Event Ideas

Satellite events are partnered with the main OpenCon meeting in Washington DC, but can be customized significantly. For example:

You can time shift the event to suit local times, or hold it on different days.
You could invite local speakers, have local workshops and panels as you please in addition to showing selected sessions from the main event.
You could hold a shorter meeting, including only the sessions that are most relevant to your institution.

Here are some suggestions of the types of event we’ve imagined:

Small satellite event

Book a small room
Put on the live stream or high quality recordings from the conference
During workshops host informal discussions on the topics raised,
Try to attract 15+ participants
Plan a social event for informal discussions after

Estimated time to do: 2 hours

Large satellite event

Book a lecture room
Put on the live stream or high quality recordings from the conference
Provide some food
Have a structured workshop or local speaker
Try to attract 50 participants
Organise a simple evening activity

Estimated time to do: 10 hours

Mini-conference

Book a lecture room and breakout rooms
Put on the live stream or high quality recordings from the conference
Have a few local elements including workshops and talks
Try to attract 100+ participants
Include some event swag, either sponsored or that you create
Include food and drinks after the event

Estimated time to do: 10-60 hours`

Extras to improve your event

Coordinate with your local librarians—very important!
Invite local policy makers
Put on your own workshops
Try and set up a local working group to help organize the meeting
Write a blog post
Take some pictures and send them in!

Workshop ideas: Check out the programme for the selection of workshops we'll be hosted.

(Photos from OpenCon 2015 Faisalabad and OpenCon 2015 Tbilisi)

Stories from 2014!

Last year was our first attempt at facilitating satellite events, and the response from the community was incredible. Alongside OpenCon in Washington D.C, ten partners hosted local events on every continent including, Australia, London, Brazil, Germany, Ukraine, Uganda, Colorado and Tajikistan. Together partners brought together almost 300 people (double the main conference) including students, early career researchers, professors, publishers, and librarians to educate, and advocate locally for Open Access, Open Education, and Open Data. Depending on how much time hosts had they opted for everything from small and simple events that involved just booking rooms and showing the livestream, to mini-conferences arranged with their own livestreams or advocacy actions.

OpenCon 2014 Dunshubane - Suhrob Niyozov

"At OpenCon 2014 Dushanbe more than 50 students and young researchers joined build momentum for Open Access, Open Education and Open Data in Tajikistan together with others around the world."

OpenCon Brazil - Renata Aquino Resources

"The resources provided by the organisers helped publicize the event and get the group ready for the dialogue."

OpenCon 2014 Germany - Ansam Sinjab

"Young budding scientists and early career researchers can act as strong promoters for a more open and fair research culture, and OpenCon satellite events can be where it all starts!"

OpenCon 2014 London - Participant

"I loved the event, I would certainly encourage anyone interested to come!"

OpenCon 2014 Colorado - Merinda McLure, Colorado State University Libraries Committee on Open Access and Scholarly Communication

"We’d be glad to organize an OpenCon satellite event next year and look forward to hearing about OpenCon 2015."

What else people do

You can find out what else hosts do by looking at their event pages. We archive them all here. We've gathered together some examples of programs here for convenience.