E-Magazine
President’s Piece
Dr Colette Henry
With our 2009 Conference fast approaching, we are all getting ready to welcome you to this year’s host city, Liverpool. Famous for its music, culture and stunning architecture, Liverpool is increasingly being used as a backdrop for movies and television dramas, making it the most filmed UK city outside of London.
As part of our new conference model, we want to give you a taste of the local culture, hence our innovative choice of venues for this year’s ISBE Conference. The NOVAS Centre represents all that is creative, entrepreneurial and regenerative about Liverpool; a modern social enterprise that has had to deal with the challenges of the recent economic downturn, just like any other business. The parallel sessions will take place in an unusual collection of breakout rooms designed to boost creative thinking, facilitating discussion and debate. Overall, this will be a relaxing, ‘speak-easy’ and informal type of environment, where you will be encouraged to mingle with your ISBE colleagues, exchange your thoughts and ideas and develop new connections.
In contrast, the prestigious St George’s Hall offers a unique opportunity to experience one of Europe’s best examples of neo-classical architecture. In this, the chosen venue for our Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony, you will be ‘wined and dined’ within a breathtaking Victorian masterpiece that was more than ten years in construction. Originally opened in 1854, and again in 2007 following a £23 million refurbishment, this grade I listed building is famous for its tunnel-vaulted ceiling, supported by massive red granite columns, and its priceless mosaic tiled floor. St George’s Hall is the true centre piece of the city of Liverpool.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every member of the ISBE community for your continued support. The 2009 ISBE Conference has already broken a few records, with an unprecedented number of abstracts submitted across ten academic tracks, most of which were oversubscribed well before the abstract submission deadline. More than 400 abstracts competed for a limited number of presentation slots this year, with competition for places in the refereed category being especially tough. So, as you can imagine, our track leaders and advisers had a particularly difficult job this time and we really appreciate their hard work and dedication. We look forward to seeing you in November.
Dr. Colette Henry, ISBE President
