Guidelines for Session Chairs
(Symposia & Oral Communication Sessions)
The following guidelines apply to all Chairs of Symposia and Oral Communication Sessions. Please read them carefully to ensure smooth coordination, respectful timekeeping, and a professional experience for both speakers and audience members.
Before the Session
In the days leading up to the event, check the Congress Program to confirm the exact time and location of your assigned session.
Review the session schedule carefully, including the order of presentations, their titles, timing, and format. Read the Abstracts in advance and prepare one question per presentation to help encourage discussion if needed.
On the day of the session, arrive at the room at least 10–15 minutes early. This will give you time to meet the speakers, check that all presentations have been uploaded correctly, and familiarize yourself with the room setup.
A hostess will always be present in the room to provide support throughout the session. She will take care of starting each presentation at the appropriate time, assist with minor technical needs, and help manage any unexpected issues, such as a speaker not showing up or a presentation file not opening correctly. If necessary, she will promptly involve the technical staff to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
Opening the Session
Begin the session on time. Welcome the audience and briefly introduce yourself and your co-chair. Announce the session title. Kindly ask attendees to move toward the front and center of the room to facilitate engagement.
During the Presentations
Introduce each speaker giving their name, affiliation.
Make sure to stick to the schedule. A countdown timer will appear on the monitor during each presentation, and a gong will sound when the allotted time is over. Be courteous but firm in enforcing time limits to ensure fairness across all speakers and to keep the session running smoothly.
- For Symposium Speakers, each presentation is allocated 18 minutes, followed by 2 minutes for Q&A, for a total of 20 minutes.
- For Oral Communication Speakers, each presentation is allocated 8 minutes, followed by 2 minutes for Q&A, for a total of 10 minutes.
It is essential to respect these time slots to ensure that the session runs on time and that all speakers have equal opportunity to present.
Maintain a quiet and respectful environment in the room, and promptly address any disruptions.
Q&A
After each presentation, you will moderate the question-and-answer segment. Encourage audience participation by inviting questions and asking attendees to state their name before speaking. If the audience is hesitant please use a question of your own to get the discussion started. Aim to manage the time efficiently and fairly, giving the opportunity to more than one person when time permits.
Closing the Session
At the end of the session, offer a short closing remark and thank both the speakers and the audience for their participation.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT THE SESSION ENDS ON TIME. We have a very packed program and even a few minute delays can seriously compromise the schedule of the Congress.