BOA Annual Congress 2024

I want to attend the Annual Congress, how do I book? 

Registration for the BOA Annual Congress 2024 will open on Monday 8th April 2024. 

Should you have any queries, please contact the BOA Events team via [email protected].  

Can I cancel or make changes to my event booking?

If you wish to cancel your place at the Congress you must do so, in writing, to the BOA Events team ([email protected]), please state the reason for the cancellation. In extenuating circumstances the cancellation fee may be waived up to 7 weeks before the meeting, after this date refunds will only be given in the most exceptional circumstances, and will need to be approved by the BOA Executive. 

If you wish to amend you booking, you can do this at any time by logging into the BOA website and going to the ‘My BOA Profile’ section.

How can I get my CPD certificate?

There will be the opportunity to gain CPD points at the BOA Congress. An event feedback survey is sent following the event to all delegates. On completing the survey, you would receive a separate email with a link to download your attendance certificate.

If you attend any of the Friday training courses, you will need to contact the BOA Events team directly via [email protected] for your course certificate.

Is my registration free as a BOA member?

As a BOA member, you can take advantage of your membership benefit and register at discounted rate (100%) for a limited time period.  This discounted period will run from Monday 8th April to Sunday 30th June 2024 at 23:59.

Full details can be found on the registration page via the button below

What happens if I miss the discounted period?

We encourage all our members, Council, and Executives to book and secure their Congress place during this time, as after which there is a cost associated with booking a place. Any request by members to access booking with the 100% discount after the early bird period has closed will be considered by the Head of Events and Fundraising and the Honorary Secretary on a case by case basis and may only be granted under very exceptionable circumstances. All requests must be made in writing.

I am not a member, can I access the discounted rate?

The discounted rate is a membership benefit, therefore you would need to become a BOA member to access the discount. 

Membership application needs to be submitted between the 1st January - 31st March 2024, you can then register for Congress during the Member Discounted Period provided approval and full or part payment of your subscription has been completed by 31st March 2024.

What if my membership hasn’t been approved?

If you submitted your membership application to the BOA between the 1st January - 31st March 2024 you can register for Congress during the discounted period provided approval and full or part payment of your subscription has been completed by 31st March 2024.

I have agreed to speak at the BOA Annual Congress, what happens next?

You will be contacted by a member of the Event Team who will ask you to provide your biography, a high resolution photo, and your preferred contact details.

What should my biography include?

A short biography should include about details of your career as well as your current job title and institution. This information will appear on the Congress website, in the on-the-programme and the Congress App.

What happens on the day I am speaking at an event? What do I need to know?

In-person

We ask that you arrive at least 30 minutes before your talk is due to start, making sure you have your presentation on a memory stick for our AV team in the Speaker Preview / Media Suite. Full details of the location of the Speaker Preview / Media Suite will in the speaker guidance document which will be provided by the Events Team.  

Virtually

If you are unable to attend in person to present at Congress, you are able to provide a pre-recording of your presentation. This needs to be sent into the BOA Events Team via [email protected] who will ensure these are past to the VA team on site. 

Do I need to pay to attend Congress?

As an invited speaker, you do not need to pay to attend Congress on the day which you will be speaking. Please contact the BOA events team via [email protected] with the name of the session, and the day you will be speaking and they will arrange registration for that day. If you wish to attend any other day(s), you will need to pay the associated cost with attend on those day(s).  

If you are an abstract speaker, you will need to register and pay to attend Congress. However, if you are a BOA member, please ensure you book during the member discounted period to take advantage of the 100% discount during that time. Full details can be found Registration Page. 

Can I claim back my travel and hotel cost?

Yes, as an invited BOA speaker, you can claim back to cost for the following.  

• Registration fee for the day the speaker gives his / her presentation.
• Accommodation cost for the night before the presenting  
• Travel cost for the day before or day of presenting. 

A claim form can be obtained from the Events Team which needs to be returned with any associated receipts via [email protected].

