Why is there a fee for virtual attendance of this conference?

While virtual conferences may appear cost-free on the surface, organising them, particularly by a non-academic organisation like ours, incurs a range of essential expenses. These include, but are not limited to: salaries for administrative staff and subcontractors; national insurance contributions; website hosting, design, maintenance, and updates; accounting, taxation, and business insurance; software licences, equipment, and office space; live-streaming and technical support for hybrid sessions, etc.

These are fixed operational costs that remain largely unchanged regardless of whether the event is held in person or online. In fact, live-streaming in-person sessions adds further complexity and expense.

Academic institutions and professional societies often absorb such costs through their existing infrastructure, such as IT support, administrative staff, office space, and funding from grants. As an independent organisation, we do not have access to these resources at no cost, nor do we receive external funding.

We appreciate your understanding and support, which enables us to continue delivering high-quality events and meaningful experiences for all participants.