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Call for papers for NET Conference 2022 now open

06 Jan 2022 | Liz Clark As we invite abstracts from the sector for the 2022 NET Conference for healthcare educators, Liz Clark, Chair of the NET Organising Committee introduces this year's conference.

NET is the leading, international conference for networking in healthcare education. It provides a unique opportunity to engage with the latest evidence, developments and thinking in healthcare education alongside educators, practitioners, researchers and students from across the UK and beyond. Papers are arranged in themed sessions where delegates participate in in-depth discussion and debate on a specific topic, facilitated by skilled convenors.

Originally launched as an annual, UK conference for nurse and midwifery educators in 1990, NET has become a well-established, annual event. Networking is at the heart of every conference which provides a supportive, friendly and engaging environment for all delegates, particularly for new presenters to ensure that this important rite of passage is always a positive and rewarding experience. In the words of recent delegates, NET is ‘such an inclusive, collegial and welcoming conference’; as a new presenter and first-time delegate, I felt supported and inspired’; ‘there was an air of positivity and joy’; ‘remaining in the same theme session was helpful to building dialogue and understanding’; and ‘it’s a vibrant event with a good buzz about it’.

We are also proud that NET’s networking opportunities have spawned some exciting national and international collaborations in research and education developments.

Over the decades we have continued to innovate. We’ve welcomed increasing numbers of student participants and presenters, including keynote presentations. We have also seen a steady increase in the number of delegates from a wide range of healthcare professions, including Adult, Children and Mental Health Nursing, Counselling, Dentistry, Dietetics, General Practice Medicine, Midwifery, Occupational Therapy, Oncology, Paramedic Medicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Radiography, Radiology, Speech and Language Therapy and Veterinary Surgery. These developments continue to enrich conference discussion and debates and stimulate the cross-fertilisation of ideas and invaluable understanding and learning from each other. As one of the student presenters, I was very excited to be a representative for the Physician Associate programme and be an ambassador for the profession on a global educational platform” (NET2021).  

NET2021 marked a very significant milestone in our 31-year history, in its transition to a fully virtual model in response to the uncertainty associated with the global COVID-19 pandemic. We were able to provide a forum that allowed us to continue to ‘meet’ to disseminate research findings, share ideas and discuss differing experiences and reactions to the global Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting changes and educational innovation.

Drawing on the insights and lessons from 2021 and in response to the valuable, constructive feedback of presenters and delegates, NET2022 will be a three-day, hybrid conference. It will offer a combination of in-person and virtual delivery methods. Days 1 and 2 will be exclusively for those attending the conference in person and will include the customary conference dinner, BBQ and the usual opportunities to chat informally to colleagues about their work and potential collaborations, which have been more challenging to achieve in a virtual world. The highly valued networking over meals, a cup of coffee/tea or in the bar will also return. Day 3 will provide remote delivery to a mixed audience of in-person and remote delegates. We believe this will deliver a more sustainable model during a time of continued global turbulence and ongoing uncertainty by equalising opportunities, enhancing inclusivity and accessibility for participants who are unable to travel due to mobility issues or government/institutional restrictions. It is also a step towards reducing the overall carbon footprint of our diverse, international, networking conference.

Find out more about NET2022 conference here

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