The AFPS Council has decided to spend a year out of the four available between the X-th ECEE in Vienna and the XI-th ECEE in Paris in brain-storming operations. A special group has been formed, the task of which is to elaborate new propositions for the organisation of European Conference. Several meetings have been held, where the experience of recent International Conferences, including X-th ECEE in Vienna and XI-th WCEE in Madrid and other Conferences as SMIRT or other in the field of Mechanics, has been analysed, and propositions have been presented.
In principle, the organisation of the previous ECEE has been taken as a reference, as it was found very precise, and new ideas already tested by our Austrian colleagues. Based on Dr.Flesch's remarks during the Closing Ceremony of the X-th ECEE and previous Executive Committee meeting, ideas have been developed, and it has been found that some new paths could be prospected. Some of them are already considered for the organisation of 5th ICSZ in Nice this year.
A meeting was organised in Paris in May with Dr. Flesch, in order to present precisely and discuss some aspects of the organisation which we are envisaging now, and take benefits of his past experience. It is intended that the kernels of an Organising Committee and of a Scientific Committee be nominated in the next few weeks, and that first meetings and resolutions be taken before the summer holidays.
EAEE Executive Committee recommendations have been considered by AFPS Council, notably concerning costs, and we shall try to take this aspect as an utmost priority, in the line of what has been done in Vienna for students and eastern countries scientists. This will be one of the main task of the Organising Committee, and steps have already be taken to find solutions.
For practical reasons concerning reservations of the conference rooms, the main lines of the scientific programme will be fixed before the end of the year.
The main principles which have been determined by the "brain-storming" group are as follows. These orientations will of course take into account all recommendations which will be made during the Executive Committee meetings.
Sessions will be grouped by scientific themes. There will be a continuity through different sessions for each theme. To fulfill this aim, a theme coordinator will be nominated, who will assist the Chairman during each session. The theme coordinator will be a member of the Scientific Committee kernel. Each theme will group different activities: general conferences, invited conferences, normal sessions, workshops, EAEE WG activities, poster sessions, etc.
Themes will be of three types; six topics grouping those usually treated in Conferences; four transversal themes grouping several specialities; three special themes.
The number of parallel sessions will be limited to a maximum of six or seven, including special sessions. The number of presented papers will be limited; they will be reviewed from two page summaries, by two different persons. Final articles will be distributed during the Conference.
Time unit will no longer be the paper presentation time (20 min), which has been found to be very difficult to manage. The time unit will be the session or the half-session (between pauses), which allows the Chairman a more flexible organisation.
Workshop sessions will be preferred to traditional sessions. They will include both posters and formal presentations, and discussions which will imply more involvement of the Chairman.
As for the time table, it is envisaged that the opening session takes place on Monday morning, the closing session on Friday afternoon. Wednesday afternoon will be free.
It is envisaged to test these new ideas during the AFPS National Conference in 1996.
(Summarised from the report submitted to Ex. Com.)