Wanna hear about Euprera 2010?

Current congress theme, inspiring speakers, interesting case studies, exotic location, awesome organizing team, even more awesome guests, EUPRERA 2010 has it all! Now we want to make sure that everyone also hears about it! When you have a good 'product', you want to tell it to the world! There are many options to do this, but here it is especially the media, that becomes another congress organizer's best friend. So many possibilities we hope to grasp and so many people we want to reach!

Not only do we hope to tell our stories through conventional media, but to utilize social media, through which we hope to reach even more people interested in the role of communication science and practise of the field in the future. Already in the beginning of the congress organizing, social media has turned out to be an important channel to tell about the congress in a more unconventional way and also to get valuable feedback. In the future, closer to the congress, we will be telling more and more news and interesting stories about our unique EUPRERA 2010. So stay tuned, you'll be hearing more about us! ;)

And media representatives, if YOU want to ensure a tasty EUPRERA story in your media, let us know! We got news!

Early bird!

It’s spring! Snow is finally melting away and birds are flying back to Finland.

Though there are some hardy city ducks, which stay in an icy Touru river near our Department of Communication the whole winter time. These urban birds are called Tourula ducks, one attraction to visit and see in Jyväskylä during the congress.

But now you can also be an early bird. Start registration now and get the early bird price!

Early bird price will be valid until July 25th.

“Be bird or be square”!

Hunting for money!

We has a good sponsor-hunting-team, but as we are dealing in the economic depression, all our team is now hunting money: looking around and developing creative ideas how to found additional resources.

"We are looking for a cooperation and partnership. Promote your organisation or present your interesting case study. More specific info about possibilities from organizing team. Do not hesitate to contact!"

Puzzle pieces

Organising a congress is like doing a puzzle. First you have just a big picture to guide you. Later you find all the pieces for the frame and after that proportions of the project became clear. Then you start to piece together the whole puzzle.

After the Euprera board meeting which was held in Ghent attached to the Spring Symposium, many pieces found their right places. One could say that we have solid frames and part of the inside of the picture ready. The worthcoming months are meant for taking care of many practicalities, finding the best solutions and checking that everything is in order.

At the moment the online registration platform is being programmed to be ready by the end of March. So the registration will start soon. Be prepared to get the early bird price!

The congress dinner venue for Friday evening is just confirmed. Participants can expect to get an atmospheric dinner in an old drying barn which is renovated for festifities. Many menu options are offered to us. Hard to decide. : )Would you prefer venison to salmon? What about buckthorn-white chocolate mousse or cheece cake with rasberry sauce?

Cut, glue and create

There are days when you can't do anything but sully your hands. Get the job done. Or at least plan it to be done.

While conceiving visual appearance of Euprera 2010 congress, I need to feel the paper, cut some wounds to my fingers, draw with marker pen to my cheek, frown and squeeze failed sketches and tear some paper.

Computer is too clinical tool for that. So here I am. Cutting, gluing and creating with my scissors and pens in the web 2.0 era.

It is surprisingly hypnotic sound that comes when paper is been cut. Squeezing some sketches is a good way to blow off steam and frustration. And when feeling distressed it comes a lot cheaper to throw some paper on the floor than throw the computer towards the wall.

So when you get some glue to your fingers from your badge or guidebook in Euprera 2010 -congress here in Jyväskylä, you know who has sullied your hands...

Breaking news: EUPRERA 2010 is here!

Greetings from the EUPRERA 2010 media team! The congress preparations are moving along, and the media team has also started its work in getting in contact with local and national media to inform them about our upcoming congress. We are positive that the very current theme of the congress will interest different types of media and that it will enable diverse media co-operation.

For now, the media team's work is mostly about building relations and informing the media. Basic messages should be clear: What is EUPRERA 2010 going to be and why should people be interested about it? The very current congress theme will surely be an asset in promoting the congress as a source for distinguished news stories! Also our great keynote speakers will surely attract media. A sign of this can already be seen in an article in the TIME, where EUPRERA 2010 keynote speaker Prof. Timothy Coombs comments on Tiger Woods' apology. Crisis communication is no doubt THE topic!

Still, the media team is not relying solely on ”traditional” media. As all active users of social media know, the EUPRERA 2010 team has also been active on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Social media has turned out to be an effective way to reach people and promote interest towards the congress. Of course, many things in social media should still be done better. As the registration for the congress and the congress itself is getting closer, the information provided should be even more up-to-date and informative about the future. Altogether, working through social media has been great fun! I have to say I'm pleased that now when I'm on Facebook, I can actually say that I'm working! :)

Abstracts review started today!

All, more than 100 abstracts are sent to vetting committee leader, to prof Inger Jensen now. Last phase with abstracts was busy, as we, specially Päivi of course, did many handwork in place of use our technical possibilities comes from our registration system. But sometimes it is also necessary to be ready for different solutions. Main idea is that vetting committee can start work now and let's hope the conference content will be interesting.