As the effects of the COVID19 pandemic become clearer around the world, the ETD2020 Conference Committee is consulting with the NDLTD Board of Directors to decide the best course of action for the Conference planned for November 2020 in Al Ain in the U.A.E.

Whilst planning for the ETD2020 Conference is well advanced, the host Committee at UAEU has noted that severe travel restrictions, social distancing and poor economic conditions are likely to restrict the numbers of delegates and speakers who would attend in Al Ain in November 2020.

Over the past 4 months, the ETD2020 Conference Committee has met several times and considered the contingencies associated with this likely disruption of the original plans.

Some of the alternative options canvassed included a wholly virtual conference to be hosted at UAEU in November 2020; a hybrid on-site and virtual conference and/or the potential to reschedule the on-site conference in the U.A.E. until November 2021 with the consequent rescheduling of conferences planned for Serbia and India in 2021 and 2022 respectively. The UAEU has offered to host both a fully virtual conference in 2020 and a full conference onsite at UAEU in 2021.

We are pleased to announce that the NDLTD Board and the future conference hosts in Serbia and India have all agreed on the following new arrangements:

• ETD 2020 will be a virtual conference, organized by the UAEU team in November 2020 as per schedule.
• ETD 2021 will be an on-site in-person conference, hosted and organized by the UAEU team in November 2021.
• ETD 2022 will be hosted in Serbia
• ETD 2023 will be hosted in India.

As we reschedule and adjust the plans for 2020 and 2021, the ETD2020 Conference Committee will be in touch with speakers, sponsors and those wishing to participate, with extended deadlines for submission of papers, for programming and for registration. Please watch this space for more news as this becomes available.