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Monique Schuilenburg |
A different angle sometimes helps to put everything in perspective. Let me give you a look behind the scenes. I am taking the recently held EAD2021 as a reference, but frankly this is a blueprint for most of the AAE events regardless of the scale.
Preparation is key for everything we do and even more so for an event like EAD. As spectator or participant you may not be aware of the amount of work that needs to be done.
Preparation starts with a plan first. True, but then the real work begins. Provide appealing topics and an interesting programme, approach the (keynote) speakers, get started with the promotional material, update the website, use social media and – nowadays – for an online event: use the right tool! It involves countless amounts of emails, phone calls, testing time, new considerations, design efforts. Do I have to continue? You get the picture.
And to add: waiting and reminding are also big parts of the job. Why? Because the majority of the involved organisers are volunteers with a normal day job. So they do this in their spare time and that’s why everyone respects that it sometimes takes a little longer before there is a response.
Then how come the organisation is done so professionally? Well, the secret is the mixture of a lot of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers in the AAE, the expertise of professionals at the EAD Event Team and yes, also the AAE Secretariat with only 1,4 FTE.
Combine these forces and you have a recipe for success.
The recent feedback from EAD participants rates us with an average of 4.66 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being excellent). And with 275 participants in a 2-day online event with a new tool, organised in the shortest possible time, successful is the only term I choose to use. (Yes, we know there is always room for improvement. Be assured, that is considered for the next time).
By the way, all EAD2021 sessions will be available on the event platform for the next weeks for registered participants.
So there it is, my homage to the professionals and volunteers. Add the participants, interesting speakers and the sponsors of this event and you get a combination that works!
If this made you curious for upcoming events then please keep an eye on your inbox or check the AAE website and event calendar. There is more to come.
Make sure to block 2 and 3 June 2022 in your calendar for the next European Congress of Actuaries 2022 in Madrid, Spain. Need more convincing? Then please watch this video. Registration is expected to open at the end of this year.
This blog is written in a personal capacity.
10 June 2021
