Define what you want out of the Conference and then focus on that. This includes specific learning goals as well as who you would like to meet and network with. Do not try to attend and do everything or you will be burned out on the first day.
The best source of information for planning your schedule is the Conference Programme on the AIDS 2010 website. This will be updated regularly so check back frequently or sign up for updates.
Advance Planning
It is advisable to plan your week well in advance of your arrival in Vienna. Sit with other colleagues to plan what items in the programme would be the most useful for you both personally and professionally, and for your organization. If there are interesting sessions happening at the same time, split up and have a colleague attend one while you attend the other, and then compare notes after.
Use the Roadmap tool to select an area of interest and to avoid having to wade through topics that might not be of interest to you.
Key Sessions
Don’t forget to check out the Affiliated Events and Satellites, many of which occur before the conference even starts.
Once you have arrived, register as early as possible and sort through the many conference materials you will receive in your bag. There might be additional Satellites or Affiliated Events advertised that were not on the website. If there is a choice during advanced electronic registration, select the abstract CD-ROM vs the abstract book – it is lighter to carry around, but there should be at least one book in your group (if you are attending with colleagues) as it makes for easier on-the-spot reference to sessions.
Plan to attend the morning Plenary Sessions.g. No other sessions happen at these times and the topics address current, cutting edge issues with prominent presenters. There are Meet the Plenary Speakers sessions in the Global Village for an opportunity to ask questions of the presenters.
Most abstract sessions have 4-5 presenters who speak for 10 minutes each with questions and discussion following. If you find that you would like to attend more than one session in a certain time slot and the rooms are close to each other, you can slip in and out of session halls to catch the speakers you are interested in hearing. Non-abstract Sessions are on special topics chosen by the Programme Committess. They are more likely to be panels, symposia and interactive sessions.
There are 1,000 different posters displayed each day (with daily poster presentations too) so plan for and make time to check the posters. There will often be very interesting research and programming shown in the poster area.Presenters stand at their posters to answer questions during the lunch time. This is a great time for networking. You can also drop off your business card at a poster if you are interested in linking with the author later on.
Many community delegates and people living with HIV who attended AIDS 2008 reported that the Global Village was a great place to learn and network. Consider planning your daily agenda around the Global Village sessions and Networking Zone programmes as well as the general conference sessions of interest to you.
Global Village sessions are deliberately interactive rather than a series of Power Point presentations. Lively debates and discussions are held in the Global Village, Youth Pavilion and Community Dialogue Space. Workshops are also designed to help delegates learn by doing and so are often more useful to community participants.
In addition to the sessions and workshops there are Engagement Tours which allow you to tour local programmes outside of the conference centre. There are also many cultural events like concerts, art exhibits and films which can be a way to relax and be entertained while learning.
Make sure you attend the Rapporteur Sessions which summarize highlights from each Scientific Track, the Community, and Leadership & Accountability Programmes. The final Closing Session is useful for an overview of the Conference and a “call to action” for the future.