FENS 2020 Virtual Forum FAQ

Please see below the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Virtual Forum.

Please note that the Virtual Forum login details for all registered participants are being sent at the end of the day on 8 July.
Please check your spam folder or write to fensforum2020_reg@kenes.com if you haven’t received your login details.

If you don’t find an answer to your specific question, please return to the Virtual Forum platform and open a chat with technical support (found in bottom right corner).

FENS  has decided to take the 12th FENS Forum virtual. The FENS 2020 Virtual Forum and its 300+ speakers and presentations, live discussions and Q&A, 3,500 interactive poster displays and 150 exhibitors will be held entirely online.

Yes, the FENS 2020 Virtual Forum will be taking place from 11-15 July 2020 with live-streamed and recorded sessions according to the programme schedule. All of the meeting content will be available to registrants on demand for a period of three months after the Forum, so you can go back, view and enjoy all the sessions and career development opportunities as well as other events as many times as you want, when you want.

The FENS 2020 Virtual Forum will be available to all registrants on demand, for a period of three months after the Forum dates: you can go back, view and enjoy all the sessions and career development opportunities, as many times as you want, when you want.

FENS is a Federation of 44 member societies that organise their national meetings in the off-year (2021). It was difficult to move the Forum while still respecting all of these events.

Facilitating scientific interaction and exchanges between our community is at the heart of FENS mission. Faced with the uncertainty of the current situation and after investigating various options and much contingency planning, we opted for the virtual format as it allows us to bring our community together to share research, network and discuss the latest findings in neuroscience at a much needed time.

THE VIRTUAL FORUM’S PLATFORM

We’ve created a series of videos to show you how to use the FENS 2020 Virtual Forum’s platform, including logging in, accessing pre-recorded and live sessions, as well as meeting exhibitors and networking.

To start watching these walk-through videos, click here.

We acknowledge that unfortunately the avatars on the Virtual Forum platform do not represent the Forum’s diverse audience. This is a technical limitation which in no way reflects FENS views or values.

REGISTRATION

Yes, you are automatically registered for the FENS 2020 Virtual Forum. Further details and guidance on how to navigate the meeting platform will be announced in due course.

Registration and abstract submission are open for new participants to register to the FENS 2020 Virtual Forum. Early registration fees as well as abstract submission have been extended until 18 May 2020 (midnight, HAST). More information is available at https://forum2020.fens.org/registration/

If you registered with the regular fees, you will be automatically reimbursed.

The FENS 2020 Virtual Forum will offer you a full FENS Forum experience and the opportunity to take part in every aspect of the programme including:

  • Free access to all presentations and sessions. Create your own schedule, attend any and all of the sessions whenever and wherever for a period of three months.
  • Networking with your colleagues. Use the world map to browse the list of participants and use the conference system to contact other delegates and network.
  • Access to all e-poster sessions. Browse research on the hottest topics published in the FENS Virtual Forum digital abstract book and connect with abstract authors and other colleagues from around the world through virtual e-poster consultations.
  • The chance to join the debate. Attend programme events and participate in conversations during live Q&A sessions.
  • Asking questions, giving feedback. Use the short session surveys to rate the sessions and help improve the overall quality of the programme.
  • Visiting the virtual exhibition hall. Journey through the exhibition booths, explore the materials on display, contact exhibitors directly and chat with other visitors.

Your registration allows you to access five days of intense science during the live Forum, the extended access to go back, view and enjoy all the sessions and career development opportunities, on-demand, for an extra period of three months. Therefore, you will be able to attend more lectures and more events and keep the discussion going with your fellow delegates, at no extra cost.

Each edition of the Forum involves several years of preparation – all steps that represent investment of both time and resources that are to a large extent supported by the registration income. Faced with the unprecedented pandemic very shortly before the scheduled FENS Forum, plans and efforts that had already been put in place for the onsite meeting in Glasgow had to be cancelled. Additionally, the installation of the FENS 2020 as a virtual Forum requires further dedication of resources in the platform itself as does the planning and implementation of the virtual programme and events.
FENS is a non-profit organisation with the mission to facilitate scientific interaction and exchange within our community. Income from the FENS Forum significantly supports this mission and is central to help FENS bring value to the scientific community.  Incomes from the Forum not only allows us to organise a high-level international meeting every two years but also allows us to conduct our other missions, which is to allow the continued training and education of neuroscientists in Europe and beyond.
In recognition that a virtual FENS Forum does not in all ways correspond to a regular Forum, FENS has reinstalled early registration rates and is offering an extended 3-month on-demand access. In addition, all registered delegates have been offered a full and unconditional reimbursement in case of cancellation. We would like to assure everyone that all our efforts are now dedicated  to ensuring that the quality of the FENS 2020 Virtual Forum represents an exciting opportunity for everyone to meet, network and expand their knowledge. The virtual platform is quite spectacular and we are excited to offer this to our participants at such a difficult time.

FENS and IBRO/PERC are jointly offering grants for students and young investigators to attend the FENS Virtual Forum 2020.

