FAQs

About SOC24

About GO Lab

Sign up to attend in-person or online

Sign up for the Pub Quiz here (only for in-person attendees)

What are the dates for SOC24?

The Social Outcomes Conference 2024 will take place 5-6 September in Oxford, UK and online. For this year we’ll explore an overarching theme of "accountability, transparency, and trust in cross-sector partnerships".

Who’s coming and speaking at SOC24?

We are thrilled to be joined by speakers from around the world. Preview our curated programme here. Connect via our Linkedin and Twitter to keep up to date with the wider community attending SOC.

Is there an online component this year?

Our team is proud to offer a highly interactive online attendance, where you can watch live streams of our sessions. Attending online is free and open to everyone. Please share the registration page with your friends and colleagues.

Are there registration deadlines for SOC24?

No. However, we sell out of in-person places due to limited availability. So to ensure you get a place, please register early if you are planning to attend the Conference in Oxford.

Are there fees for attending?

Yes, delegate fees for Oxford attendance are structured in a way to run the conference affordably and sustainably. Delegate fees are usual practice for academic conferences, and we have the privilege of costing our tickets at the lower end of scale for conference fees.

To ensure accessibility and to accommodate individuals who may have limited funding or face travel challenges, we are pleased to offer the opportunity to participate in the sessions online at no cost.

We are able to offer a small number of free in-person tickets to UK public sector officials thanks to our partnership with the UK Government. Requests for these free tickets will need to include information on why the person wishes to attend the conference in person, and how attendance will benefit them and their them. This should be sent to golab@bsg.ox.ac.uk.

How do I plan for attending SOC24 in Oxford?

Please review our delegate information or contact us at golab@bsg.ox.ac.uk with any questions. We recommend arriving on Wednesday 4 September and departing on Saturday 7 September to allow for meeting fellow delegates beforehand at our annual Pub Quiz and attending our Closing Celebration & Remarks.

Will there be supplementary events?

We are excited to announce that for the first time we will be providing a programme of supplementary events alongside our Deep Dives, Big Picture sessions, and Keynote Talk.

Wednesday 4th September

• Pub Quiz: If you are attending in person, join us on the evening of Wednesday 4th for our annual pre-conference Pub Quiz. This is the perfect chance to have a taste of our well-loved British pub culture and what could be more 'Oxford' than doing a quiz for fun?! Whether you've been before or it's your first time, this is a great chance to meet (& compete with) fellow attendees & our GO Lab team. All are welcome! The Pub Quiz will be at 7pm at the Oxford Retreat. 
  • Sign up for the Pub Quiz here!

Thursday 5th September

• Report Launch & Networking Dinner: Alongside a Networking Dinner in the Inamori Forum, at 6pm we will mark the publishing of "From Peterborough to Kirklees: What have we learnt from over a decade of experimentation with social outcomes partnerships in the UK?". This report brings together perspectives from across academia, policy and practice to take stock of UK’s experience with impact bonds over the past 15 years, to help inform and inspire best practice across the globe.

Friday 15th September

• Oxford Landmarks Morning Run: Stay active during the conference and discover some of Oxford's most iconic landmark by joining us on an easy morning run. We will be starting the run at the Radcliffe Camera, in the very heart of Oxford. This will start at 7am (sharp) and be for half an hour, led by our very own Executive Director.
• Croissants & Collaborations: With our brand new 'Croissants & Collaborations', we're giving power to our communities by inviting them to lead informal sessions on topics of shared interest. These informal, thematic chats are for in-person participants over breakfast and a hot drink. These are a great opportunity for networking and to exchange ideas.
• Poster Lunch: We recognise that there is so much exciting and meaningful work which can’t be fit into the discussion panels. This is why we are hosting a social impact poster gallery where participants are invited to showcase evidence and insights from pioneering work.The posters will be on display physically in the Inamori Forum at the Blavatnik School and virtually on the SOC24 webpage. They will be displayed both virtually and physically so that all attendees, both online and in-person, can view the posters
• Closing Celebration: After great success last year, we are excited to announce that we will see the return of the closing celebration gala: a celebratory ending and closing remarks with moments of community, insights, and connection. Join us for drinks, nibbles, music, and reflections for this final celebration in our beautiful venue. Join us 5:30pm-9:00pm for the end of SOC24.

Other

• Networking: On top of this programme of supplementary events, wider networking opportunities will be available across SOC24, including times of structured and unstructured networking throughout the Conference days.

When should I arrive in Oxford for the Conference?

For delegates traveling to the UK, we suggest arriving on Wednesday, 4 September and departing on Saturday 7 September. Please note:

• Registration to receive your delegate badge opens on Thursday 8:15am at the Blavatnik School of Government. We offer the optional activity on Wednesday evening of our annual Pub Quiz, a great opportunity to network and meet/re-connect with our team and fellow delegates. The Pub Quiz will be at 7.30 pm in central Oxford.
• We encourage you to remain in Oxford through Friday evening, 6 September to participate in the Friday night festivities. The Closing Remarks are at 5:30pm, which will then flow into our Closing Celebration

How do I travel to Oxford and where should I stay?

This delegate information page contains details about traveling to and around Oxford and our recommendations for lodging. There are a variety of hotels and rentals in Oxford that we suggest booking as soon as possible.

What kind of meals are served at the Conference?

Several meals are included in the delegate fee for in-person tickets including lunch on Thursday and Friday, dinner on Thursday and a drinks reception and nibbles on Friday evening.

In most cases, we will also offer dairy free, gluten free, nut-free, and vegan options. Menu ingredients and allergens will be listed whenever possible.

In the spirit of the SOC, we hope you understand that while most dietary preferences will be addressed, there may be occasions where you will want to supplement your own meals. There are many wonderful pubs, restaurants, cafés, and well-stocked grocery stores throughout Oxford where you can purchase additional food supplies.

Will there be photography and filming during the conference?

There will be photographers taking pictures and filming during both days of the conference. You may ask the photographer not to take your picture if you would prefer not to be photographed. You can also write to golab@bsg.ox.ac.uk about this and we will help you.

This may also be an issue as individuals take photos with their camera phones for social media purposes. Please speak up if you have concerns. Finally, if you would prefer not to be filmed by the videographer, you can do one or both of these things: sit at the conference in a place where the video camera is pointing at your back, and/or sit in the seats near the video camera so that it will not capture your image.

For any additional questions, who can I contact?

For media inquiries or additional questions please contact golab@bsg.ox.ac.uk.

What are the dates for SOC24?

The Social Outcomes Conference 2024 will take place 5-6 September in Oxford, UK and online. For this year we’ll explore an overarching theme of "accountability, transparency, and trust in cross-sector partnerships".

What is the virtual experience at SOC24?

Our team is proud to have the full conference in hybrid mode, as we did for the previous Social Outcomes Conference (SOC23). The conference will involve streaming the sessions online.

For SOC23, we were able to ensure that both online and offline audiences enjoyed meaningful engagement and, as such, we curate a highly interactive programme. As well as receiving Professor Mark Considine as keynote speaker, at SOC23 we hosted over 120 speakers from 27 countries, and we welcomed over a hundred of additional participants who joined us online and in-person at Oxford. We were blown away by the excellent quality of discussions over the two days.
If you are joining us online, you will receive the passcode to reveal the Zoom credentials in due course through registration on our registration page.

Who’s speaking at SOC24?

We are thrilled to be joined by speakers from around the world. Preview our curated programme here. Connect via our Linkedin and Twitter to keep up to date with the wider community attending SOC.

Are there registration deadlines for SOC24?

No. However, we sell out of in-person places due to limited availability.

What kind of technology do I need to participate?

For the best experience, we recommend making sure your laptop is compatible with Zoom. All of our sessions are run on through the Zoom platform.

Are there fees for attending?

Attending online is free and open to everyone. Please share registration page with your friends and colleagues dedicated to social progress. If you are joining us online, you will receive the passcode to reveal the Zoom credentials in due course through the registration link.

Will the sessions be recorded?

All sessions of the Social Outcomes Conference that are streamed online are recorded and recordings will be distributed online after the session. Please be aware that by joining the session online, you consent to these conditions.

For any additional questions, who can I contact?

For media inquiries or additional questions please contact golab@bsg.ox.ac.uk.