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Portals 2002 : a unique marketing opportunity.
This is the first European conference devoted specifically to using
portals within post 16 education. Several institutions in the USA
and Canada, including the most influential and prestigious, already
have portals in place. The UK and Europe have very few institutions
that have yet made the commitment to implement a portal for students
and staff, but market research has indicated that there is a high
level of interest, and an acceptance that the 1990's website strategy
is no longer viable.
This conference is aimed predominantly at senior management, and
decision-makers within institutions. The emphasis is on vision,
rather than technology. They will be shown how a small number of
institutions are already providing successful portal services, and
many will return to their institutions, ready to emulate and exceed
the good practices they have seen. 'Portals' will be an agenda item
in many senior committees throughout July, and most vendors will
want to be sure their solution is already there as one to be included
in an evaluation exercise.
What is so different, and novel for Higher Education, is how 'Portals'
binds together so many agendas and budgets that are traditionally
isolated, except at the most senior level. This will be an entirely
new mix of conference delegate. As well as Senior Managers, (Vice-Chancellors,
Pro-Vice Chancellors, Principals), there will be budget holders
from Computing Centres, Libraries, Management Information Systems,
Publicity, Adminstrative and Academic departments. It is a marketing
opportunity to be taken seriously.
We encourage not just portal solution providers to attend, but
all suppliers of linked systems, whether these be administrative,
learning or library related, who can demonstrate a commitment to
the concept of interoperability with a portal.
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