Network Conference took place on Wednesday June 26th in York, with representatives of 54 local institutes in attendance. The newly elected Local Institute National Forum Officers were also present, ensuring the local institute network was once again strongly represented.
The conference day featured the CII Annual General Meeting for the first time, as well as the inaugural CII Awards in the evening, offering delegates a different and varied day of interaction with senior figures from the CII as well as their peers from fellow local institutes.
In line with previous years the conference agenda was designed based on feedback from past delegates, therefore there were fewer ‘formal’ presentations and more time dedicated to interactive breakout sessions where delegates were able to share best practice and offer their views on some key CII initiatives.
Post-event feedback:
82% of delegates rated the Network Conference overall as Good or Excellent.
The day’s individual sessions were rated as follows:
Overall, attendees were happy with the logistical aspects of the event, with 94% rating the booking process as Good or Excellent; 98% rating the pre-event communication as Good or Excellent; 90% rating the location as Good or Excellent; 69% rating the catering as Good or Excellent; and 87% rating the venue facilities as Good or excellent.
As always, delegates’ comments on all aspects of the day are very valuable as it helps us to shape future conferences to ensure you are getting the most out of the event. As in previous years, the elements of the conference that generate the most positive comments are the breakout sessions – the chance to share and discuss all things local institute – and the opportunity to network – more generally across the day, making new acquaintances and forming relationships.
With regard to where we might improve in future years, again there was a focus on breakouts, groupings and time to talk – with a clear mandate to ensure as much time is dedicated to delegates being able to spend time together sharing and discussing; having smaller and different groupings across the day; and hearing more about how local institutes can contribute to the CII’s future plans.
What the delegates said about the day: