CASE STUDIES
Managing an enormous program with 54 themes
EVENT
International Congress on Mathematical Education 2024 (ICME-15)
DATES
07.07.2024 – 14.07.2024
LOCATION
Sydney / Australia
Background
The International Congress on Mathematical Education is the largest of its kind in the world. This quadrennial event is organised under the auspices of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction and explores current global trends in mathematics education research and mathematics teaching practices at all levels.
challenge
Designing an eight-day complex program with focused streams centred around 54 Topic Study Groups. Arinex was appointed just one year prior to the congress, requiring rapid familiarisation with stakeholders and establishment of efficient program management processes within a condensed timeframe.
SOLUTIONS
- Gender Imbalance: Historically, the international scientific committee had no women, and there was a lack of gender equity in organising groups and speaker representation.
- Resistance to Change: The traditional conference model – quite often reliant on white male speakers – was held up as the method for success and efforts to evolve this through gender equity and inclusivity was met with resistance and doubt.
- Mentoring Needs: There was a growing chorus to support up-and-coming medical professionals, by encouraging them to attend the conference and increasing their participation in the program.
outcome
Through efficient collaboration, clear communication processes and robust program management technology, the comprehensive final program was successfully released on the website and app well ahead of the congress. Featuring over 60 international mathematical education thought leaders across 11 program components, covering 54 themes and running concurrently across 28 rooms, this release allowed delegates ample time to plan their participation in the diverse array of sessions on offer.