Call for Bids

Call for bid for venue to host the
ISA WORLD CONGRESS OF SOCIOLOGY 2026

The Executive Committee of the International Sociological Association invites all ISA collective members to make a bid for the site of XX ISA World Congress of Sociology in 2026.

The bids should be received by the ISA Secretariat no later than December 1, 2019. All bidders will be requested to present their offers at the spring 2020 annual meeting of the ISA Executive Committee.

Offers to host a World Congress should be extended by national sociological associations, collective members of the ISA, in order to ensure that there is an active sociological community in the country concerned which is formally committed to organizing the congress. While first initiatives may obviously emanate from other institutions (universities or sociology departments, national tourist organizations, airlines, congress centers, professional congress organizers, etc.), these initiatives will only be seriously considered by the ISA Executive Committee if fully backed by the national sociological association concerned.

A collective member that wishes to host a Congress shall indicate the availability of an adequate Congress site for a minimum of one week, preferably during the months of July or August. Adequate shall be defined as meeting the following conditions:

VENUE

Venue Requirements

Facilities for 4,000 or more persons in attendance must be available at a reasonable cost, and must include:

• 1 plenary hall at least for 3,000 persons
• 6 rooms for 300 persons (simultaneous sessions)
• 70 session rooms for 60-200 persons (simultaneous sessions)
• Office facilities for an ISA Secretariat (see also technical equipment requirements)
• Book exhibit space: 30 book sellers (at the meeting site, or in close proximity)
• Luncheon facilities on the conference site or in restaurants within walking distance that could serve 4,000 persons within two hours;
• At the conference site, or in very close proximity, the following services must be available : banking, postal and public copy facilities, travel agency and medical service.

Technical Equipment Requirements

• Standard audio-visual equipment in all session rooms: computer with Power Point and data projector.
• Availability of other equipment: internet connection, video player, slide projector, overhead projector, projection screen, white/blackboard or flip charts, microphone system (if needed)
• Office facilities for an ISA Secretariat of at least 5 persons with computer, printer, international telephone/fax/e-mail facilities, internet connection, and coping machine
• Cybercafe/ WiFi at the conference site.

Hotel Facility Requirements

• Efficient and reliable hotel-booking system
• Total room capacity in the city of more than 4,000 rooms
• Hotels of different categories:
• 40% two star hotels
• 50% three star hotels
• 10% four star hotels
• Availability of medium and low-cost accommodation (including student dormitories) for at least 2,000 persons.
• A distance between conference venue and hotels no more than 20 minutes by public transport

International Transport

• An international airport, with regular, direct connection to all main airports world-wide, must be located close to the host city.
• A possibility of the conference airline with discount offers.

LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) must be committed to assist in the organisation of the following aspects of the conference:

• Organisation of sessions on national sociology / social issues in cooperation with the ISA Program Committee
• Design of conference poster and logo
• Address problems regarding visa for participants coming from many different countries
• Rent of the conference venue(s), including book exhibition and social events
• Responsibility for the tasks associated with ensuring that the conference runs smoothly, including at least: establishing media relations, developing regional contacts, encouraging participation in the conference, mobilizing volunteers
• Opening and/or closing reception
• Social program, for example conference party and/or other cultural events
• Preparation and handling of sight-seeing tours
• On-line booking of hotel accommodation for participants
• Production of paraphernalia (t-shirts, logos, souvenirs, etc.) for sale at the conference (optional)

COSTS

The costs of conference participation shall be shown to be reasonable. The following financial aspects should be taken into consideration when preparing a bid. Please clearly specify the cost for each point:

• Conference facilities:
  • rent and cleaning;
  • technical equipment and support;
  • signs and decoration;
  • internet connection, WiFi and Cybercafe;
  • exhibition space;
  • registration area
• Medical and child-care services; special arrangements for disabled participants
• Translation English/French/Spanish: interpretation equipment (cost per 2-hour session) and interpreters (cost per language)
• Conference materials:
• design of conference poster and logo;
• conference bag (incl. local information, maps);
• printed materials such as posters and leaflets;
• program book
• Social events: opening and closing ceremony; reception; tourism programs
• Exhibition: handling expenses
• Cost of a Professional Congress Organiser company selected for the event
• A list of approximate air fares from representative sites across the globe, including what reduction might be secured from the national or other airlines

The bidder shall demonstrate its ability to assume advance costs (from its own funds or from subsidies it shall obtain locally) for the conference on the following basis:

• ISA works normally with its own PCO which handles all pre-registrations as well as on-the-spot registrations during the conference week. Registration fees shall be set by the ISA.
• ISA Program Committee assumes responsibility for preparing the scientific program, together with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) composed of representatives of the local sociological association.
• The LOC shall secure funds to finance a one-week seminar preceding the Congress for the winners of the Worldwide Competition for Junior Sociologists.
• The LOC shall seek funds to help meet the travel expenses of Congress paper-givers coming from the less developed countries.
• The surplus from receipts of the Congress shall be divided 80-20 between the ISA and the LOC.

DEADLINE FOR BIDS

Bids, including all information requested in this call, should be received by the ISA Secretariat (see contact information below) no later than December 1, 2019. A decision will be made by the ISA Executive Committee at its spring 2020 annual meeting.

International Sociological Association
Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology
University Complutense
Campus de Somosaguas
28223 Madrid, Spain
isa@isa-sociology.org