Introducing the EAU Resource Centre

The 27th Annual EAU Congress marks the launch of the EAU Resource Centre: a new web portal designed to deliver contents like presentations, webcasts, abstracts and posters to urologists. The flexibility of the internet will be used to give visitors the opportunity to relive the congress, watch missed presentations or consult data offered in abstracts.

The EAU Resource Centre is a new EAU website that delivers contents to urologists on-demand, at their convenience. It takes advantage of the opportunities that a digital environment can offer, such as interactivity and flexibility. Presentations and videos will be inter-linked, allowing for easy cross-referencing with publications like European Urology and other publications.

The bigger pictureThe EAU has been producing video material of its Annual Congresses for several years, offering live streams, broadcasts between venues and a selection of slide-based presentations. With the new Resource Centre, this material can now easily be delivered to urologists throughout the year.

The possibilities of the Centre are myriad: presentations can easily be linked to relevant entries in the EAU Guidelines, and videos of plenary sessions can refer to articles published in European Urology. The goal is to make the Resource Centre easy to browse based on topics. Searching for resources on prostate cancer, for instance, will show all relevant articles, presentations and sessions.

The resource centre at the congressWhile it will eventually develop into a broad platform for all manner of EAU-related content, the Resource Centre’s first direct application will come following the Annual EAU Congress in Paris.

At the Congress, a booth for the Resource Centre will help you familiarise yourself with the functionality and possibilities of the website. The Centre will allow delegates to select lectures and presentations that they otherwise missed, or want to watch again. Before heading home, they can use the Resource Centre computers to make a selection of the sessions, presentations and seminars that were recorded.

After they’ve made their selection, delegates will receive a unique code that will allow them to view the contents on their own computer, at their convenience. The database of recordings will remain online indefinitely, and grow to include other publications, smaller meetings and other EAU content.

Different subscription models will be offered to EAU members, sponsors, pharmaceutical companies and so forth. The unique access codes can be used as a promotional device by companies or EAU Sections to highlight certain themes, and offer their customers or members specific contents.

Working togetherFor the EAU Resource Centre, the EAU is working together with M-Events Cross Media GmbH, a multimedia company that has previously arranged video coverage, webcasts and speakers’ logistics at Annual Congresses. Their expertise in distribution of the materials will be the final step between the contents of the Congress, and the urologist.

Another partner for the EAU Resource Centre is Reed Elsevier, whose own experience with multimedia and publishing will facilitate the inclusion of publications like European Urology, and other medical reference texts.

A big stepThe EAU Resource Centre marks a new era for urology. It ties together the EAU’s publications, the coverage of its Annual Congress, and gives urologists the freedom and convenience of accessing these contents at their own convenience, without being dependent on physical media like books or compilation DVDs. By working together with experienced partners, the Resource Centre will be a central component in the future of the EAU’s news, scientific and research output.