Calls for bids to host ISWC 2018

Initial Statements of Interest sought for
hosting the 17th International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC 2018)

Deadline = June 15, 2016
http://swsa.semanticweb.org/content/call-host-international-semantic-web-conference-2018

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The Semantic Web Science Association (*SWSA* <http://swsa.semanticweb.org/>)
is seeking statements of interest from organizations or consortia
interested in hosting the 17th International Semantic Web Conference, ISWC
2018. The conference series usually moves regularly between the Americas,
Europe, and the Asia/Pacific region. For the 2018 edition, we will accept
bids from all locations, but we will give preference to the bids from the
Americas. We expect the conference to take place in late October or early
November 2018.

Organizations wishing to host ISWC 2018 should contact *Dr. Natasha Noy*
<natashafn@acm.org> who will work with the SWSA members to coordinate the
bidding process for ISWC 2018. Any organization can apply to host the
conference, but the local organizing committee must include a
representative of a local research group.

The process consists of two stages. During the first stage, SWSA solicits
the statements of interest through an open call. They should be submitted
using the *statement of interest form*
<http://swsa.semanticweb.org/sites/g/files/g524521/f/201510/Statement%20of%20Interest%202018_0.pdf>
.

Once the first phase is complete, SWSA will shortlist a number of
applications, who will be invited to submit a full proposal, using a
standard *form*
<http://swsa.semanticweb.org/sites/g/files/g524521/f/201510/SWSA-ISWC-Conf-App-Form_0.pdf>
 and *budget template*
<http://swsa.semanticweb.org/sites/g/files/g524521/f/201401/SWSA-ISWC-Budget-Template-2016.xls>.
The shortlisted applications will be expected to make a presentation at the
SWSA meeting in Kobe, Japan, during ISWC 2016. SWSA will make the decision
on the location of ISWC 2018 at that meeting.

More information about the ISWC Conference Series and the bidding process
for hosting a conference in the series can be found in the *ISWC Conference
Guide* <http://swsa.semanticweb.org/SWSA-ISWC-Conference-Guide_2013.pdf>.

The important dates for applying to host a Conference in 2018 are:

   - June 15, 2016:  Deadline for receiving statements of interest.
   - July 31, 2016:  Notifications to shortlisted bids are sent out.
   - September 25, 2016:  Formal applications received from shortlisted
   bids.
   - October 18, 2016: Presentation of the bid at the SWSA meeting in Kobe,
   Japan.
   - October 21, 2016: SWSA decides on the location for the 2018 conference.