AC2020 postponed until 2021

^{Delegates at AC2019 looking through the programme © Panel 8 Photography}

We are disappointed to announce that the 2020 RGS-IBG Annual International Conference will be postponed until 2021.

Given the very real uncertainties associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, and the potential risk to the health of our delegates, we believe this is the appropriate course of action to take. The decision was made by the Society’s Research and Higher Education Committee with the full support of the Chair of conference, Professor Uma Kothari.

We now intend to hold the Borders, Borderlands and Bordering conference in London on Tuesday 31 August to Friday 3 September 2021. The conference will be chaired by Professor Kothari with the same theme. We plan to review this decision in the autumn to assess whether this remains a safe and appropriate course of action, and will make further announcements at that point.  

For those who submitted abstracts and proposals, there will be a chance nearer the 2021 conference to review, update, amend or withdraw existing contributions for the programme. We also expect to be able to accept a number of new contributions for the programme at that time, subject to capacity. More information on this process will be announced later this year. Any registrations already made will either be refunded or carried over to 2021, as preferred by individual delegates. We will contact you directly if you are one of the small number of delegates affected.

For the remainder of this year, we are committed to working with our Research Groups, journals and exhibitors to deliver a programme of online-only events and resources, in place of what would have been this year’s conference. If you have a particular interest in being involved in these activities, please get in touch at rhed@rgs.org. 

These are immensely difficult times, and we do not know what the coming days, weeks or even months will bring. Communities are now more important than ever, and ours is no exception. Our thoughts and very best wishes are with you all, as well as with your families and colleagues.