Washington DC 25-30 May 2008
NAFSA Annual Conference
The 2008 NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo will be held in Washington DC from May 25-30. The NAFSA conference is the largest international education conference in the world, and is expected to attract more than 8,000 delegates in 2008, on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the organisation and the inaugural conference. This webpage provides up-to-date information on Australia-specific activities coordinated by AEI North America.
General Conference Information
Conference registration and official accommodation reservations opened on Monday, 3 March on the NAFSA website. Please remember, accommodation fills up fast. Book early!!
Early-bird discount conference registration rates of US$420 for NAFSA members are offered through 18 April 2008. After 18 April, registrations will be accepted and charged appropriate on-site fees (US$505). You may register online, by mail or fax. Visit the NAFSA Conference Registration page for more information
Information about travelling to and from the NAFSA conference, including information about local airports, along with special travel rates, is available at http://www.nafsa.org/annual_conference/ac08registration/ac08travel.
Accommodation
NAFSA has reserved a variety of hotel rooms at different price levels and with varying amenities in downtown Washington DC. Many hotels are within easy walking distance and accessible to the conference site, the Washington Convention Center. Public transportation is also available via MetroRail.
Please visit the NAFSA Housing Information website to book your accommodation. Hotel room rates are anticipated to range from US$169 - $279. Breakfast is typically not included in the room rate.
The NAFSA-designated hotel is the Renaissance Hotel, where many NAFSA leadership and SIG (special interest group) meetings will take place. It’s a five-minute walk from the Convention Center. Other nearby hotels include the Embassy Suites Hotel and the Henley Park Hotel. The attached document has a map of hotels located near the Convention Centre and the Embassy of Australia (taken from Expedia.com).
Study in Australia Booth
AEI NA will continue to host a shared Study in Australia booth in 2008, in which all Australian institutions are welcome, and encouraged, to participate. This booth forms a focal point within the Australia section of the exhibition hall, and helps ensure a strong and united Australian presence at NAFSA.
The cost for participating in 2008 is US$700. Participating institutions are able to select at least one two-hour timeslot during the exhibition in which they will have priority access to a meeting space in the booth. Participating institutions are also able to display brochures on the literature stands at the booth during the entire exhibition.
Timeslots
To select your preferred timeslots for the Study in Australia Booth, please download the SIA Booth Timeslots Form, complete the details and return to max.kelemen@aei.gov.au by Friday 2 May 2008. Timeslots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. We will do our best to accommodate everyone’s preferred times and days.
Freight
Brochures and other materials to be displayed on the Australian Universities Booth must be shipped to NAFSA’s expo services warehouse, and arrive by Monday May 19. There is a material handling fee for delivering the materials from the warehouse to the booth.
When shipping material to NAFSA, please:
- Download the NAFSA Material Handling PDF and carefully review the information.
- Download the Material Handling Form, and complete the details, clearly indicating that you are shipping material to the Study in Australia Booth #823, and clearly indicating the name of your institution.
- Download the Method of Payment Form, and complete the details.
- Fax/send both the Material Handling Form and Method of Payment Form to Freeman Expo Services as per the details listed on the forms.
- Download the NAFSA Shipping Labels and use for each item you will be shipping to NAFSA, clearly indicating that you are shipping material to the Study in Australia Booth #823, and clearly indicating the name of your institution.
If you have any questions about participating in the Study in Australia booth, please contact Sally Bolton in the AEI Los Angeles office: sally.bolton@aei.gov.au
Individual Booths in NAFSA
Universities and organisations that submitted an application for an individual exhibition booth should have received confirmation from NAFSA confirming your booth allocation. Exhibitors can book booth furniture and fittings through the Freeman Online website: http://www.myfreemanonline.com/fol/user/splashPage.jsp?showId=111312.
