COVID-19 and our decision on the 48th Joint Sessions of Workshops

With great disappointment, ECPR announces that this year's Joint Sessions of Workshops will not take place as planned. The event was due to be held at Sciences Po Toulouse, in April.

Over the past weeks and days we have been monitoring the situation closely. We watch with growing concern as restrictions or outright travel bans are imposed upon members of our community, and as increasing numbers of participants withdraw from the Joint Sessions.

We wanted to wait as long as possible to make this very difficult decision, so we could be as certain as we can in these unprecedented times, that the decision was indeed the right one. But we also appreciated the stress that the uncertainty was bringing to many of our participants, and wanted to give people as much notice as possible so travel plans, if already made, can be cancelled.

We discussed at length with Sciences Po, Toulouse whether continuing with the event in April was still feasible or indeed responsible. The Joint Sessions is unique in that it brings small groups of scholars together for intensive and highly productive discussion over those four days. With a potentially greatly reduced attendance, we became concerned that the true value of the event would be diminished for those who could attend, while those who were unable to do so would be unfairly disadvantaged by not being able to take part equally.

But a greater priority for us is the health and wellbeing of our participants, staff, local hosts and their families and wider communities, and it was with this above all else in our minds that the decision was finally taken. 

It is particularly sad for us to make this decision now, since 2020 is our 50th anniversary year, and the Joint Sessions are the defining event of our organisation, running every year since 1973. However, sometimes a crisis can force us to think creatively to solve a problem or provide us with the impetus we need to explore new innovations. 

We are therefore happy to confirm that while the physical Joint Sessions will not take place in Toulouse, we will hold a fully virtual event over the original dates of 14–17 April for all accepted Workshops and participants. 

Since the event will not take place in its traditional format, we have decided to refund all participants their registration fee in full; participants will be contacted directly about this. 

We are very disappointed that the event will not to be coming to Toulouse this April; however, we can end on a positive note: Sciences Po Toulouse have agreed to host the Joint Sessions of Workshops in three years' time. 2023 will mark the 50th edition of the Joint Sessions, making this a particularly special event.

With many thanks for your understanding as we arrive at this extremely difficult decision,

— ECPR Executive Committee