Propose a symposium session

Call for symposium proposals

Shape the scientific conversation at ICPP 2028

Individuals, institutions, plant pathology societies and ISPP Subject Matter Committees are invited to organise and moderate a symposium at the 13th International Congress of Plant Pathology on the Gold Coast.

Before you begin

This portal is only for symposium proposal consideration. Only one organiser should submit a proposal on behalf of each proposed symposium.

The symposium program

Scientific depth across every day of the Congress

Symposia will run throughout ICPP 2028, creating multiple opportunities for focused discussion across the breadth of plant pathology.

5Congress days
2Symposium sessions each day
6Concurrent symposia per session
Thoughtful scheduling

Every effort will be made to avoid overlap between similar symposia, supporting delegates who wish to follow a particular scientific theme.

High-demand topics

Some symposia may require two sessions. Organisers should indicate this possibility in their proposal where appropriate.

Related proposals

The ICPP 2028 Organising Committee may recommend merging symposium proposals that cover closely related subject areas.

01
Choose your preferred format

Symposium session structures

Symposia will be either 90 or 120 minutes long, depending on program demand.

Option one 90 minutes
3
20-minute talks

A maximum of two invited speakers and at least one speaker selected from submitted abstracts.

2
15-minute talks

Selected from submitted abstracts, providing oral presentation opportunities for students and early career researchers.

Option two 120 minutes
3
20-minute talks

A maximum of two invited speakers and at least one speaker selected from submitted abstracts.

4
15-minute talks

Selected from submitted abstracts, creating additional opportunities for students and early career researchers.

Keynote speaker

The first 20-minute speaker is the symposium keynote speaker and should provide a brief review of the symposium topic. The remaining 20-minute presentations should be selected for the significance of the research.

Building an inclusive program

Representation should be considered from the outset

Organisers are asked to consider gender, cultural and age diversity when developing the symposium program. For the two chair roles, we encourage the inclusion of one senior and one early or mid-career chair.

02 Prepare your submission

What your proposal should include

Having this information ready before entering the portal will make the submission process quicker and easier.

Use sentence case

Please do not use all capitals for your proposed symposium title.

  1. 01
    Symposium title

    The exact proposed title, written in sentence case.

  2. 02
    Two chairs

    Names, affiliations and country for both chairs. One senior and one early or mid-career chair is encouraged.

  3. 03
    Promotional description

    Approximately 100–200 words explaining the symposium theme for advertising purposes.

  4. 04
    Preferred duration

    Your preference for a 90-minute or 120-minute session.

  5. 05
    Proposed speakers

    The keynote and other invited speakers, if known, including affiliation and country.

  6. 06
    Presentation titles

    Titles for invited presentations, where these are already known.

  7. 07
    Sponsorship

    The symposium sponsor, if known and if you would like it identified on the website.

  8. 08
    Expected attendance

    An estimated delegate number based on experience to assist with room allocation.

  9. 09
    Additional comments

    Any further information relevant to consideration or scheduling of the proposal.

Ready to begin?

Submit your symposium proposal

Only one organiser should submit on behalf of the proposed symposium.

Open the proposal portal
03
Important conditions

Speaker funding and registration

Invited speaker expenses

ICPP 2028 will not cover travel, accommodation or registration fees for invited speakers.

Professional recognition

ISPP generally expects invited speakers to cover their own costs, as selection is considered an honour and recognition of expertise.

Funding priorities

Funding efforts are directed towards researchers and students from countries with developing economies. The organisers may assist with identifying speaker sponsorship opportunities.

Registration requirement

No registration is required when you submit

Please note that a Symposium Session Proposal can only be officially accepted into the final program if the organiser holds a valid Congress registration.