Signage: Based on feedback from 2007, AEI is strongly encouraging individual exhibitors to consider upgrading the signage of your booths, to make it easier to identify and locate individual booths within the Australia section. The standard signage provided by NAFSA is 44 inches x 7 inches (111.8cm x 17.8cm). We suggest exhibitors consider upgrading to a 9 ft x 1 ft (274.3cm x 30.5cm) custom sign on foamcore backing, featuring your university/organisation logo, followed by name. Upgraded signage can be ordered using the Freeman Online Ordering system, referring to the Graphics Order Form & Guidelines under the Decorator Services section of the Freeman website. The cost for custom sigange is US$17.00/sq. ft + tax, with a minimum order of 9 sq. ft, if ordered before 12 May 2008.
Carpet: AEI will be carpeting the Study in Australia booth and surrounding aisle space in Classic Red carpet. AEI encourages individual exhibitors to consider carpeting your own booths in Classic Red carpet, to present a more integrated look and feel to the Australia section of the exhibit hall. Carpet can be ordered using the Carpet Order Form under the Decorator Services section of the Freeman website. The cost for carpeting a standard 10 ft x 10 ft booth in Classic Red carpet is US$150.50 + tax, if ordered before 12 May 2008.
If you have any questions about your individual booth fit-out, please contact Sally Bolton in the AEI Los Angeles office: sally.bolton@aei.gov.au.
Australians at NAFSA Book - University Rep Locator
To help streamline meetings at the Study in Australia booth and assist your partner institutions in locating you during the conference, AEI NA is producing a book of Australian university representatives. The book will be located at the Study in Australia booth and contain the contact details and photos of Australian university representatives. We encourage all Australian representatives to participate in the book. Please complete the attached template and email to Lia Nigro (lia.nigro@aei.gov.au) by 2 May 2008.
Australian Sessions and Poster Sessions - input needed
If you will be presenting a poster or conference session at NAFSA, please let Lia Nigro (lia.nigro@aei.gov.au) know. AEI NA is producing a poster of all the sessions with Australian presenters to display at the Study in Australia booth.
Pre-NAFSA Workshop
Registration is now open for the AEI North America Pre-NAFSA Workshop on Monday 26 May. If you are planning to attend the workshop, please complete the attached Registration Form by Monday 19 May and email or fax to Lia Nigro (lia.nigro@aei.gov.au).
The workshop will be comprised of three parts: an overview of the current situation of US financial aid over breakfast, a workshop for all participants, and a session for directors only. The workshop will examine trends in North America, including a look at student mobility statistics, marketing opportunities, and policy developments. The workshop will also discuss engaging with students in North America – including a discussion about new technologies and social networking, as well as alumni relations and the AEI NA student ambassador program. Following meetings, AEI NA will host a networking reception and invite key education contacts from the Washington, DC area to attend.
A draft copy of the program can be downloaded here.
The workshop fee of US$180 includes registration, continental breakfast, coffee breaks, buffet lunch and a cocktail reception. The fee will be invoiced to your institution.
We realise the workshop coincides with the exhibitors move-in at the exposition hall. Move-in runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The workshop will wrap up by 4 p.m. The hotel is only a five-minute cab ride from the convention centre if you need to leave at some point during the workshop to go set up your booth.
For further questions or information about the Pre-NAFSA Workshop, please contact Jen Nielsen at jen.nielsen@aei.gov.au.
Opening Reception in Exhibit Hall
This year, NAFSA has decided to host the Opening Reception on Tuesday, 27 May from 6-8 p.m. in the expo hall. Exhibitors will staff their booths from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., take a break from 3-6 p.m., and the expo hall will then reopen for business again from 6-8 p.m. Conference attendees will come to the Opening Reception in the expo hall at the conclusion of the Opening Plenary with Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to meet conference-goers as they mingle and network at the reception.
