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Virtual Platform Information

The information below relates to IMC 2024. Information for IMC 2025 will be updated in due course.

Getting Online

Access to the IMC 2024 virtual platform Confex will be available to all registered delegates. You can access the virtual platform via your desktop computer (PC/Mac), or mobile or tablet device.

If you are presenting or otherwise actively involved in a session as virtual participant, we strongly recommend that you access that session via a desktop or laptop device (e.g. PC or Mac). If you choose to present from a mobile or tablet device, please be aware that some functionality within Zoom is not available, including screen sharing options, and we will not be able to offer full technical support.

Details of how to access the virtual platform were sent out to all registered delegates on 17 June 2024.

If you are experiencing any issues accessing the virtual platform, please contact imc@leeds.ac.uk.

Layout & Navigation

Finding what you want to attend either in-person or virtually is straightforward thanks to Confex, our virtual event platform provider who are hosting all IMC sessions and content.

On PCs and larger devices, the main navigation is located down the left hand side, and for mobile devices, via the 'main menu' icon at the top right of the screen. From here, you can navigate to any aspect of IMC 2024.

If you are actively involved in a session at the IMC as a speaker, moderator, organiser, respondent, round table participant or any other active role, this will be pre-populated into your 'My Schedule'. We are unable to prepopulate attendance at IMC events/excursions/performances this year.

Programme & My Schedule

You can view the programme by clicking ‘Programme’ on the main menu. Your personalised schedule can be viewed by clicking on the calendar icon at the top of the screen on both desktop and mobile devices.

The programme contains all academic sessions, as well as the full programme of events, excursions, performances, and workshops. Print options are available, but we don’t recommend printing the full programme though as it’s a very large document!

You can browse the programme via various filters available on the main menu. 'Session Types' allows you to easily see all standard academic sessions, all keynote speakers, all round table sessions, and all events/excursions/performances going on at any time during the IMC. 'Session Formats' shows sessions that are not recorded, are only available virtually, and which include virtual speakers. Sessions can also be browsed by Strand/Index Term using the relevant options on the main menu.

Each session appears with its number and name, grouped by timeslot. Icons in bubbles on the right hand corner of a session indicate if the session is 'Not Recorded' or 'Virtual Only'. To add a session to your personal programme, just click the ‘+’ icon either on the list view or on the Session Details page.

Each session has its own listing page which can be viewed by clicking on the session title from either the full Programme or ‘My Schedule’.

On the session listing page, you can view the speakers, paper titles, and abstracts as well as all the other information you’d expect to find in the IMC programme book. You can click on any speaker to see other sessions featuring that person. If a speaker intends to present virtually an icon appears in the top right hand corner of their paper.

There is also a note-taking feature (paperclip icon) which allows you to make private notes during a session. When you click on the icon, this opens a simple text editor built-in to the platform which you can use to jot down your thoughts during the presentations. Your notes are private to you and can be copied to Word or another tool after the session is over either from the session listing itself or from the 'My Notes' option on the main menu of the mobile interface only.

Finding Sessions

The ‘Programme’ module has a powerful built-in search function which can be found via the magnifying glass icon on the top right, or the 'Search' on the main menu. You can simply search by typing the session number, name, or speaker name, or part of any of these in the box and clicking ‘Go’. You can also filter by strand, type of session, or index terms.

The desktop version of the page contains additional guidance on how to perform more advanced searches.

Accessing Sessions

Note new information for IMC 2024.

All attendees, including attendees, speakers, moderators, and organisers will see text indicating when the virtual session begins at the top of the session listing. Thirty five minutes prior to the start time, a link to Zoom will appear, saying 'Join Now'.

The top of a Session page in Confex, a red arrow shows where the red 'Join Now' button will appear once the session starts.

 

If you do not see this text and/or the Zoom link, please click 'Sign in' in the left hand navigation. Once signed in, this text and/or the Zoom link will appear.

It is not possible to upload presentations or recordings in advance.

Finding Colleagues & Friends

You can view all attendees by clicking ‘People’ on the main menu. As with the Schedule pages, you can find individuals at the top of the page.

You can view an individual profile by clicking on their name. You can see the academic sessions which a speaker is involved in further down the page beneath their profile description and weblinks. The session link provides full details, whereas the paper link will just show you the paper title.

You can manage your own profile at any time by clicking your name in the top right on a desktop device or the left hand menu on mobile, then 'Personal information'. From here, you can also manage your personal privacy settings for the information on your own profile.

Via the profile page, you can also contact individual attendees who have enabled this option. You can choose between sending an email or a message via the virtual platform. Email addresses are never shared, unless you have indicated yours can be publicly viewable on your profile. This can be done by marking it as either visible to 'Connected' delegates - i.e. those colleagues you have accepted their connection requests from or 'Public', which is visible to all users via your profile page.

We expect all delegates to comply with our Policy on Dignity & Mutual Respect. If you have concerns about your personal privacy, or wish your profile to be hidden, please contact the IMC team by emailing imc@leeds.ac.uk.

Networking

The platform allows delegates to share a variety of web and social media profiles in order to facilitate networking through the IMC and beyond. This can be a great way to connect with existing colleagues and friends and make new ones, as well as giving you the chance to follow up with a speaker after their paper to find out more about their research.

If you are both attending in person, then you may also choose to meet in one of the many public areas around campus. Due to the scale and complexity of the IMC, as well as other events taking place during Congress week, it is not possible for individual delegates to book on-campus space for private meetings.

Messaging & Conversations

You can customise your notification settings via your initials/name in the top left corner. Dependent on these settings, you will receive in-app notifications or email notifications. You can keep track of your connections via the 'People' icon at the top right which allows you to see your connections and pending connections.

You will receive a notification via the ‘people’ icon at the top right when someone messages you, or requests a connection.

Please note that chat messages within IMC sessions on Zoom will not be retained and will not be accessible anywhere on the platform after the session has finished.

Updating Your Profile

We encourage all attendees to review and update their profiles when they first log in to the system. This ensures that your communication and notification preferences are correct and that you can configure correctly which modes of communication (e.g. email, social media) that you wish to share with others.

As mentioned above, you can manage your profile at any time by clicking on your name/initials in the top left. Exhibitors can also manage their listings from this menu.

Your Personal Profile

Your profile page is where you can tell other attendees more about yourself and your research. We encourage all attendees to add a short biography, a link to your personal web profile, or professional social media to your profile. You will be able to do this both when you register or using the ‘Edit Profile’ tool at any point during the Congress.

We encourage delegates who wish to do so to add a profile picture to their profile, either of themselves or of something relevant to their research. Profile pictures will be displayed alongside your messages on the platform. In Zoom sessions, your Zoom display picture and name attached to the Zoom account on your device may be utilised. This can be customised within any Zoom session but changes may not persist on shared devices.

The virtual platform also has privacy controls and the IMC will be happy to discuss any privacy concerns you may have and put relevant controls in place where possible. Please email imc@leeds.ac.uk to discuss your individual circumstances.

Help & Support

Support and guidance for accessing the Confex hybrid event platform will be available closer to the IMC. During the Congress, please utilise the Support and On Campus pages to find answers to commonly-asked questions, or contact the IMC team by emailing imc@leeds.ac.uk or visiting the Information & Payments Desk in the Refectory.

Technical support from Confex will be available throughout the IMC and can be accessed by clicking 'Technical Support' in the main menu or emailing imc@confex.com.