#IOA2022: Call for Presentations

Proposal Deadline: Monday, 6 December 2021.

The International Ombudsman Association warmly invites you to submit a presentation proposal or speaker suggestion for our 17th Annual Conference, Belonging Together: Reimagined. Our all-virtual conference is scheduled for 4–6 April 2022. This call for proposals is for presentations that will be shared via a virtual platform.

Learn more about the event, what we are looking for,  and the required content for submissions below and read our article "5 Tips for Submitting a Successful Proposal for #IOA2022."

Proposals must be submitted by 6 December 2021 at 11:59 PM ET to be considered by the IOA Conference Committee Programming Subcommittee. Presenters will be notified of the committee’s decisions on 17 December 2021.

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About the Event & Our Attendees

IOA Annual Conferences draw attendees from diverse sectors around the world. Participants and presenters represent professionals in academia, corporations, government, non-profits, healthcare, faith communities, the dispute resolution field, and many other organizations. At #IOA2022, we hope to share ideas, collaborate, and explore new theories, concepts, and practices. 

Learn more about IOA and our members on the IOA Blog.

After the success of last year's virtual conference, which included more than 500 participants, we expect the #IOA2022 event to be the most connected and well-attended event the International Ombudsman Association has ever held.

To support our presenters, we will be using a sophisticated virtual hosting platform to help make the experience more immersive, easier to navigate, and more tech-friendly. We promise you this event will be more than just another series of video calls.

Learn More About Ombuds

What Are We Looking to Present at #IOA2022?

It is IOA's goal to continually improve the content we offer conference attendees. Based on evaluations of past conferences we have developed a list of requested topics and areas of interest for #IOA2022. We are particularly focused on innovative offerings to connect with attendees across the world. We also encourage submissions for short presentations that focus on ombuds’ creative work and wellness or practice tips.

This call for proposals invites you to “Reimagine” the ways we connect to one another across political, cultural, and physical boundaries, examining topics such as identity, health, equity, and dispute resolution.

Please be sure to review the list of the required information to prepare your proposal. You are welcome to submit more than one proposal and encourage you to share this call for proposals widely in your networks.

Proposals should use the theme to help attendees consider:

• How the role of ombuds can be critically reviewed and strengthened.
• How ombuds can “reimagine” new frames and methods for engaging those in conflict; and
• How ombuds can advance issues of justice and equity without being perceived as partisan

General topics of interest include:

• all aspects of conflict engagement and ombuds practice
• new and/or alternative means of providing ombuds services
• maximizing ombuds’ positive impact on organizations
• sector-specific constituent issues
• ombuds as coaches, facilitators, and trainers working with others within an organization, including legal counsel, human relations, compliance, and risk management officials
• the ombuds role in preventing and addressing inequity in our organizations
• updates on relevant legal and regulatory frameworks
• the value of CO-OP® certification
• welcoming new IOA members and retaining current members

Evaluation Criteria:

Abstracts will be evaluated with consideration of the following:

• Topic will be especially relevant to ombuds and/or applicable to their work
• Work that furthers the ombuds field may also be of interest
• We are interested in conference presentations that are applicable to a range of levels of ombuds experience: Emerging (0-5 years of practice and/or knowledge), Established (5-15 years of practice and/or knowledge), and Experienced (over 15 years of practice and/or knowledge
• How the material will be presented in the virtual environment. (Interactive presentations will especially be highly valued, e.g., novel uses of technology, polls, breakout rooms, audience participation. “Straight lecture”, if appropriately justified, may also be considered.)
• Experience and background of the presenter(s)
• Prior presentation at IOA Conference or another professional meeting (We are interested in both work that has successfully been presented at prior meetings, and also in novel additions to our program)
• Abstracts that are relevant to the conference theme “Belonging Together: Reimagined” will be given special consideration

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Required Information for Your Proposal

Please prepare the information before completing the proposal form.

Presenter(s) Details

All correspondence/communication will be addressed to the person who logs into their IOA account to submit the proposal. The following information will also be requested for the presenter(s).

• First & Last Name
• Employer/Affiliation
• Position/Title
• Mailing Address
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Presenter Biography
• Professional Photo (Headshot)
• Knowledge / Experience Level

Presentation Information

• Presentation Type:
• Breakout Presentation
• Interactive
• Keynote
• Panel
• Plenary
• Short Art or Practice Presentation
• Webinar
• Video-Blend
• Presentation Title
• Time Preference: The default length for an interactive presentation is 60 minutes. We also invite short (15 minutes) presentations that are intended to engage and create community by sharing ombuds art and creative output, wellness advice, practice tips, etc.
• Additional Content/Activities: Priority will be given to presentations that engage attendees using different methodologies. or example, a presenter that provides something beyond a Zoom meeting like additional pre-recorded content or web-based activities adaptable to international participants would receive priority consideration.
• CO-OP® Domains: For purposes of recertifictiation approval from Board of Certification for Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioners, please select which of the following CO-OP Domains you expect this presentation may satisfy.
• What resources will you need to engage your attendees?
• Aid to monitor chat and/or Q&A
• Breakout rooms
• Bookstore listing (provide a link)
• Hosted webpage or message board
• Pre-recorded video/audio sharing
• Recording permissions from attendees
• Virtual whiteboard accessible by attendees
• Other
• Relevance to IOA Sector(s)
• Academic Higher Education
• Academic K-12
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Collateral Ombuds (Holds more than one role at their organization)
• Contract/Part-Time Ombuds
• Corporate
• Government
• Healthcare
• International
• Non-Profit
• Other
• Full Presentation Description: This can be posted in the form or a PDF file can be uploaded.
• Brief Description: This will be used for conference publications
• Learning Objectives
• Content level
• Emerging (0-5 years of practice and/or knowledge)
• Established (5-15 years of practice and/or knowledge)
• Experienced (over 15 years of practice and/or knowledge)

Review the Required Speaker Agreement

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Speaker Suggestion & Input

This past year has been difficult for all of us. Nonetheless, because of your efforts, IOA was able to successfully launch its first virtual conference during this pandemic. Thank you for helping to make IOA’s 2021 Annual Conference a success through your involvement and active participation. We look forward to working with you to make the 2022 Annual Conference just as successful.

The Programming Sub-committee of the IOA Conference is in the process of selecting speakers for the 2022 Annual Conference. It is vital for these presenters to reflect the interests and practice concerns of our membership. To help us achieve this end, we are soliciting your help and input. We invite anyone wishing to do so to submit your suggestions for speakers.

Please take into account the theme of our 2022 conference (Belonging Together: Reimagined) as you consider possible speakers.