidders – two and a half hour workshop • Medicine + Technology = one of the biggest future segments of our industry? • How we won the ICCA Congress – inside secrets from successful host destinations that will improve all your bids • Sustainability showcase: water – what are you doing with this precious resource?  In partnership with GMIC. • B2B social web marketing and communication strategies • How “Net Promoter” companies thrive in a customer-driven world • The sex appeal of big brains • Understanding Brazil and Brazilians: meetings-related business opportunities • Strategic thinking: what international associations are trying to achieve for their members and delegates • New ways to think about virtual events • Sustainability showcase: Leipzig Green Transport project – ICCA Congress 2011 • Everything you wanted to know about working with American AMCs (Association Management Companies) • Business travel agencies: competition or clients? • JMIC session: economic impact and non-direct value of meetings • US-based international corporate meetings session • Delegate boosting – the best way to show clients you care? • Citywide solutions for mega-meetings: how destinations are linking external resources with what goes on inside meeting venues • Variety of ICCA Data workshops and custom-clinics