Instead of receiving a grant for travel costs, selected recipients will be awarded with waived registration for the Virtual Forum. Your abstract submission fee will not be reimbursed, but the early registration fee you have already paid will be refunded.

One exception applies: participants from a country where there is a member society of FENS will only be reimbursed the FENS member registration fee, regardless of whether they are a member or not.

List of registration fee categories

List of FENS member societies

All applicants will be informed about the status of their application individually by email in the coming days. For further questions relating to the grants please contact grants@fens.org.

Press will be invited to the Virtual Forum. More information about Press contact person and services during the Forum days will be communicated shortly.

You can contact fensforum2020_reg@kenes.com or use the contact form here and select Registration as the Subject

The FENS 2020 Virtual Forum platform is designed to allow presenters and delegates to easily navigate hundreds of sessions and thousands of e-posters AND find your research amongst them. Further information on the poster sessions can be found here.

To claim your Certificate of Attendance

  1. Log in to your registration account – click here
    (please note, this is different to the Virtual Platform lobby’s login)
  2. On the homepage of your registration account, there is now a button to download your certificate of attendance.

PROGRAMME AND POSTERS

FENS is doing its best to ensure that the virtual meeting will incorporate as much of the well-known Forum experience and atmosphere as possible. All delegates will be contacted with timely updates on programme scheduling in due course.

No, the slides and posters from sessions cannot be downloaded and are considered protected property of the presenters. Please contact these through the conference system to request copies and details of their slides and posters.

Some sessions will be live and some will be pre-recorded. We are doing everything to ensure the highest possible quality of the virtual Forum while maintaining the energy of live sessions and live interactions.

Q&A will be available in live sessions.

All pre-recorded presentations and posters will be available for online viewing and provide interactive options for participants to engage in.

In any case, speakers are encouraged to add email/social media information to their slides in order to enable participants to reach out with questions and comments.

You will be contacted personally regarding your participation in the programme.

For urgent matters, please contact fensforum2020_administration@kenes.com

Upon acceptance of your abstract, you will be contacted personally with information about submitting your e-poster

Accepted poster presenters will be asked to upload an e-poster as a 1-page file.

Accepted poster presenters will be given the option of recording a short MP3 file to explain their poster

Interaction between the E poster presenters and the participants will be available through chat

E-posters will be available throughout the Forum and 3 months after

For other abstract related questions, please use the contact form here, selecting Abstracts as the subject.  Or email fens2020_abstract@kenes.com

For Abstract related questions, you can use the contact form here, selecting Abstracts as the subject.  Or email fens2020_abstract@kenes.com

You should create your poster in a .pptx file to include the 3-min recorded audio presentation.
What will it look like on the platform? Your poster will be shown as a .pdf file and your audio presentation as a .mp3. (The platform will automatically convert your .pptx poster into a .pdf file once uploaded).
Further information on poster presentations can be found here and about audio recording here.
In case you encounter any difficulties with the format, please directly contact OnlineForum@kenes.com

CANCELLATION AND REIMBURSEMENT

If you would like to cancel your registration, you are able to receive a 100% refund on registration until 22 April 2020.  As of the 23 April 2020 the regular cancellation policy outlined on the registration page will apply.

For more information on registration and cancellation, please contact fensforum2020_reg@kenes.com

All delegates will be offered a full refund for their purchase of Jump the FENS tickets and the programme book. The refund will be done automatically, it will probably take a few weeks.

All delegates will be offered a reimbursement for the funds contributed towards the offsetting of CO2.

The donations received towards the Loch Arkaig pine forest project in Scotland will be maintained and donated to the programme as indicated here. The FENS 2020 Virtual Forum will match these contributions.

Please check the cancellation policy of your booking.

If you have any questions, please use the contact form here, selecting Hotel Accommodation as the subject.  Or email fit@kenes.com

For Registration Cancellation questions:

Please use the contact form here, selecting Registration as the subject.  Or email fensforum2020_reg@kenes.com

For Hotel Accommodation questions:

Please use the contact form here, selecting Hotel Accommodation as the subject.  Or email fit@kenes.com

For Abstract related questions:

Please use the contact form here, selecting Abstracts as the subject.  Or email fens2020_abstract@kenes.com

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

To attend the virtual meeting, you need a stable internet connection, your device or computer and a valid registration. You will receive login details a few days prior to the meeting.

Google Chrome will be the best option, but other browsers are also supported.

EXHIBITION

Yes, the FENS 2020 Virtual Forum will host a vibrant virtual exhibition in a dedicated exhibitor space that will also include an ‘’online theatre’’ and opportunities for live interaction.

We will contact you personally regarding your participation. If you need to get in touch with us, please contact: fensforum2020_ils@kenes.com.

Your purchased exhibition badges will allow you to access the FENS 2020 Virtual Forum. Should you wish to purchase any additional virtual passes, please register online.

FENS Team will have a virtual booth within the exhibition where we will be available to chat, discuss and support you.

CONTACT US

If you have any questions, please use the contact form here.

Please select the most relevant subject for your query and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Alternatively, you can also directly email: