Hosting Virtual Conferences
Several Andrews University departments provide services to assist you with hosting your virtual conference. This page provides some resources to help you get started.
Conference Website
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Digital Commons: Many Andrews University conferences are academic in nature and are research based.
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Peer review process built-in
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Presenters can upload their presentations
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Recorded video can be uploaded or linked
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Contact: Terry Roberston or Carlisle Sutton
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Sched. For larger events, a more sophisticated event management tool may be desired. Sched offers a mobile app for the event as well. The Office of Research and Creative Scholarship, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Global Campus staff partnered to select this tool to support conferences at Andrews University.
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A page on your department website. For less complex events, a link to a Facebook or YouTube stream may be sufficient. This could be linked on a simple page about the event on your department section of the Andrews website.
Delivery Options
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Zoom Webinar: The Zoom webinar option can be used if you want to restrict audio and video from the participants.
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Contact: Dan Hamstra to make arrangements for support and use of the university Zoom Webinar option for up to 500 participants.
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Zoom Meeting: The regular Zoom Pro account(s) can be used for a more interactive conference experience. Each meeting room holds up to 300 participants. Existing Pro accounts can be used, or additional purchased.
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To request a Pro account, first sign up for a free account at Zoom.us using an Andrews.edu email address. Then email dlit@andrews.edu and include the IDC# to be charged. Currently Pro accounts are only available to faculty and staff.
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Using breakout rooms within the Zoom meeting is an option, including the self-select breakout room option.
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Zoom Meeting to Facebook or YouTube. If your event consists of presentation and video and audio interaction isn't needed, you may wish to stream to Facebook or YouTube or both. The regular university Zoom Pro accounts include the capability of streaming to Facebook or YouTube (but not both at the same time). Some have worked around this by having a cohost stream to the other platform.
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Discuss your options. If you want some assistance thinking through how to host your conference and the various activities, each of us are available for a consultation:
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Dan Hamstra, ITS Technical Operations Manager, for Zoom webinar and audio visual expertise
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Janine Lim, Associate Dean, Global Campus, for interaction and conference experience design expertise
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Carlisle Sutton, Research Services Coordinator, for research, peer review, and publication expertise
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The Adventist Learning Community video team can also record and archive your whole conference on the ALC website, if desired.