Virtual Campus & Technical Chair

Hosts of the global iLRN experience.

The Virtual Campus & Technical Chairs are responsible not only for providing reliable technical infrastructure but also for hosting the international, online instantiation of iLRN2026. They design the virtual campus to embody the year’s theme in ways unique to online and hybrid spaces, while foreshadowing the Athens gathering. Their work ensures the online conference is both a stand-alone event in full glory and a gateway to the local host culture.

Michael Hamaoka, OMAX Corporation, USA [profile]
Genevieve Smith-Nunes, University of Cambridge, UK
Ioannis Vrellis, University of Ioannina, Hellenic Scientific Association of Information & Communication Technologies in Education, Greece
Michael Delimitros, University of Ioannina, Hellenic Scientific Association of Information & Communication Technologies in Education, Greece

🎯 Responsibilities at a Glance (Checklist)

Global Online Hosting
- Curate the iLRN Virtual Campus as the first expression of the iLRN2026 theme.
- Highlight and weave in elements of the local host culture (Athens) to foreshadow the in-person event.
- Ensure the online event is meaningful and complete on its own, not just a prelude.
Virtual Spaces & Platforms
- Provide platforms for online presentations and sessions (Cvent, Virtual Campus, Discord, YouTube, etc.).
- Manage contribution submission/review systems (EasyChair, ConfTool, or equivalent).
- Maintain communication platforms for the Organizing Committee (emails, Discord, Codex).
- Ensure smooth communications for the wider audience (website, social media, WhatsApp).
Onboarding & Training
- Create step-by-step setup guides for attendees.
- Recruit and train volunteers for virtual roles (greeters, moderators, help desk).
- Train presenters to deliver in immersive, interactive formats on the Virtual Campus.
Operations & Support
- Build Help Desk capacity with volunteers.
- Coordinate technical setup for hybrid/streamed presentations.
- Provide asynchronous updates for global audiences in different time zones.
Program Integration
- Work with Program Chairs + General Chairs to map the academic and iLEAD practitioner programs into the virtual environment.
- Ensure online sessions align with accessibility and engagement best practices.
Event Management
- Host and manage Virtual Campus events, social mixers, Guided Virtual Adventures, and special thematic sessions.
- Record Virtual Campus events and prepare recordings for iLRN’s YouTube channel.
Local Technical Chairs (on-site Athens)
- Organize infrastructure for streaming, hybrid support, and live local–global connections.
- Coordinate technical support during the face-to-face event.

🗓️ Timeline & Key Milestones

12 months out: Confirm platforms; design Virtual Campus around the iLRN2026 theme.
9 months out: Begin integrating local host (Athens) cultural elements into the online environment.
6 months out: Build onboarding guides; schedule presenter and volunteer training.
3 months out: Launch Virtual Campus preview; run system tests; hold volunteer rehearsals.
Online Conference (10 days before Athens): Host full virtual event; foreshadow Athens.
Athens Conference: Support hybrid links, recordings, and thematic continuity.
Post-Conference: Archive recordings; highlight synergies between virtual and physical gatherings.

🛠️ Working Toolkit (MVP)

Campus Design Brief (how the theme is expressed virtually)
Attendee Setup Guides (with screenshots, step-by-step)
Volunteer Training Deck + Video
Presenter Training Schedule & Scripts
Help Desk Protocols (FAQ, escalation, contact tree)
Streaming & Recording Checklist (for both online and Athens hybrid sessions)
YouTube Archiving Workflow

🤝 Coordination Map

General Chairs: Approve thematic design choices; align with global strategy.
Program Chairs: Ensure program structure works both online and in-person.
Local Chairs (Athens): Coordinate hybrid sessions, local culture highlights.
Publicity/Comms Team: Promote Virtual Campus as a global gateway; showcase local + international highlights.
Awards Chair: Ensure awards ceremonies are staged and streamed effectively online.
Volunteer Coordinator: Assign and train volunteers for tech support roles.

🧩 MVP vs. Nice-to-Have

MVP:

Virtual Campus ready to host full 10-day online conference
Setup guides for attendees and presenters
Trained volunteer team (greeters, moderators, help desk)
Foreshadowing features of Athens embedded in the virtual space
Streaming/recording pipeline to YouTube

Nice-to-Have:

Interactive Athens “portal” inside the Virtual Campus
Thematic Guided Virtual Adventures
VR “Highlights Reel” to preview Athens cultural experiences
Automated attendee feedback loops built into sessions
Shared “After Hours” social lounge for international networking

🪴 Notes

Chairs serve a 2-year term (Year 1 apprentice, Year 2 lead).
The online conference is 10 days before Athens—this makes it the opening act of iLRN2026, setting the tone and theme globally.
Success = the Virtual Campus feels like both a self-standing conference and a cultural/thematic bridge into Athens.

The iLRN2026 Conference Organizing Committee "Virtual Campus & Technical Chair" Role description:

The iLRN Virtual Campus & Technical Chair/s are responsible for providing the virtual spaces to facilitate the organisation and smooth operation of the technical infrastructure for the online and local portions of the conference. This includes all infrastructure from registration to onboarding to training online volunteers such as session chairs, greeters, virtual social events, and special sessions such as Guided Virtual Adventures - as well as ensuring the setup, resources and support needed for successful online presentations and online attendee participation & feedback channels.

Technical Chairs at the Local level (location of current conference) are responsible for organizing infrastructure and organization of presentations, streaming, the technical setup for live and/or asynchronous updates to virtual audiences and organizing / coordinating the technical support during the conference.

The iLRN Virtual Campus & Technical Chairs have the following responsibilities:

Make arrangements for the provision of virtual space for the organisation of online presentations and sessions during the conference (Cvent Event Platform, iLRN Virtual Campus or alternatives, Discord, YouTube etc.) and other logistics.
The provision of tools/platform to support the submission of contributions and the review process (EasyChair, ConfTool, other)
The provision and management of a communications platform for the organising committee for the conference planning (iLRN Virtual Campus, e-mail accounts for the organising committee, Discord channels, other)
The provision and management of a communication platform with the conference wider audience/participants (website, social media, WhatsApp)
Create instructions for conference attendees to download, install and setup the conference communication platforms (iLRN Virtual Campus, Discord, other)
Develop and coordinate technical support and Help Desk capacity for volunteers and conference attendees on the Virtual Campus or other online platforms used by the conference
To identify platforms for online access of the conference program and work with the General Chair and the Program Chairs to create the conference plan on this platform
Recruit and plan training sessions for volunteers to support activities at the iLRN Virtual Campus or alternatives.
To organise training for attendees and presenters to present at the iLRN Virtual Campus
To manage and coordinate virtual campus events.
To record Virtual Campus events and prepare recordings for iLRN YouTube.

The iLRN Virtual Campus & Technical Chairs are appointed for serving for a 2-year term. The first year in an apprentice role to a more experienced PC.