International Congress of Meat Science and Technology

Guidelines

Scope

The scope of the ICoMST is to enhance the co-operation and scientific information between the academic and industry re­searchers in the field of meat science and technology. The Congress meet­ings focus on presenting the latest findings in specific scientific disciplines, critical reviews of the work done in the various fields as well as up-dating the latest knowledge on current issues most relevant for meat as food.

The Congress meetings also enhance discussions between the researchers irrespective to the country of origin, experience and scientific career thus providing a forum for exchange of scientific knowledge and ideas, planning of joint research and other co-operative issues.

Organisation

The first Congress was organised in 1955 under name ‘European Meeting of Meat Research Workers’. The name was changed to International Congress of Meat Science and Technology in 1987.

The Congress Language is English.

The symbol of the ICoMST is a cow bell which is used to open and to close each Congress. The Congress Bell is handed to the Chairman of the Organis­ing Committee during the closing ceremony.

 The organisational body of the Congresses is the Contact Persons. Each country can send one person to the Meeting of Contact Persons. The way the representative is elected is freely chosen by each country. The Meeting of Contact Persons decides the countries for future meetings as well as other issues necessary for the continuity of the congresses. The Meeting of Contact Persons takes place annually during the congress.

The Meeting of Contact Persons decides the countries of future meetings for five following years, and options can be made for even further venues. The Meeting of Contact Persons also elects the Contact Secretary for five year term or on request of the present secretary.

The Congresses are organised in principle every second year in Europe and every second year elsewhere, respectively.

The Congress is organised by the national Organising Committee of the na­tion chosen to host the meeting. The Organising Committee has full freedom to choose the way the Congress will be performed. The organising country, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, the Organising Committee as well their background organisations have the functional and economical responsibility for the congress.

Each Organising Committee is urged to develop an economical congress fee to facilitate the participation of as many participants as possible.

The Organising Committee should provide a preliminary report about the cur­rent meeting to the Meeting of Contact Persons. After the meeting, a full re­port should be prepared and given to the organisers of the three fol­lowing meetings and to Contact Secretary. The report should contain nu­merical information about the meeting and also about the economy of the meeting.

Organising Committee presents the status of the organisation of the next meeting at the Meeting of Contact Persons. The Organising Committee sends the final circular to the eventual participants not later than six months before the Congress. The Organising Committee also sends extra copies and the mailing list of the country in question to contact persons, who will then send them to the eventual participants not listed in the mailing list. The whole mailing list of the country in question to contact persons, who will then send them to the eventual participants not listed in the mailing list. The whole mailing list will be send to the Contact Secretary who will then discuss with the Organisers about the eventual other measures, e.g. missing countries, that must be taken care.

ICoMST has a Planning Group, consisting Chairman of the Organising Committee, or their representative, from the last meeting, present meeting, five following meetings, and the Contact Secretary. The Planning Group has a half-day meeting in the connection of each Congress. The purpose of the meetings is to provide planning details to the Organisers of future Congresses.

The Congresses have participants, student participants, part time participants and accompanying persons. They should be treated on equal basis.

The Proceedings

The contributions of the Congress are published in the form of Proceedings, which will be free to participants and student participants. The participants should have the Proceedings or at least the abstracts as hard copies at their disposal during the Congress. The organiser can decide also if commercial publishers will be used.

The author(s) of the papers has the full copyright of their own material. When the materials are published by a commercial publisher, the instructions of the publisher are applied.

The Organising Committee sets a price for the Proceedings for those who want to obtain it outside the Congress. The Organising Committee shall also indicate an address where the Proceedings can be obtained after the meeting.

Contact Secretary

ICoMST has a Contact Secretary, who provides a permanent address for ICoMST to facilitate co-operation and contacts with the past and future meetings. The function of the Contact Secretary is also to establish contacts with people and organisations outside ICoMST and assist the organisers of the meetings.