Academic Conferences with Low Registration Fees: An Experiment and Experience

Abstract

There is no doubt that academic conferences have a lot of opportunities for scholars and academicians. Since the very early days of academia conferences have been held and it is a part of all academic disciplines because they offer a vibrant space where scholars across careers and disciplines can socialize with other fellows, exchange of ideas and knowledge within the scientific community, share research findings, initiate collaboration, test ideas pertaining to any scientific matter and many more. Despite all these benefits they also present financial fences for early-career academics, research scholars and students when the cost of attending these conferences increases these days for some obvious reasons. “Many researchers are unable to attend physical conferences due to financial and logistic barriers” (Sarabipour et al., 2020) There are direct costs involved i.e. rental and decoration of the venue, refreshments, food, audio-visual, printing (brochure, souvenir), conference kit and momentous for dignitaries and scholars, travel and hospitalities of invited experts/academicians or chief guest, entertainment (i.e. hosting cultural events, banquet etc.) and so on. There are also indirect costs representing the significant employee and management time it takes to organize and hold an event. Sometimes event managers organize the conference and their fees also add to the cost. At times non-profit organizations’ activities are supported by event profits and for commercial organizations it has to be a profit-making event.