Given the purpose of the pre- and post conferences, and in consideration of the costs involved, why not use technology to create online teaching videos that serve both purposes, and offer them before and following the conferences? Make the pre-conference videos available upon registration for the  pre-conference tutorials or lectures, and allow the post-conference videos to be available for a specific time period after the conference. Attendees can still have access to the valuable information at their convenience, and at little cost to organizers.

Given the purpose of the pre- and post conferences, and in consideration of the costs involved, why not use technology to create online teaching videos that serve both purposes, and offer them before and following the conferences? Make the pre-conference videos available upon registration for the  pre-conference tutorials or lectures, and allow the post-conference videos to be available for a specific time period after the conference. Attendees can still have access to the valuable information at their convenience, and at little cost to organizers.

Yes I do agree with such specific workshops.

I believe organizing the workshops before the conference as a "Pre-Conference" event can help students in attending the conference and presenting their works. The workshops should not be expensive.

Dear All,

If the subjects of workshops (pre or post conference events) and the main conference relate to each other and there is a real demand as well as financial opportunity the idea of workshop is excellent. I remark – unfortunately – the financial situation of some countries is as bad that participation in international conferences is impossible and even delivering lectures in national conferences is hampered. There are so many conferences and some of us can but read their summaries.

Yes, it is quite usual to hold workshops before and after some conferences, with specific purpose in mind. It helps reduce cost, as people do not have to travel specifically for the workshop; for they are already there for the conference concerned. The workshop, for example, may be for focusing on problems of research scholars or for industry professionals. 

I agree with my friend, Mr.András. Unfortunately expense of some register fee for Conference and workshop could be big dam for attendance of interested scholars and young researchers. So, preparation of some discount and supportive financial could be recommended.

Why not? Workshops along International conferences are useful additional tools.

Thanks to Debi and other friends for their views. Kindly note that if we conduct workshops alone, it will be difficult to manage and get support from Govt or funding agencies to attend, but if we conduct them along with Conferences (pre or post), then it helps research scholars to stay for a little longer and get benefited. I plan to organize (in 2015) Modern Control Workshop with posters also (by delegates), and we have both lectures and interactions, and only for two days as post-Conference event. Students are given special discount for the joint registration (Conference & Workshop) and the response has been good so far! I don't agree with giving videos CD, as people can watch good lectures in YouTube or other resources. Live interaction is what we are planning, and discussions are very healthy always. - Sundar

http://ipco-co.com/ACECS/Workshop-MCM.html

http://ipco-co.com/ACECS/Workshop-S&I.html

Dear Professor Sundarapandian Vaidyanathan, 

I support your view point. Workshops are better tools for learners. Usually, some of the conferences follow this tact on regular basis. 

Yes Possible for getting a Good Visibility and endorsements. It requires a lot of meticulous planing and execution, more followup works.

Nice discussion by all colleagues, and i am also in agreement that both should be together, and in my opinion a workshop can follow a conference in situation that the experts and peers share their ideas and findings in conference. groups for specific task can be established based on expertise within the subject; then these groups can have intensive discussion and activity on a particular subject or project. On the other hand if students are to be trained, allotted to design project; implement them in a workshop then present the results and success stories in conference and have comments from peers then its appropriate to have a workshop followed by conference.

Dear Sadar, thanks for your views. In my view, the atmosphere gets very relaxed once the conference gets over. While it is true that half of the guests may leave after the completion of the conference, a few still stay for a day or 2 days more, and they may get to offer expertise or view poster sessions on the first day of the workshop. This is why Ahmed Rhif (my good friend in Sousse) and I agreed to conduct it after the Conference. Our registration work is done on the eve of the Conference, and we all get to be very busy with Conference registration work. This is another problem in keeping a Pre-Conference event, when limited people are available and we have to take queries directly. We do registration combined for Conference & Workshop on the eve of the Conference. Most of our workshop delegates are those who attend the Conference. In case of the few, who register only for the Workshop, we conduct registration on the morning of the Workshop at the conference hotel. I get to meet most people in the registration area and hotel lobby!

With best wishes, Sundar

Great discussion going on.... enjoyed the comments and would like to say that Mhfuj Judeh had give very interesting point that both can be accompanied together but the cost should be minimum.

Workshops is a good thing! There will be before, within conference or at the end. I do not choose the end of conference since everybody will leave. Actually  a workshop should be considered as a well organised, detailed theme, optimally included in the conference.  

Yes it is a good idea and can be clubbed together 

Financial assistance to Conference, Seminar, Workshop is the main concern then depending on sponsorships, on the subject related to orientation and application in conformity with the socio-economic necessities of the State / country needs preference.

Routine training programmes may not be good choice. However, basic inseparably related to the cause may be entertained.

State level / International conferences, workshops, seminars including training programmes can be vestibules and encouraged.

Dear Professor Sundarapandian Vaidyanathan

Workshops are one of the efficient way for the development of human resources. So, this is an investment by the human resource of an organization / institute / industry.

For worthwhile interactions in Seminars, pre-circulated paper, available a week in advance...

"Intended to stimulate conversations about periodization, method, and interpretation, among Paper presenters, faculty and graduate students in related disciplines. Further Each of these session will feature a pre-circulated paper, available a week in advance"... as in Brown University USA

Dear Prof. Sundarapandian Vaidyanathan, 

Recently, at Sultan Qaboos University, there were two conferences where I was actively participated. Both those conferences included workshops, which were well needed, heavily participated and successful. Those conferences were:

8th IEEE-GCC conference 2015

FOSS 2015