The main conference was structured around nine themes: assessing research; developing and supporting researchers; developing professional research managers and administ rators; dissemination and translation of research; management and organisation of research support; policy and strategy; research funding and funding opportunities; research integrity, ethics and governance; and systems and operations; plus an opening plenary session and a keynote session on the second day. The format provided both formal and informal settings for exchange of practice and experience, with many interesting national and international comparisons.
The conference started with a hand-over from Janet Dibb-Smith of the Australasian Research Managers Society, the hosts of the first meeting in Brisbane, Australia in 2006. Aldo Stroebel of the Southern African Research and Innovation Managers Association (SARIMA) and Dr John Kirkland of the ACU used this opportunity to announce the next INORMS congress which will be held in Cape Town, South Africa in 2010 and jointly hosted by SARIMA and the ACU