Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the 2024 IMISCOE Annual Conference?

The conference will be hybrid. You can either come to Lisbon in person or attend the conference online, depending on the participation mode that you selected when submitting your proposal. Consequently, panels and workshops running throughout the conference days will take place either fully on-site or fully online. A very limited number of hybrid panels (up to a maximum of 5 sessions per timeslot) could potentially be accommodated in exceptional circumstances (health issues, visa restrictions, special care needs), when duly justified and notified to the IMISCOE Network Office prior to the finalisation of the registration process.

Can I choose my preferred mode of online or on-site participation and if so, when?

Panels and workshops running throughout the conference days will take place either fully on-site or fully online. You already chose your preferred mode of participation (in Lisbon OR virtually) when you submitted your proposals. When registering for the conference, you should thus keep the participation mode previously indicated at the submission stage. A very limited number of hybrid panels (up to a maximum of 5 sessions per timeslot) could potentially be accommodated in exceptional circumstances (health issues, visa restrictions, special care needs), when duly justified and notified to the IMISCOE Network Office prior to the finalisation of the registration process.

Will the conference fees vary depending on the participation mode?

Yes, those participating online will benefit from a discounted conference fee when compared to those participating in person in Lisbon. Once you register for a specific participation mode, you cannot change it at a later stage. The detailed information regarding the conference fees is available on the conference portal.

Can I still attend the conference if I do not have an active role in a Panel/Workshop and, if so, how?

Yes, you can still attend the conference as an “Observer”, even though you do not have an active role as paper giver, chair, discussant, or workshop speaker. However, due to the high number of on-site participants and the constraints regarding available space in the host institution, observers can only participate virtually. To do so, they must register and pay the conference fees for virtual participation (these fees will be the same as the ones applied for any other participant attending the conference online). The fee for online participation also includes a one-year IMISCOE membership and will allow observers to participate in all online panels and workshops, as well as in the conference plenaries. Those interested to attend the conference as “Observers” should contact the IMISCOE Network Office as soon as possible at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

When will I receive notice regarding the acceptance of my proposal?

You will be informed about the acceptance of your submission by mid-end January 2024. Notices will be sent via email (using the email address you provided at the stage of submissions), so please make sure to check your email (and spam folder) regularly.

I was informed that my proposal was placed on the Reserve List. When will I know about its final acceptance/rejection?

A final decision regarding the acceptance/rejection of proposals placed on the Reserve List will be taken around mid-February 2024. Notices of acceptance will be sent via email (using the email address provided by the participants at the stage of submissions), so please make sure to check your email (and spam folder) regularly.

My proposal was accepted, I haven’t registered yet, but I know that I will not be able to attend the conference anymore. What should I do?

Please email us immediately at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so that we can rearrange the conference program.

When and how can I register and pay the conference fees?

Our conference registration portal will already be open by the time that you will receive the acceptance letter for your proposal. You can register and pay in a secure mode directly via the Mollie online payment platform connected to the conference portal and which accepts payments by the most common bank/credit cards. However, this system does not accept payments by invoice or bank transfers. If you experience any issues with the online payment system or should you wish to make a group payment, please contact the IMISCOE Finance Officer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Can I get a discount on registration fees?

Yes. Several discounts are available (for early-bird registration, for online participation, for participants from IMISCOE Member Institutes, for PhD students, for scholars based at institutions located in non-EU or non-OECD countries, etc.). Please check our conference portal for detailed information regarding the conference fees applicable in your case.

What is the deadline for registration and payment?

The deadline for early-bird registration (with reduced conference fees) is the 19th of February 2024. Late registrations (with an increased registration fee) will still be possible during the period of February 20- March 11, 2024. Those who do not register by 11 March 2024 will be removed from the conference program and will not be able to attend the event.

What does my registration fee include?

The conference registration fee for on-site participation includes admittance to all sessions and plenaries (either on-site or online) during all conference days, in addition to a one-year IMISCOE membership. The conference registration fee for online participation includes a one-year IMISCOE membership and admittance to all workshops and panels held online, as well as to the conference plenaries.

I have registered for the conference, but it still says my registration is being processed. What can I do?

Please log off from the IMISCOE website using this link. Now log on again using your credentials. This should solve the problem, but if you still experience any issue, please contact the IMISCOE Network Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

I already registered for the conference, but I need to cancel. What is the refund policy?

Please email us immediately at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your cancellation request. Refunds are possible under certain conditions. There is a 14-day cooling-off period following registration payment. If you inform us of your cancellation during these 14 days, you will be entitled to a full refund of the conference fee.

When will I know in which timeslot my presentation is scheduled?

A provisional conference programme will be made available on the conference platform by the end of April 2024. The final version of the conference program with updated details regarding all sessions will be released in late May 2024.

When, how, and what kind of paper do I need to upload?

You can upload your paper in a PDF format on the conference platform (the function “Paper Upload” will be made available soon after the release of the conference program). However, it is not mandatory to upload your paper, and we do not have a special template. Participants who prefer not to upload their papers should however send them to the other participants of their respective panels. Please do so with sufficient time in advance, as discussants need time to carefully read all papers and prepare useful and constructive feedback.

Is there any specific IMISCOE Award for which my conference paper could be considered?

