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Call For Proposals to Host SSAC Annual Conferences

We are now accepting proposals for hosting our annual conferences INTAP and ICoS in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Who are we?

The Sir Sadiq Association of Computing (SSAC) is a nonprofit organization that aims to advance the innovations and advancementsin the domain of computing for problem solving and benefit of society.

Who can host?

Call for proposals to host SSAC conferenes are open for anyoneto however the SSAC member will be given preferences. The applicationt is expected to share the values and goals of our organization, along with a commitment to arrange a small but important international event, may apply to host our annual conference. The person and his/her/their team will need to have the strategic means (mostly human resources and available location) to organize a 3-4 day conference for an average of 100-150 participants. Historically, our conferences have been linked to academic institutions, although we are open to exploring other venues and situations.

What do we do?

SSAC provides an experienced conference committee from our board that will support the local conference team. We also have developed a Conference Manual to assist with the most common questions and practical issues and to help harmonize our different events. For the conference itself, SSAC typically provides per capita funding as well as a nominal stipend for the conference director (see Conference Manual for more information on SSAC's financial contributions to the conference).

Some Considerations

The conference is a non-profit event. As such, all the money that derives from the conference registration revenue is re-invested to offer to our participants the best opportunities and experiences for research and professional advancement. Because of this, we encourage conference hosts to mobilize local resources to subsidize the conference costs and enrich the conference experiences of our members. Examples of local resources include university provisions for discounted on-campus housing, local government and charitable organization grants to support conference programming, discounts at local restaurants, sponsorship of social events for conference attendees, etc.

Please note that the proposed conference director should reside in the city of the proposed conference for the duration of the conference and be available at all times of the day.

In drafting your proposal to host an SSAC conference, please consult the conference director manual (available to SSAC members on the Proposal Submissions form).

The SSAC meeting takes place over 3-4 days, usually in late June or early July. Our preference is for a 3-day conference (one day for social event); however, if you have a compelling reason for adding a day (or a portion of a day), the conference committee is open to the possibility of extending the meeting into a fourth day.

Candidates willing to host one of the next SSAC conferences are kindly asked to submit a proposal submission. The board will carefully review each proposal.

Deadlines

For 2019 conference: August 15, 2018.
For 2020 conference: December 01, 2018
For 2021 conference: May 01, 2019

Proposal Submission form

Criteria for Evaluating Proposals

The SSAC executive board and its conference committee will use the following criteria in evaluating proposals:

Conference organizers

Have they been active and contributing members of the SSAC community?
Do they have all the important roles covered? And enough people involved to make it manageable?
What experience do they have with conference organizing?
How strong does the support of the local institution appear to be?
Is there a plan for administrative support?

Location

Is the proposed location desirable and accessible for SSAC members?
How convenient and affordable is travel for both domestic and overseas participants?
Does it bring the conference to a new location?

Facilities

Are the meeting facilities appropriate and convenient to housing?
Is inexpensive housing available for graduate students and others with limited budgets?
Are there sites or opportunities for special conference events (banquets, social events) that have special appeal?

Dates

Are the dates within the acceptable range for conference?
Have the organizers checked for potential conflicts with other conferences?
If the dates are outside the range, is the organizers argument for those dates compelling?

Finances

Is the proposed rough budget realistic?
Do the organizers have a tentative plan for pursuing local resources to subsidize expenses and enrich the conference experience?

Contacting SSAC

For questions or additional information, contact SSAC (secretary.sacweb@gmail.com).

Proposal Submission form

Thanks in advance for your interest in hosting a SSAC conference.