Call for Speakers

Naturally Stronger Regions – Realising the Potential

The SEGRA National Steering Committee is seeking submissions to participate in a range of speaking positions in this years’ program.

SEGRA this year is being held in Albany and the Great Southern region of WA, a region with access to rich agricultural assets and a diverse, pristine natural heritage.

However, a region is not driven solely by its natural attributes. A range of other actions and actors come together to realise a regions potential.

This year at SEGRA, there will be focus on the factors that enable regions to transform their natural assets and drive growth whilst maintaining and retaining the local values of environment and lifestyle.

The conference program will also provide opportunities for delegates to participate in a number of study tours into the Great Southern to see how they have responded to emerging trends and developed solutions for their region. The program will include keynote presentations, panel discussions, spotlight sessions, master classes and best practice case studies.

Preference will be given to contributions that highlight applications of regional economic development drawing out:

Key considerations for application in other regions
Significant elements that enhanced the success of the initiatives
Barriers encountered and adaptive learning from these.

The SEGRA National Steering Committee is seeking submissions on:

Regional policy – Speaking up for Regional Australia
Diversity, specialisation and creativity – building resilience
Sustainability of land, water and community – a sense of place
Regional hubs and nodes – improving connectivity
Regions as providers of education, health and lifestyle services
Attracting investment to regions – finding funding partners
Sustainable industries – the regional advantage
Maximising Free Trade Agreements – ensuring your region is ready
Aviation and regional economies
Innovation, technology and entrepreneurship in regional Australia

To make your submission to speak at SEGRA 2016, CLICK HERE

Call for Speakers will close at 5:00pm AEST on Friday, May 27, 2016

Submission Guidelines

SEGRA is a participative and active conference community. Where appropriate abstracts need to address the following:

Key considerations for applications in other regions/places
Significant elements that enhance the success of the initiative
Barriers encountered and adaptive learnings from the initiative

Abstracts of up to 250 words are requested by COB, Friday, 27 May 2016. Contributions must deal with any issues listed on the SEGRA 2016 Call for Speakers flyer.

In selecting contributions, the National Steering Committee is seeking speakers in the following areas:

Expert Panels, Conversation Pits, Case studies and Applied Research

The selection criteria are as follows:

Expert Panels:
Speakers selected for these sessions will have high level knowledge and experience in their content area. The facilitated panels are designed to draw out specific and detailed knowledge around the theme and presenters will have the opportunity to address issues at a high analytical level; discussing learning experiences, potential policy spillovers and applications in a range of contexts.

Conversation Pits:
Speakers selected for these sessions will have detailed knowledge at a program or project level. The sessions are facilitated to draw out a cross section of experiences around specific elements drawn from across the presenters.

Workshops and master classes: Speakers selected for these sessions will have identified a particular and specific skill or technique and how they have applied this to one or more situations.

Case studies:
The committee is looking for case studies that demonstrate a wide variety of strategies and tools that have worked across a range of local conditions. Case studies will describe the communities in depth; identify and discuss the varied development strategies at work in the community venture and answer questions about how and why a particular combination of strategies produced positive and distinctive outcomes within the local context.

Elements that will be considered include:

Economic, social, government or environmental benefits
Project adaptability to changing circumstances
Financial sustainability le and enduring change overtime
Relationships with local governance partnerships and organisations
The extent to which the project was proactive and required a willingness to take on risk
Identification and capitalising on the community’s particular advantages
Planned future directions and opportunities

Some helpful headings for case studies:

1.What did you do?
2.What did you learn?
3.Was it successful and how did you know?
4.What does it mean - How could other regions/towns/businesses benefit?

Applied Research:
These papers demonstrate specific research projects that satisfy academic requirements for publication. Preference will be given to papers that identify regional application of knowledge.

Further Requirements:

Contributions must be submitted electronically via the SEGRA website
Names and affiliations of author(s)
A 150 word biography of each presenter.
The title should aim to be precise so that it conveys a clear message
Abstracts should contain brief but complete statements of introduction/study
Abstract must not contain graphs, diagrams or complex tables
References must be included.

All speakers must be able to cover their own registration, accommodation and travel costs. Accepted speakers will be offered a 10% discount. To enable delegates to interact with presenters we encourage speakers to attend the entire conference. Speakers must be registered and attend for at least the day of their presentation.

Authors or speakers will be notified if their abstract has been accepted by Wednesday, 6 July 2016.

The titles of papers and presenter’s details provided upon submission (excluding contact details) will be used in the conference program and publications. Any changes must be made to the SEGRA Secretariat in writing or email prior to Friday, 12 September 2016.

Authors of accepted abstracts will be asked to prepare the full paper and submit it by Friday, 12 September 2016 for it to be listed in the electronic conference proceedings.

Call for Speakers will close at 5:00pm AEST on Friday, May 27, 2016