Update - 17 March 2020  (inclusion of specific reference to HIFI)

Further statement from the conference team on the Annual Honors Conference and the Coronavirus to update you on our stance and response concerning the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

In light of recent events regarding the Coronavirus outbreak, the conference team has been meeting regularly and closely monitoring both governments and Hanzehogeschool Groningen advice.

In order to protect the welfare of conference attendees, staff and students as well as to provide certainty and clarity, we regret to announce that the International Conference on Talent Development and Honors Education 2020 featuring CoTalent will be postponed. In addition, the planned post conference (15-17 June 2020) HIFI event, will now also be postponed. We’ve had overwhelming support and while the decision is regretful, we feel this is the only responsible decision to take given the uncertainty with this ongoing fast changing international crisis. This is a decision we don’t take lightly, especially because so many people put in hard work and submitted proposals.

We think an online version of the conference does not fit our goals, however we are looking for different outlets for the speakers and interesting proposals. We are also looking into a new dates for the conference.

We hugely appreciate your understanding and support, and will provide further updates as soon as possible here on the conference website as well as email and social media channels. Everyone involved will be contacted by us with further information next week. We will contact conference registrants to make arrangements.

Should you have any urgent enquiries, please contact us by email via info@honorsconference2020.org

Our thoughts and prayers remain with those who are affected or working on vaccines, and tests.

On behalf of the conference team

Marca Wolfensberger

Conference Chair

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Update - 09 March 2020

Statement from the conference team on the Annual Honors Conference and the Corona Virus to update you on our stance and response concerning the COVID-19 Coranavirus.

As you are aware, an outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 started in December 2019, and on 27 February 2020, a patient in the Netherlands was diagnosed with the virus. Since then, more cases of the coronavirus have been diagnosed in the Netherlands, but the Netherlands is not considered a high-risk area at this point in time.

We do not take the risk involved with the virus lightly. Here we inform you with the actions that have been taken. The Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Hanze UAS), Groningen, the Netherlands, where the honors conference is hosted, is monitoring the developments around the Corona virus closely and is following the advice of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Municipal Health Service (GGD), and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A dedicated crisis team has been formed and meets on a weekly basis to discuss the latest developments and determine the measures to take.

We are aware that different countries have different reporting of this situation. As a conference team we will monitor the situation carefully and keep you informed.

The Netherlands are not restricting trade in and out of the country, with the exception, perhaps, of those identified as major infection sites (e.g. China, Italy, Iran)

Currently, there is no reason to stop giving lectures, hold meetings and organize events at Hanze UAS. This measure is also based on the advice given by the RIVM. The conference will take place in two months time. As for now there are no reasons to make any changes in our itinerary. We do understand that this is a difficult situation and will update you regularly, and sooner if needed.

If you have additional questions, you can always e-mail info@honorsconference.org.

We hope to meet you all in Groningen in June. In the meantime our thoughts go to those who are affected or working on vaccines, and tests.