SymBioSE-2024:
Administrative Program
How does SymBioSE operate?
SymBioSE is not a rigid organization with a hierarchical structure. Within these international meetings, representatives of the participating countries gather to discuss topics such as: developments within their universities, different biological study programs, and the various ways of student collaboration. Participants of SymBioSE are part of a living community that connects biology students throughout the year.
Together, we discuss important matters, propose solutions and vote on them. As a participant of this year’s edition, you are a part of the SymBioSE main decision organ - the General Assembly. Your opinion and your contribution to the future of SymBioSE are extremely important.
What are the administrative parts of the program?
Every year, we have the following administrative components that are necessary for the proper functioning of SymBioSE as a whole:
Opening ceremony
National Assembly
General Assembly
Proposals and voting on the future host country
Closing ceremony
We explain these parts of the program further on this page.
Opening ceremony
During the opening ceremony, participants are welcomed and informed about SymBioSE, its history in general and this year’s specialities in particular. We will also introduce the SymBioSE Dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs
SymBioSE participants are considered “Dinosaurs” when they have attended five or more SymBioSE events. This “title” is given to acknowledge the fact that these participants have “survived” so many years and still attend SymBioSE. Dinosaurs are living SymBioSE history and some kind of “elders” for the community.
National Assembly
The national assembly consists of at least 2 participants from each participating countries. If a country only provides one participant, this participant will be the representative. It is mandatory for participants from every country to name 2 representatives to be present in the national assembly.
The purpose of the national assembly is to discuss current topics and strategies for SymBioSE, propose actions or suggest a course of action for issues to be decided in the General Assembly. The format is an open discussion round and every country can propose discussion items or “bills” to be discussed and/or proposed to the General Assembly.
For the purpose of SymBioSE, the nationality of a participant corresponds to the country in which they are studying, NOT their personal nationality. Participants are officially representing the country of their nationality as defined above.
Decision on future SymBioSE organization
During the SymBioSE event, country-representatives are actively encouraged to consider hosting SymBioSE in their countries. Towards the end of SymBioSE, the General Assembly is going to vote on the organisers of SymBioSE in two years’ time (summer 2026). Any competing country has to give a presentation of how they envision to organise SymBioSE, where they would get the support from and generally sell their idea to the audience.
In general, it is advisable that at least one individual from a proposing country has participated in SymBioSE for more than one time, although this is not a formal requirement. It is highly advisable (and almost mandatory), that organisers selected to organise SymBioSE in two years participate in the following year’s (i.e. the year before their own event) SymBioSE, with as many organisingteam members as possible to ensure that even the ones newly on board get a feeling for the event.
The procedure of presenting and voting:
Every proposing country presents their ideas in front of all participants. Competing countries cannot be present during the presentation of their competitors.
After all countries have presented, there will be an open discussion round, where proponents answer questions from the audience. The audience is encouraged to ask critical questions of interest and should try to anticipate possible difficulties in the proposal and how they would be addressed by the proponents. The goal is to anticipate which proponent has the highest likelihood to organise a good event. Questions can be asked to single proponents or to all of them at the same time.
The voting on who is going to organise SymBioSE happens in a two-step process:
Every participant (including organisers) has an individual vote. The individual vote is entirely free and does not have to correspond to the country votes. It is given before the countries decide on their country vote.
Every participating country has a country vote. All participants from each country have to decide together on what is going to be their country’s vote. Each country HAS to come to a joint decision or else, if it is absolutely not possible to reach a decision, abstain from voting. The organizing country has a vote as well.
If you are the only representative of your country, you have both an individual vote and a country vote. Those do not have to be the same!
Both votes will be given anonymously.
The proponent with the highest percentage of votes (average of the country votes and the individual votes) wins the right and obligation to host SymBioSE in two years’ time. The country votes and individual votes thereby count 50% each.
Example: Proponent A gets 60% individual votes, and 50% country votes; proponent B gets 40% individual votes and 50% country votes.
A: (60% + 50%)/2 = 55%
B: (40% + 50%)/2 = 45%
Proponent A wins.
In case of a tie in the average of the country votes and the individual votes, the proponent with the highest percentage of country votes wins.
Example: Proponent A gets 60% individual votes, and 40% country votes; proponent B gets 40% individual votes and 60% country votes.
A: (60% + 40%)/2 = 50%
B: (40% + 60%)/2 = 50%
It is a tie, yet proponent B wins, as they have more country votes.
If there is an absolute tie (same percentage of country and individual votes) for two or more proponents, there will be a new round of voting for the tied countries (i.e. if three countries are proposing and two of them are tied in the first part there will be a second round of voting with the same rules as above).
In case there is only one proponent, there will still be a presentation with a question and answer session after which it is formally voted whether or not the country should be given the organisation.
Do you consider organizing SymBioSE in 2026?
It’s not an easy, yet extremely rewarding task! Luckily, with more than 20 years of history, you won’t have to start completely from scratch. In 2016-17, former organizers and active participants of SymBioSE have compiled SymBioSE Collective Memory.
Here is an excerpt where you can find the (approximate) list of tasks that you would have to deal with during the organization. You might want to use these points when preparing the proposal from your country - think of how exactly you would address these issues!
If you are more curious, check below full version of the Collective Memory.
Closing ceremony
The closing ceremony is the time when the organisers wrap up the event, hand out awards and say goodbye to the participants. It has also been a time where the host country did their own country presentation ;)
During the closing event all presentation and poster prizes as well as any other recognitions will be awarded. It is also the time to thank all helpers, volunteers and organisers as well as any other supporters. The closing ceremony is the official end of SymBioSE.
A note from former participants to current participants
Towards the end of SymBioSE, participants often feel the urge to thank the organisers for all their effort in making the event happen (especially considering that they organised it completely in their free time without any financial security and often as their first big event). People get creative in how to thank the organisers and have so far often produced a comical sketch about the year’s SymBioSE memorable occasions. The sketches are often satiric in nature and meant to make the organisers laugh and point out the more funny and memorable parts of the event. It is kind of a satiric re-enactment of the year’s SymBioSE.
The thank-you, usually also contains some kind of small present or token of appreciation. Some well-received examples contained personal notes from the participants to the organisers. Organisers of the previous years’ event and of the next years’ event often take the lead in this together with any other active participants. Approach them with any ideas or simply come up with something on your own. It is advisable to start this early enough in order to pre-collect contributions from participants and create something nice.