What are the benefits of presenting an abstract?

• Showcase projects and gain constructive feedback to help shape future activity
• Add to your CV and boost your chances of winning funding
• Share your knowledge - your work could make a real difference

Do I have to pay? 

There is no fee for making a submission. However, if your submission is accepted (for either oral or ePoster presentation), the presenting author will be required to attend the conference and pay the registration fee that applies to them. Full details of fees will can be found on the BOA Congress page below 

 
If your abstract is selected for oral presentation, you will be required to attend in person. If your abstract is selected for ePoster presentation you are not required to attend Congress in person.

Where are the abstract preparation guidelines?

Our abstract preparation guidelines, which include, structure and content of the abstract, references, consent, word count, author listings and review process, can be found on the abstract page via the link below

How do I submit my abstract?

All abstracts must be submitted online via our abstract management platform Oxford Abstract. You will need to create an Oxford Abstract user account by entering your email address and a password. 

We will not accept any submissions by email.

Please note that the person submitting the abstract is the only one who can view and amend the submission in the portal, and will be the main point of contact for the abstract. This cannot be changed at a later date, so please ensure that the person submitting is able to remain as the main contact throughout the submission and acceptance process.

You can select a co-author to present the work. You will be required to enter the co-author’s details, so ensure you have these details ready: their title, first name, last name, place of work, job title, email address and affiliation.

Before submitting an abstract, please ensure that you have carefully read the submission guidelines. 

What are the presentation opportunities? 

At the time of submission, you will be asked to select your preference for ePoster presentation, oral presentation or either. You will also be asked to submit your abstract to a specialty category (these are listed on the main abstract page). If your abstract is accepted, the organisers will decide which format it will take and will cater to your preference where appropriate and possible.

ePoster presentation

If your abstract is allocated to ePoster presentation, you will be asked to create a digital PDF poster as an A0 Portrait PDF (841mm wide x 1189mm high. This will be displayed using our new, interactive ePoster gallery. Both in-person and virtual delegates will be able to view your poster either through the via BOA Congress app or the ePoster display boards at the Congress venue. ePosters will be accessible for 6 months after the Conference, maximising the amount of time delegates have to access to your work.

Oral/Podium presentation

If selected for oral/podium presentation, you will present your abstract at the speciality group session which it has been submitted to. The time and date of your presentation will be included in your notification email in July. 

Oral/Podium presenters will be required to attend the Conference in person and pay the registration fee that applies to them.

If you attend any queries, please contact the BOA Events team directly via [email protected]. 

How can I update my personal information?

You can do this at any time by logging into the website and going to the ‘My BOA Profile’ section.   

Can I become a BOA member to access the Early Bird discount?

Yes, you can. If any of your colleagues are not currently BOA members and are planning to attend the next BOA Annual Congress, they will need to become a BOA member no later than 31st March to receive the 100% discount during the members Early Bird period! www.boa.ac.uk/join

How long does it take for my membership process takes?

Once your application has been received, it usually takes around two weeks to process and approved. If the membership team has any queries about your application, they will be in touch to clarify details before your membership is approved. Once your application has been approved a member of the membership team will be in contact. 

You may contact the membership team via [email protected] for further details.

How do I renew my membership?

Subscription runs from January to December. Renewals are issued in October/November and are payable on demand. Failure to make a payment by the end of January will result in benefits being suspended. Failure to pay within 3 months will result in automatic revoking of membership and a returning fee will be applicable. Members need to inform us of any changes in their membership grade. Please notify us by emailing [email protected]

How do I cancel my membership?

To cancel your membership, you will need to contact the membership team in writing email [email protected]

How can I make changes to my membership, such as changing my payment method or grade?

Please contact the membership team by emailing [email protected] or the BOA Accounts team via [email protected]

I am moving or returning from overseas, how will this affect my membership?

We can adjust your membership accordingly to reflect your circumstances, which could mean a reduction in membership fees. Please contact the membership team on via [email protected]