Yes. Please check the Rinus Penninx Best Paper Award, whose winner will be announced during the Annual Conference. This award is reserved for original non-published papers that have been accepted as part of the conference program. Nominations for the Award can be made by the chair of the panel in which a paper will be presented (chairs will be asked to nominate excellent papers in their sessions), or by any person within the IMISCOE Network who evaluates your paper as excellent and worth being nominated for the Award. See more information about this Award on the IMISCOE website.

Are there specific guidelines for Panel or Workshop chairs?

Yes. A Practical Guide for Chairs will be released on the conference portal by early June 2024. Also, Chairs are strongly encouraged to contact the other Panel/Workshop participants in advance of the conference to inform them about any details that will ensure the smooth organisation of each session. This may include: information regarding the time/date in which the Panel/Workshop will take place, the order of presentations, the time allocated for each presentation or discussant(s), the organisation of the Q&A session after presentations, etc. Chairs are not expected to facilitate any type of technical support during panels. They should focus only on the content, as technical assistants will be assigned to both on-site and virtual rooms. Assistants will be trained to address the most common problems and will help Chairs to guide the session smoothly.

Are there specific guidelines for Discussants?

Discussants should aim to provide professional, useful, and constructive feedback to paper givers. They are expected to read the papers in advance of the conference and use their expertise to prepare analytical and critical comments that will help paper givers to substantially improve the quality of their papers. Discussants should contact the Panel chairs regarding how much time they will have to provide their feedback to paper givers.

How long should my presentation be and can I use a PowerPoint presentation?

Your presentation should usually be around 10-15 minutes long. However, please contact the chair of your Panel/Workshop for confirmation regarding the time allocated to each presentation as this may depend on the number of presenters/speakers in each Panel/Workshop. Regardless of your mode of participation (online or on-site), you will be able to use a PowerPoint presentation if you prefer to do so (the use of PowerPoint presentations is not compulsory). A Practical Guide for Paper Presenters will also be released on the conference portal by early June 2024.

Which platform will be used for online conference participation?

We work with Cisco WebEx, which is a safe and reliable platform. On the conference portal, you will find a practical guide on how to use WebEx, which will explain all necessary steps to ensure a smooth online participation during the conference.

Can I join online from any computer without my own WebEx account, or do I need special equipment?

Yes, all registered online participants will be able to join via WebEx, regardless of the operating system they have and without the need to create a personal account. We recommend (standard PC/laptop) speakers for good sound. If you do not have a microphone/webcam, you can still attend and ask questions via the WebEx chat function. If you intend to present, you will need to have a microphone and preferably also a webcam (a standard webcam that is included in most laptops/PCs will be sufficient). Without a webcam, you can still use the “share screen” function to show a PowerPoint presentation, but you will lose many of the dynamics of face-to-face interaction. Lastly, we strongly encourage you to install the WebEx app in your device to benefit from a smoother conference experience.

Will there be technical support before and during the conference?

Yes, there will be both online and on-site support during the conference. For online participants, our WebEx platform is very user-friendly and we are confident you will find your way quite easily on our virtual campus. Before the conference starts, we will organise a special Drop-In Session (date & time to be announced on the conference platform) to allow participants joining online to test the WebEx functionalities prior to the conference, if they wish. Moreover, throughout the whole duration of the conference, a special Online Support Centre will provide assistance to all participants joining via WebEx. You will be able to contact our technical assistants from the Online Support Centre in different ways (by phone, chat or speak to them directly in a WebEx room), depending also on the technical issue you experience. More details regarding the Online Support Centre will be made available on the conference platform.

If I attend in Lisbon, will there be computers and video-projectors in the rooms and how can I use them?

Yes, all conference rooms in Lisbon are equipped with computers and video-projectors. If you have a PowerPoint presentation, please bring it on an USB flash drive.

If I participate on-site in Lisbon, will there be a space at the conference venue where I could attend online panels and workshops?

Yes, at the conference venue, you will find several spaces where you could log in to attend fully online panels. To do so, please make sure that you bring your own laptop and headset (if possible, with a built-in microphone).

Is there a Safe Space Policy or Code of Conduct during the conference?

Yes, please check the IMISCOE Safe Space Conference Policy and our   pdf Code of Conduct (182 KB) on the conference platform. If you have any specific concerns or questions regarding our Safe Space policy or the Code of Conduct, please contact the CIES-ISCTE Trustees, Olena Shelest-Szumilas (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), Beatriz Padilla (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), & Saleh Seid Adem (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

How can I get a conference attendance certificate?

On the conference platform, there will be a dedicated button for registered conference participants to download automatically their respective conference attendance certificates. This function will become available shortly after the end of the conference, until September 2024. Please make sure that you download your certificate before the 30th of September 2024. After that date, it will no longer be possible for us to provide you with a certificate of attendance.

If you have any other questions regarding the conference

Contact us.

If you have any other questions regarding the academic program, the registration process, the payment of conference fees, your IMISCOE membership, your virtual participation via WebEx, etc., please contact directly the IMISCOE Network Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

If you have any other questions regarding Lisbon visa letters, the conference venue, or the infrastructure made available in the conference rooms, please contact directly the conference hosts at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also find useful, practical information about the city, transportation, hotels and restaurants, conference venue, etc., in the section “About Lisbon” of this webpage.