HQ SACT hosts the annual e-Learning Forum to promote technical interoperability, pedagogical
advancements, and best practices across NATO, nations, Centres of Excellence (CoE), and Partnership
Training & Education Centres (PTEC). Now in its 12th year, the Forum seeks to be NATO's leading
conference for distance learning and the technologies that support it. It is open to representatives from
all NATO nations as well as partners, CoEs, PTECs, industry, and academia.
Register at: elearning-forum17.eventbrite.com
Westin Hotel Virginia Beach Town Center
757-747-3386
[email protected]
Dear Participants,
We are looking forward to seeing you all at this year’s Forum and hope you will find the agenda
incredibly stimulating given the variety of scheduled topics. The purpose of this event is to facilitate
your knowledge of current and emerging developments within the e-Learning community. We hope
that you ask challenging questions and use break times to fully engage in dialogue with speakers and
other attendees. Currently, we have a lot of participants with a broad range of skills and experience
coming from all areas within the e-Learning community.
This document provides you with the latest pertinent Forum details.
Attendees
The 2017 e-Learning Forum is open to all of NATO and NATO/national partners who have an interest
in e-Learning. The e-Learning Forum seeks to bring together developers (managers, instructional
designers, multimedia designers and programmers) with current and new customers who are
interested in learning about the e-Learning and how it can benefit their needs.
Presenters
Thank you for agreeing to present to the Forum. Please plan to allow 10 minutes for a Q&A session at
the end of your brief and include this time in your allotted spot. We have an excellent slate of speakers
and want to keep on time and not deny anyone their space. A traffic light will be at the back of the
room, showing the time status. Briefs can be brought with you on a USB stick, please see our admin
during registration or breaks to ensure you are loaded on the machine and all works ok.
Our audience is varied group of military and civilians, OF6 (Flag Rank) and below, from over 20
countries, some with many years of e-Learning, and some very new. As English is in most cases not
their native language, please speak slowly, clearly and use the microphones provided. Your voice may
carry well, but the sound enhancement helps our audience understand fully. We have lapel
microphones and hand held available. We are delighted to have the military, government civilians,
industry and academia attending this thoughtful and provoking event, you are welcome to place your
company or institution on the slides but please avoid your presentation becoming a “sales pitch”.
For NATO and Military presenters, please ensure your briefs are unclassified and have no
classification markings. NATO Unclassified and above is not approved for this venue.
Please provide us a PDF version of your brief for publishing on the e-Learning Forum web pages.
Location and Dates
Location:
WESTIN Hotel Virginia Beach Town Center
4535 Commerce St. Virginia Beach, VA 23462
tel: 757-557-0550 fax: 757-275-7835
Website: http://www.westinvirginiabeach.com/
Dates: August 29 - 31
Time: *8:30 - 17:00
*Note, initial registration will be held between 8:00-8:30 on Tuesday, August 29th .
Transportation:
No transportation will be provided for attendees. It is strongly recommended to either lease a rental
car or use a taxi service, as public transportation in the Hampton Roads area is limited and not suitable
for daily use within this area. The following onsite rental car offices are conveniently located in Norfolk
International Airport’s baggage claim area below the main terminal lobby:
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Alamo
Avis
Budget
Dollar
(800) 462-5266
(800) 831-2847
(800) 527-0700
(800) 800-4000
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Enterprise
Hertz
National
Thrifty
(800) 736-8222
(800) 654-3131
(800) 227-7368
(800) 367-2277
Accommodations
You are welcome to stay wherever you choose, but please be advised traffic congestion is a serious
problem in the Hampton Roads area.
40 Rooms reserved in The Westin Hotel for the attendees with $99 + TAX special conference rate.
Room rate includes breakfast for 1 person per room. Room rates are subject to VA State Sales Tax,
currently 6%, State Occupancy Tax currently 8% and City Lodging Tax $2.00.
The sleeping rooms will be held for 2017 NATO e-Learning Forum until the reservations cut-off date
of July 31, 2017. After this date, all accommodations not reserved with individual guest names and
guaranteed with a credit card or by NATO Allied Command Transformation, will be released to general
inventory for sale. The Hotel will continue to accept reservations after the cut-off date at the Hotel’s
prevailing rate on a space available basis.
RESERVATIONS BY PHONE:
Reservations can be made directly with the Hotel by calling 800-937-8461. To receive the contract
rates, the attendees should identify themselves as part of the 2017 NATO e-Learning Forum.
RESERVATIONS BY WEBSITE:
https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/2017NATO
GUARANTEE STATUS - GUARANTEED BY INDIVIDUAL:
Rooms can be guaranteed for late arrival to an individual’s credit card or by advance deposit. A
guaranteed room reservation assures a room for your attendees regardless of their arrival time. Any
guaranteed reservations not cancelled before 6:00 P.M. on the arrival date will be billed to the credit
card or against the advance deposit.
ROOMS BILLING ARRANGEMENTS:
Arrangements have been made for each individual to pay for their room, tax and incidental charges
upon departure. Please note that cash paying guests will be required to submit a $50.00 deposit upon
check-in to pay for incidental charges. Any other charges relating to your meeting will be added to
your Master Account.
METHOD OF PAYMENT FOR GUEST ROOMS:
All cancellations and no-shows will be billed when a room is cancelled less than 48 hours prior to the
day of arrival.
CHECK IN / CHECK OUT:
Check-in time is 4:00 PM.
Check-out is 12:00 PM.
PARKING:
Self parking in our covered garage is complimentary for all guests.
Valet parking is available for $29 per night per vehicle.
Bus Parking is $100 per bus per stay.
Security
Hotel does not require any security processing. If you are planning to visit Allied Command
Transformation during your trip, please contact the hosting staff member who will provide you with
the necessary security forms for access onto the base.
Dress Code
The dress code for the Forum is civilian business casual; however, working uniforms may be worn if
preferred. For those planning to attend the Forum dinner, the attire is also business casual.
Food
Coffee, cookies and water will be provided each day. The Forum dinner will be held on 29 Aug at 6:30
pm.
Forum Dinner
Forum Dinner will take place at Bravo Cuccina
Restaurant on 29 August 2017 18:30.
Restaurant is in the walking distance to
Westin Hotel. The Forum dinner is optional
and the cost for attendees is $50 USD. There
will be a Cash Bar for the alcoholic drinks.
MENU
1st Course:
Caesar Classica or Bravo Chopped Salad
2nd Course: Lobster Ravioli Alla Vodka or
Grilled Chicken & Sun-dried Tomato Goat
Cheese or 14 oz. NY Strip
3rd Course: Mini crème brulee/cannoli
Questions
Should you have any questions, please
contact: [email protected].