Financial Aid Breakfast – Wednesday 28 May, 7.30-9 am
AEI will be hosting a Financial Aid Breakfast at the Doubletree Hotel (1515 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Washington DC) on Wednesday morning. Meet with representatives from the US Department of Education’s Foreign Schools Team, get an update on what’s new in financial aid, and learn about new programs and initiatives from the foreign schools team. Harrison Wadsworth from Washington Partners will provide an update on the US Higher Education Act, and will also provide some insight into the current student lending market in the US. He’ll talk about the potential crisis in the availability of federal loans, how the US federal government is intervening to prevent such a crisis, and what all this means to Australian universities
This breakfast is open to CRICOS-registered providers. Attached is an invitation with full details of the meeting location. Please RSVP to Jen Nielsen at jen.nielsen@aei.gov.au by 15 May 2008.
Australian Universities Reception
AEI is working closely with the AUIDF to plan the Australian Universities Reception, which will be held on Wednesday 28 May 2008, at the Galleria at the Lafayette Centre from 7-9.30 p.m.
Ten guest invitations are included in the Universities participation fee of US$950 (along with three complimentary university staff member invitations, for a total of 13 invitations). A limited number of extra guest tickets may be available for purchase. Universities wishing to purchase additional invitations for US$70 each may do so on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note the increase in fees has been agreed with the AUIDF, and reflect the high cost of doing business in Washington, DC.
If you would like to participate in the Australian Universities reception, please indicate as such on the Short Term Service Agreement (STSA), along with how many extra tickets you will require, and AEI will invoice you accordingly.
Invitations and Guest Lists
Please keep in mind that AEI must have the names of your guests for security purposes. Guests who turn up without a ticket, whose names are not on the list, will not be admitted. Last-minute additions on the day of the reception will not be accepted.
The invitations for the Australian Universities Reception have been sent out. If an email address was provided, we sent your guests an email notification to let them know they have been invited to the reception. If a mailing address has been supplied, we sent a hard copy of the invitation by postal mail (unless otherwise noted). If you did not provide a mailing address for your guests, you can pick up your invitations to hand-deliver at the NAFSA conference. Please note that no tickets will be released without a guest name, as we need a complete list of all guests due to security regulations at the venue.
If you need to pick up any tickets – either for your staff or to hand-deliver at NAFSA – envelopes with tickets will be distributed on Monday 26 May during the pre-NAFSA conference at the Doubletree Hotel. Please contact Sarah Wolf at sarah.wolf@aei.gov.au with any questions.
About the Galleria at Lafayette Centre
The Galleria is a unique and elegant Washington, DC venue. Its features include Italian marble floors, a dramatic split staircase, 50-foot glass atrium ceilings and on-site parking. Visit: http://www.greatplacesdirectory.com/index.php?option=com_venuead&vid=117
Transportation to and from the Reception
Guests can board complimentary shuttle buses to get to and from the reception. Buses will run between the Washington Convention Centre and the Galleria every 15 minutes from 6.30pm to 10.00pm.
Buses will depart from the Washington Convention Centre on L between 7th and 9th Streets NW and drop off at the main entrance of the Galleria on 21st Street NW, between L and M Streets.
The Galleria is also accessible by metro. The closest metro stations are Dupont Circle and Farragut North on the Red Line. Journey time is approximately five minutes from the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro station. The Galleria is a five- to 10-minute walk from either station.
Taxis are readily available in Washington, DC and if sharing, is an economical way to travel around the city.
Friday Night Wind-Down
AEI will be organising an informal get-together on the last night of the NAFSA conference, Friday 30 May from 5-7 p.m. in Adams Morgan, one of Washington, DC's trendiest neighbourhoods and going-out spots. Please join us for nibbles (drinks will be available for purchase) as we unwind and debrief about the conference before you leave Washington, DC.
Contact AEI North America
If you have any questions about the Australian activities planned for the 2008 NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo, please contact:
Jen Nielsen
Manager – Education, Science and Training
Australian Education International
Embassy of Australia
1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 1 202 797 3028
Mob: 1 202 957 7207
Fax: 1 202 797 3287
Email: jen.nielsen@aei.gov.au