Moderator and Speaker Guidelines

It started in 2007

The below guidelines are for classic panels. CPDP welcomes alternative types of sessions such as roundtable discussions, workshops or formats with more interaction between the participants than a traditional panel. In that case, the moderator and speaker roles can be given a twist.


CPDP guidelines for moderators

As of 2020, CPDP has decided to merge the role of the chair and the moderator. As a consequence, each panel discussion has only one moderator. The moderator acts as the facilitator. She sets the agenda, keeps the discussions on track, balances panelist participation, brings out differing opinions by asking the right questions and clarifies any confusion and intervenes as needed, especially if one of the panelists is dominating the conversation. As a moderator, we kindly ask you to take care of the following:

  • Please organize a short teleconference or meeting with the speakers in advance of the session to discuss the contributions of each panelist and get a good overview of the substance of these contributions. Please discuss with each of them the points they will cover in order to ensure a meaningful discussion and to make sure their presentations do not overlap.
  • Please meet the panelists in the venue at least 10 minutes before the session is due to start.
  • Please briefly introduce the speakers.
  • Please make sure that each speaker sticks to their allocated time of 10 minutes per presentation maximum.
  • Please make sure everyone's voice is heard and that there is no bias towards any particular side or person.
  • Please make sure that after the presentations there are 30 minutes for Q&A with the audience, which we kindly ask you to moderate.
  • Please be ready to ask the speakers questions in case during the Q&A the audience does not raise enough questions.
  •  Please make sure that the panel starts and ends on time and follows the time frames on the agenda.
  • The CPDP Organizing Committee suggests that you discuss in advance whether it is recommendable to use PPT slides so as to avoid PPT overload and distraction of the audience.

CPDP guidelines for Speakers

The CPDP speakers participate in a panel of other speakers and a moderator. The CPDP audience is also very active and eager to ask questions and participate in the debate. Therefore, we ask you to prepare your talk of 10 minutes maximum. Please make sure you stick to your allocated time to allow the other speakers and the audience to participate. Please also consider whether you need to use PPT slides and if yes – how many. We do not want to overload our audience with PPT. In order to prepare for the session, speakers talk with their panel organiser and moderator and discuss what is expected in terms of content, presentation length, session format. Speakers are expected to keep the audience engaged during their presentation. Speakers arrive at the venue at the latest 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the session.


Code of Conduct

Everyone participating in CPDP is expected to abide by the following code of conduct. This includes all conference attendees, speakers, staff and volunteers. CPDP is committed to providing a welcoming and harassment-free environment for everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, physical appearances, or beliefs (or lack thereof).  

Harassment and unacceptable behavior include but are not limited to: deliberate intimidation, stalking, inappropriate physical contact and unwelcome sexual attention, the use of derogatory or discriminatory language, gestures or actions, racism, sexism, or any other targeted comments which may cause personal offense to another CPDP participant either in-person at the conference or through social media channels. 

If any attendee engages in harassing behavior, the conference organizers may take any lawful action we deem appropriate. Please contact us at info@cpdpconferences.org if you believe you’ve observed or experienced a violation of this Code of Conduct.

Attending CPDP in 2022 (Covid)

It started in 2007

What are the current COVID-19 measures in Belgium?

The measures in Belgium are decided on the basis of a barometer, with three colour-coded phases: yellow, orange and red. Belgium is currently under code yellow which means that:

The CPDP team will continue to adhere to strict air quality requirements in indoor areas.We will continue to update this page regularly and continue to work with all partners to make sure CPDP is a Covid-safe conference.Please keep a close eye on our FAQ page and consult the official Coronavirus barometer for Belgium here.