State of the Art

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CPRS invites presentation proposals from qualified experts who meet the society’s criteria for helping public relations professionals excel professionally and improve organizational performance. State of the Art is a conference that will explore the leading edge topics that are shaping our world today and into the future.

The audience comprises a wide-ranging group of professionals that include:

• mid-to-senior level public relations practitioners and communications professionals from across Canada with responsibility for communication programs that cross national and cultural borders
• professionals seeking expert and innovative approaches to communication issues that feature practical applications and best practice examples
• professionals comprising a broad spectrum of public relations disciplines including media relations, employee communication, government relations, investor relations and marketing

Call for Presentations

Preference will be given to sessions that encourage interactive discussion and idea sharing, incorporate best practices and case studies and make effective use of communication tools and technologies. Content must appeal to a diverse audience, with ideas and programs that can be adapted and executed in companies of all sizes around the world.

Presentations are limited to 1 hour 15 minutes. The question period must fall within this time frame.

Speaker Qualifications

Proponents should assess their suitability for participation by answering the following questions:

1. Are you accustomed to speaking to audiences of 75 or more participants?
2. Do your audiences describe you as a dynamic, professional, experienced and engaging presenter?
3. Is your content fresh, thought provoking, well researched and highly relevant to an international audience of communications professionals?
4. Are your sessions interactive? Do you incorporate practical examples, case studies and best practices?
5. Will your workshop help participants do their jobs more effectively and increase their value to their employers?

If your answer to all these questions is "yes," you are invited to submit a proposal to be a workshop presenter.

Submission Process

Fill out the Call for Presentations Submission Form. The form requests information about your personal profile and your proposed presentation.

Once you fill out the online form and hit Submit your application will be sent to the 2010 CPRS Conference Program Committee for review. Proponents must complete all sections of the Submission Form and submit it online by December 1, 2009.

The Program Committee will evaluate each application and shortlist those that best fit the State of the Art conference theme. Selection criteria include the presenter’s credentials, expertise, delivery, and the degree to which these fit with the Conference program’s objectives.

Those who submit applications that become short-listed will be contacted via telephone before January 15th. A member of the Program Committee will conduct a brief telephone interview to learn more about the presenter and his or her proposed presentation.

Speakers whose presentations are chosen for inclusion in the program will be notified via email by January 30, 2010.

Speaker’s Agreement and Communication

Immediately following selection of their presentation, speakers will be required to sign a CPRS speaker’s agreement of engagement. As part of the speaker’s agreement, they also commit to maintain an educational focus in their session, eliminating all sales messages or presentations. They also agree to submit all required information about audio-visual needs, a biography, and photograph and session descriptions, among other things, within the time specified in the agreement.

Every conference session is designed as an educational offering to advance the attending practitioners' professional development, their career and the profession itself. Speakers commit to keeping their sessions as interactive as possible, with minimal theory and significant practical, adaptable examples and case studies.

CPRS workshop presenters do not receive fees or free entry to the conference (other than the day of their presentation) and are responsible for their own travel expenses including hotel, airfare and ground transportation. In exchange for their participation, speakers benefit through their association with CPRS and their exposure to an audience of public relations professionals.

Within eight weeks of signing the agreement of engagement, speakers will have received a confirmation letter and a speaker’s kit that contains a Conference program, a list of speakers and other necessary information.

Conclusion

Questions should be directed to presentations@cprs.ca. Thank you for your interest. We look forward to reviewing your submission.

Key Information

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