THE CONFERENCE AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

The article presents the author's experience while attending the annual conference of the Institute of British Geographers at University of Leeds, Leeds, England. The modest accommodation provided to the participants came as a shock to the comfortable systems of academics cushioned by years of softer living. In conferences, most participant's interest is limited to one paper, one module or one session. On the second day of the conference, the author found that all interesting sessions seem to be running concurrently, and she was tempted to hop from one to another, trying to catch the most interesting papers. In the evening, the author took some time out to look round the publishers' exhibition and was tempted to buy some tattered books by the kilo. There was a session on the future demand for higher education provision as population projections to 2011 produce an encouraging-looking upsurge in British 18-year-olds in the early years of next century. According to the author, conferences are not primarily seen as learning experiences. However, the passive participants of conferences benefit from the social interaction, the renewal of academic contacts and the exploration of new ideas.