At the recent ISTR Conference in Antwerp, I witnessed how skilful moderation can spark discussion and bridge the gap between scholars and practitioners. Based on personal experience and feedback from other participants, I offer three lessons learned.

A few weeks ago, Antwerp was the world’s third-sector research capital. The 16th ISTR Conference gathered over 600 scholars and practitioners from 60+ countries. Such a diverse platform offered a unique opportunity for cross-cultural and interdisciplinary dialogue on philanthropy and civic engagement. As a moderator, I was particularly interested in fostering this dialogue. I googled how to do it but – surprisingly – found almost no piece of advice. This motivated me to use the conference as a learning experience, and share my own suggestions:

Inform (yourself and) others to increase attendance:

It is well known that people give when asked. So why not ask them to attend a session? One of the moderators at the ISTR Conference did just that. Several days before the conference, she used LinkedIn to invite people to her session. She summarized who would present, what they would discuss, and why the topic was relevant. During the session, she continued to be informative, introducing presenters, providing background on their research, and making us feel like peer experts who had known each other for years. The session was engaging and thought-provoking. Would it have been the same if the moderator had only facilitated a Q&A? You know the answer.

Design the space to boost engagement:

The physical arrangement of a room can significantly impact social interaction and engagement. Factors like room size, audience seating arrangements, and the position of presenters all play a role. For instance, exclusive dialogues between a questioner and a presenter, while other participants are ignored, are more likely when presenters sit against the audience rather than among them. Likewise, discussions tend to be more dynamic when attendees sit closer to the front rather than at a distance. Additionally, sessions run more smoothly when moderators account for late arrivals by asking the audience to leave chairs near the entrance empty. These details may seem trivial, but they can significantly affect engagement, and only the moderator can manage them effectively.

Facilitate Q&A to reflect presentation themes:

Moderating coherent discussions at diverse sessions was challenging. Most sessions at the conference lasted 90 minutes and included three presentations followed by a Q&A session. Ideally, discussions should take place after all presentations if the topics are closely related. However, when presentations cover a broad range of subjects, waiting until the end for questions can lead to unequal attention and create a sense of competition among presenters. In such cases, a well-prepared moderator might propose a different approach, such as having a separate discussion after each presentation. This ensures that every presenter receives equal attention, and the Q&A session aligns more closely with each presentation’s content.

Moderating an academic session can be a thankless task; when done well, it often goes unnoticed, but when it’s noticeable, something has usually gone wrong. Nevertheless, it plays a vital role at any international conference by helping participants use their differences as strengths instead of weaknesses. This article is not intended to provide a comprehensive list of recommendations but rather to initiate a conversation on what moderation should look like. I invite you to contribute your insights and share them with your peers!

Vuk Vuković is a PhD Candidate at KU Leuven, specializing in nonprofit marketing and fundraising.