ECR goes virtual in Vienna with investment in creativity
THE EUROPEAN CONGRESS OF RADIOLOGY 2021 WAS A CASE STUDY OF HOW TO EMBRACE VIRTUAL EVENT INNOVATION IN VIENNA . CMW TALKS TO TWO OF THE KEY DRIVERS OF THE PROJECT
he European Congress of Radiology ( ECR ) is one of Europe ’ s largest congress events and the second biggest medical imaging meeting worldwide . It is usually held annually in Vienna , but in 2021 it was a virtual-only event ( 3-7 March ). Organisers still masterminded a major technological operation which delivered novel and interactive content , connecting 15,000 participants across the globe .
The broadcast offering saw five simultaneous channels streamed on the in-house ‘ ESR Connect ’ platform . Vienna ’ s Palais Hansen Kempinski provided the HQ , housing the live studio .
A new ‘ Pop-Up World Tour ’ transformed Vienna into a global interface for delegates , showcasing sessions from across the world and expanding the reach of ECR 2021 . Gamification elements were introduced for the first time , to increase active involvement . Play @ ECR offered guests the chance to win daily prizes at exhibitor stands and helped maintain increased awareness during the virtual exhibition . It also encouraged networking .
There was an ‘ In-Focus ’ wellness programme , as well as interactive Yoga , Qigong and Aikido classes – all part of a plan to place emphasis on the physical and mental wellbeing of participants .
Christian Woronka , director of the Vienna Convention Bureau , believes this year ’ s ECR has shown that Vienna is setting trends in the global meetings industry even in challenging times . “ Through its innovative implementation , the ECR has set new standards for online medical meetings , while at the same time Vienna ’ s international appeal as a meeting metropolis has been strengthened ,” he says , as he looks towards helping the organisers with their planned Hybrid ECR Summer Edition 2021 and the next physical ECR in 2022 .
Vienna showcase ECR 2021 was a huge opportunity to showcase the city of Vienna and its technological capacities .
Woronka says : “ This year ’ s ECR has shown that the Meeting Destination Vienna is not only perfectly capable of hosting international congresses with thousands of attendees in person , but functions further as a perfect stage for global virtual event formats .”
Below : ECR 2021 Back Office Photo by Marina Knittel
What about the reaction of delegates at ECR 2021 and their appetite for virtual and hybrid ? What advice does Woronka offer others in terms of getting the most out of such events ?
“ ECR and its delegates are no strangers to virtual meetings . Since 2013 live streaming has been used to reach a wide audience . However , this year ’ s ECR certainly set new standards for online medical meetings through its interactive content ,” he says .
“ While virtual meetings will never be able to adequately replace physical events , companies and associations can make use of technology that allows interaction and opportunities for virtual networking to provide added value . Destinations can present themselves through provided video material or digital 360 ° experiences .”
The VCB director believes hybrid meetings will continue to play an important role in the future and says Vienna ’ s numerous meeting locations and venues have quickly adapted to the technological requirements to offer solutions and services for all forms of meetings .
CMW also sought the view of Professor Michael Fuchsjäger , chairman of the ESR Board of Directors . How had his team prepared for the big March event ?
“ The European Society of Radiology realised many years back that a mixture of online and onsite will be the future of professional medical meetings . We were among the first to stream our entire congress , which covered 30 separate rooms in parallel and live , back in 2013 , and based on this early start we have gained a lot of in-house experience .
“ In late 2019 , we channelled all of this knowledge into ESR Connect , which is not only our streaming platform for live events , but also our on-demand vault for over 950 hours of high-quality educational material .
“ One of the main reasons behind the decision was that we wanted to create a unique platform and experience for our
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