Since we're participating in the event itself, HR Zone and TrainingZONE thought it prudent to let you in on a sneak preview of the CIPD National Conference in Harrogate next week.
According to the CIPD, more than 2,300 people have already registered for the event and they're expecting around 2,500 to turn up in total. The exhibitions hall will play host to many big names in the HR and training world – far too many to list here, but they run the full gamut from Acadamee to ZMB, with a total of 250 stands on view. You'll be able to find us, by the way, at stand M51, so if you're planning to come along, do pop in and see us.
The seminar programme is based around the key theme of strategy. Michael Porter from the Harvard Business School has top billing with the keynote speach on the topic, and you can hear Professor CK Prahalad, Professor of Business Administration at the University of Michigan Business School and management strategist at Friday's close of play. Ian Angell, chair of Information Systems at the London School of Economics will deliver a session on e-learning, and other sessions reflecting current buzz-word topics on e-business, work-life balance, talent management and innovation. The CIPD say that half of the 37 seminars on the conference programme are already fully booked, but that does leave some spaces available – you can check by e-mailing them.
One debate which looks likely to see a fair few sparks flying involves the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Lamont, and former leader of the SNP, Alex Salmond, MP MSP, on the way forward for Europe, taking place on Thursday. The Question Time style debate will look at a wide range of issues including Britain and the Euro, labour market approaches, skills, and enlargement.
We'll be busy posting information to the site daily to keep those of you who can't make it in person informed with news and views from the event.
The CIPD National Conference takes place at Harrogate International Centre from 25-27 October 2000. Tickets for the event cost between £120 and £850 plus VAT, depending on which days are attended and whether or not you are a CIPD full, retired or student member.
Our coverage from other CIPD annual conferences:
