EuroSTAR Conference

It’s that time of year again, as EuroSTAR 2019 comes to a close, the planning begins for EuroSTAR 2020 begins. If you haven’t already heard, next year we are going to Antwerp! The Call for Speakers is officially open, and we would love for you to get involved and take to Europe’s Biggest Testing stage!

Keeping with nature the element of the venue: A Room With A Zoo, the theme of 2020 is Testing in The Wild! You may interpret this theme in any way you like. Tell us your wildest testing tales. Connect your story with animals. It’s not just theory: did you face off with a ferocious testing problem and live to tell the tale? Give us your practical experiences and real-life anecdotes.

Submit to Speak

We invite speakers from a diverse range of topics including approaches to testing, testing techniques, tools and automation, security, quality, skills and knowledge, teams and organisations as well as ethics, professionalism, how we work and so much more to speak at EuroSTAR.

Whether you have never spoke at a conference before, if you’ve soley spoke at meet-ups & small events events, or if you’re a professional speaker, we welcome everyone to submit to speak at EuroSTAR.

Our Programme Chair, Rik Marselis is hosting a webinar to help new speakers or those wishing to improve their talk ratings when submitting to conferences on January 14th. Register for Webinar.

There are many reasons why speaking at an international testing is beneficial. Learn more here.

Start preparing your submission for EuroSTAR 2020 today – the closing date for submissions is Friday 7 Feb. 2020!

It could be you this year on the EuroSTAR Stage!

Incase you need another reason to submit to speak at EuroSTAR 2020, take a tour around the conference venue. Nestled in the heart of Antwerp conservation zoo and embedded in nature. We’re going beyond conventional space – think sprawling architecture, marble, lots of light – all on the doorstep of the wild. After all, nature nurtures. Here’s the icing on the cake: all profits made by the convention centre are invested into animal breeding programmes, research and nature conservation worldwide. We’re blown away by the inspirational setting here – and we’re sure you will be too.

So what are you waiting for? Start writing your proposal and submit to speak at EuroSTAR! 

Attending a large conference can be exhilarating and daunting all at the same time. At EuroSTAR, we have lots of different ways to connect and meet new people so you can choose what suits you best.

In addition to the networking opportunities over coffee, lunch and dinner, you can meet fellow testers as you pick your favourite stickers in the Huddle area, enjoy an informal Lean Coffee discussion, go for a jog, take in some yoga or take on a challenge in the Test Lab and lots more.

This year we also have our first ‘Speed Meet’.

When? Tue 12 Nov. – 15:00 – Terrace 2A – Level 2 @ Prague Congress Centre

Starting a conversation can be hard and this concept provides a structured approach to short bursts of discussions with multiple people in a 30-minute period.

BEFORE you start and to help you get the conversation flowing, each person will draw a personal mind map. Some items that may appear on this might be Family, Goals, Work, Hobbies, Little Known Facts about yourself etc

Everyone then gathers in a line/oval and will be ‘paired’. There is 5 minutes allotted to each ‘pair’ to converse before you move to the right and meet a new person.

Each ‘pair’ exchanges their mind maps and then ask questions based purely on the other person’s mind map. It makes for interesting conversations and above all, you can choose the topic on the mind map that you want to ask about and can opt not to ask about areas that you prefer not to speak about.

EuroSTAR has always been welcoming and for many it is their testing family. Echoing the famous poet, it is filled with ‘friends you are yet to meet’. For each person you pair with during the Speed Meet – You may only have a 5 minute conversation now, but if you have lots in common or burning questions to follow up on then you have an opportunity to continue the discussions during the conference.

Above all, this meet-up is very relaxed and whilst there are ‘rules’ to help facilitate the speed meeting, you can step out at any time if you prefer not to continue. Simply finish up as the switchover takes place and the remaining participants can adjust their pairs.

So all that remains is to go forth, meet & enjoy!

The 27th annual EuroSTAR Conference is fast approaching and we just can’t wait! This blog is your guide to the EuroSTAR Expo. Discover who will be there, what you’ll see and what and prizes are up for grabs!

This year the Expo area will host breath-taking views of the beautiful & historic city of Prague. The Expo area is the ultimate place to chill-out between sessions, network with the community, learn from experts, grab a cup of coffee, discover new testing tools, win prizes and take home some SWAG! There is a lot happening outside of the sessions.

Thanks to our Platinum Partner; Accenture, our Gold Sponsors; SmartBear, Progress, Micro Focus, Xray, and all our fantastic Exhibitors. View all exhibitors.

Be sure to go and say hello to the exhibitors throughout your time at EuroSTAR. They will all have some super cool swag as well as some prizes.

We have some great Expo networking events in-store for you, including the Accenture Networking Party on Tuesday at 17:45 and Test Cafe/ Dev Express Coffee break on Wednesday at 15:15. As well as all the Expo networking breaks and lunches, we will host the annual Expo Prize-Giving Bonanza in the Huddle area, this will take place Thursday lunchtime. To be in with the chance of winning a prize, head over and meet the teams and learn how to enter.  Here is a list of some of the amazing prizes!

Prizes up for grabs

EuroSTAR 2019 Expo Hero Winner – Mabl

Make sure you meet the EuroSTAR Expo Hero winners, mabl! View the Expo Hero winners blog. Check out what they have to say about coming to EuroSTAR on their blog here.

Huddle Area

Visit the Huddle area! Play games, win prizes network, there is loads to do! Meet the Test Clinic Doctor’s for expert advice of solving testing problems. Say hello to the Test Lab Champions and play some testing puzzles and games. Hang out with the Huddle Heroes and decorate your delegate badge. Here’s what to expect in the Huddle Area in the Expo.

Expo Map

Get familiar with the Expo and take a look at the Expo Map. This will also be available in the conference app.

We look forward to meeting you all in Prague! Don’t be afraid to get social and use the hashtag #EuroSTARConf across all social platforms 🙂

Stepping foot through the doors of Europe’s biggest software testing conference can be daunting – especially if you’re a newbie. We’re here to give you a helping hand.

Plan Your Sessions

Plan the sessions that you want to attend – it might sound tedious now, but you won’t regret it! Create a timetable for yourself, noting speaker names and room numbers. Creating a personalised timetable means you won’t waste any of your precious time at the conference trying to find your next session or rushing to where you need to be. Although, if that does happens, don’t worry – there’s always someone around from the EuroSTAR team who will steer you straight.

Dive in

First off, there are many people in the same boat as you. Take comfort from that if you’re feeling nervous. Second, the best way for you to get comfortable is to dive right in – or at least stick a toe in the water to get the feel of things. That means not just attending sessions but taking part in everything EuroSTAR has to offer (which is a lot this year!). Get chatting to people, ask lots of questions. Head to Huddle for some conversations with visionaries. If you’re feeling overwhelmed – head to the Quiet Room. You will come across some like-minded people!

Do Some Testing

OK, it seems obvious, but hear us out! We don’t just talk about testing at EuroSTAR, we’re all about getting hands-on: tinkering, tweaking and experimenting with testing. Head to the Huddle – the heart of EuroSTAR Conference – and connect with the community at the Test Lab and Test Clinic. Fact: Eurostar was the first ever conference to organise a test lab and 11 years later it’s gong stronger than ever!

Take Notes

Take lots of notes, because you’re surrounded by a fountain of knowledge and inspiration. Grab a notebook and pen, write it into your phone, sketch or draw – whatever works for you! You never know what will spark your creativity at the conference, and you can even share your notes with the community if you think there’s a benefit.

Join a conversation

Conversations spill outside of the speaker sessions, and that’s usually where new ideas are born, discussions and opinions are shared enthusiastically. There are interesting conversations happening all over, and this is an opportunity to connect and meet people from very different backgrounds and experiences. There are always groups of people gathering to discuss different methodologies and their merits: agile, devops, and anything else you want to talk about.

Get social

EuroSTAR conversations happen online at the conference as well. People at the conference are commenting on sessions they’re attending using the conference hashtag, and some people will be live-blogging sessions they attend and posting links to their summaries on Twitter, so you can read up on any sessions you missed. This year we’re introducing the Whova app for the first time, a super way to engage with other attendees and stay up to date on what’s happening at the conference.

If you haven’t got your ticket yet – it’s not too late! Our 1-day ticket is the perfect option if you can’t join us for the full 4-day package.