The EACI Newsletter

Copenhagen, September 2007

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2

Europe's most original co-creation event is coming!

The countdown for the 10th European Conference on Creativity & Innovation has started!

A hothouse of 125 sessions on creativity and innovation

The purpose of every ECCI conference is to facilitate co-operation and cross-fertilization between academics, business practitioners and educators. That is the aim of ECCI X as well, and we are in the middle of editing a program of 60 academic paper presentations and app. 65 non-academic presentations and workshops. On top of this we have 12 exciting keynote speakers (see below). This program surely will make it possible for everyone to feel the pulse of the field of creativity & innovation. But since ECCI X is an anniversary, we feel obligated to do a little more than creating a melting pot of seminars. Therefore, we have designed some unique, extra features:

1: CareCubicle, featuring Copenhagen Convention

Do you dare to engage yourself in creating the world's biggest co-creation project? The vision of CareCubicle is to create a global community that minimizes the distance between local visions and global knowledge. The community will be based upon a set of values and innovation rules to ensure the purpose of 'doing good'. These values will be framed in the Copenhagen Convention, co-created among ECCI X's 400 innovation and creativity experts from more than 40 countries.

We have been ambitious when creating the overall framework of CareCubicle, but we need you to help us co-create the contents. E.g. how do we create an innovative approach to social networks? And how can we create a commercial bridge that serves to add resources and know-how to the concept created within each CareCubicle? We look forward seeing you at the conference, and we invite you to participate right now by joining our blog at www.carecubicle.blogspot.com.

2: Crack the Nut workshops

One of the features is a string of workshops, where academics and practitioners join forces in the solving of specific cases. The workshops involve a broad spectrum of topics and themes from specific product challenges, to personal creativity and innovation processes. Samples of topics are:

o How can we build regional spaces for inter-organisational innovation (knowledge clusters)?

o Citizen Driven Innovation in Local Democracy

o Enjoy working in the healthcare sector?

3: Meet the Danes

Under the theme 'Futures of Innovation', you will get a chance of co-creating with 25 strong and innovative Danish companies and organizations. The event is arranged in collaboration with Wonderful Copenhagen and the Municipality of Copenhagen. All ECCI X participants will be picked up in groups at the conference venue Tuesday afternoon and brought to one of the host organizations. Here, they will take part in an intensive workshop, giving feedback and ideas on how the host can handle its essential challenges. Amongst the hosts are Grundfos, Lundbeck, Maersk and Copenhagen Municipality. After the workshop, all groups are transported to Copenhagen City Hall, to enjoy an official banquet.

4: Creative Reflection Zones!

Every afternoon for one hour throughout the conference all attendees will be divided into different learning groups named Creative Reflection Zones. The main purpose of the Zones is to help the participants digest the conference experience and relate it to their own practice or future: What have the conference participants heard, seen and noticed along the way? And in what way can this be understood, related to, or used by themselves and their home organisations? All attendees will be placed in a reflection zone group, amounting to app. 33 reflection zones.

5: And now the 'jazzy' part!

Monday, October 15^th, we have booked Copenhagen Jazz House for a social evening. Only two things are scheduled (besides pizza and beer!): The big band 'The Innovators', plus 'the stage is yours'. Two persons have already volunteered: Gordon Nicholson on jazz piano and Mary Ann Smorra on vocals. But I'm sure a lot of you could come up with great ideas for how to make this evening both cosy and unforgettable. Please forward your ideas to Arne Stjernholm Madsen, chairman of the planning committee: arne@eccix.org

Register now!

Be a part of this extraordinary event along with attendees from more than 40 different nationalities. 335 already registered online, and we only have 400 seats in total so if you want to join us, don't hesitate. Sign up today at: http://www.vanhauen.dk/extwebs/ecci/

Visit the website of ECCI X at: http://www.eccix.org/

The team behind

The ECCI conferences are initiated by the European Association for Creativity & Innovation (EACI). ECCI X is arranged by the Danish Initiative for Creativity & Innovation (IKI), Copenhagen Business School, Zentropa WorkZ and the Danish Design Centre. Contact person: Project manager Merete Ettrup, Copenhagen Business School, e-mail me.ivs@cbs.dk.

Kindest, creative & innovative regards,

Arne Stjernholm Madsen, chairman of the planning committee E-mail: arne@eccix.org