We are looking forward to welcoming you to the first CBSI Annual Conference in Brazzaville from 7-9 January 2026. Together, we will create a space for scientific interaction, information sharing and inclusion, focused on developing plans to improve data collection on the climate-forest-water-society system of the Congo Basin. As we prepare for the three days, we share below guidelines for presentations in oral and poster sessions. These recommendations are intended to help ensure that all sessions run smoothly and provide a meaningful experience for both presenters and attendees.
If you are giving an oral presentation, please upload your slides to the individual Google Drive link that will be sent to you by Monday 5 January 2026. This will help ensure smooth transitions between talks and minimise technical issues during the sessions.
The languages of the conference are French and English with simultaneous interpretation. Oral presentations can be in French or English. For posters, please print your poster in your preferred language. We ask that you also, if possible, upload your poster in the other language (French or English) to your abstract submission by Monday 5 January 2026.
Presentations in Oral Sessions
- Please arrive at your session at least 10 minutes before it begins.
- Please check with the conference team to ensure your presentation is uploaded and functioning properly.
- Personal laptops are not allowed. Only the file uploaded to the Google Drive will be used.
- In thematic sessions (day 1), each speaker will have 10 minutes for the presentation, followed by 5 minutes for discussion.
- In parallel sessions (day 2), each speaker will have 7 minutes for the presentation, followed by 3 minutes for a question from the audience (except CBSI PhD students who can speak for 5 minutes, and have 5 minutes for questions and discussion).
- Kindly adhere to this timing to support the smooth flow of sessions. The Session Chair will not allow extra time.
- If you are unable to make your presentation, you must either arrange a substitute presenter and notify the CBSI Secretariat, or you must notify the CBSI Secretariat that your presentation should be withdrawn, before Monday 5 January 2026.
- The conference will be in English and French with simultaneous interpretation. Please prepare your slides and deliver your presentation in your preferred language (English or French).
- You may wish to speak in your native language and put your slides in the other language to increase engagement with your talk, as this can work well.
- The deadline to upload your presentation is Monday 5 January 2026.
- Upload your file to the individual Google Drive link that will be sent to you.
- Format: .ppt, .pptx, or .pdf
- Maximum file size: 30 MB
- To avoid technical issues, please do not include external links, embedded websites, or streaming videos that require internet access.
- Your file will be accessible only to the CBSI Annual Conference Event Team. All rights remain with the author.
- Practice beforehand, to ensure you can keep track of time.
- Make sure you finish on time. The schedule is tight and allows no exceeding of the allotted time.
- Present yourself with a slide with your name, title, institution/organization and country. Keep it short. Do not add other background information not relevant to the topic.
- Begin with a short clear introduction to your topic, followed by the main content, and conclude with a summary and/or call to action.
- Think about the new information you are communication, and ensure that is given time in your talk.
- Communicate ideas, not details. If someone wants details, let them ask during the discussion period.
- Test your slides. Review your slides on a different machine from that on which they were originally prepared to ensure the backgrounds, graphics, and linked images appear properly.
- Less=More. Put the minimum amount of information on the slide to communicate the idea you want. Ask yourself, “What can be left out?”
- Make it readable. Use common sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Calibri, Tahoma or Verdana. Your font should be at least 18 points in size, making it legible from 100 feet away on an eight-foot screen.
- Use no more than 10 lines of text per slide, and avoid colour combinations that do not project well, such as red on blue. Avoid pictures as background with text overlay.
- Graphs are better than>Tables. Graphs communicate ideas more quickly than tables. Photographs also may be effective. If you must use a table, include only the most pertinent details—not the full table as would be published in an article.
- Ensure graphics are high resolution to maintain quality on large screens, 300 ppi (pixels per inch) is advisable.
- Use the 16:9 format, landscape mode (default on MS Powerpoint)
- Add a “Photos not allowed” on slides you do not want people in the audience to share your talk on social media.
Presentations in Poster Sessions
- Maximum poster size: 59.4 centimetre W x 84.1 centimetre H (A1)
- Allow for a 2.5 centimetre border
- Posters must be positioned vertically to match the layout of the display board (portrait orientation).
- Place images, text, logos, etc. at least 2.5 centimetres from the edge.
- Paragraph/captions — 18 points Minimum
- Headers — 29 points Minimum
- Use different colours and textures/symbols for each line or bar.
- Use a sans serif font (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Tahoma, Lucida Sans Unicode, and Verdana) for main text, headers and tables.
- Posters can be in French or English.
- Do not laminate your poster so that it can be recycled if you do not plan to keep it.
- Put your abstract title at the top of the poster.
- Make authors’ names and contact information clearly visible.
- Make sure diagrams or charts can be read from 2 meters away.
- Do not use coloured or patterned backgrounds as they distract from the main presentation material.
- Organise the poster so it is clear, orderly and self-explanatory.
- Group similar ideas together.
- Label elements as I, II, III; or 1, 2, 3; or A, B, C.
- Avoid clutter (e.g. too much text).
- Allow approximately 40% of the poster area for text, 40% for visuals (e.g. photos, maps, diagrams) and 20% for blank space.
- Include key details such as background, results, and conclusion.
- Content should be in one language (either English or French). If possible we ask that you upload a version to your abstract submission in the other language (English or French) to enhance accessibility.
- Please print your poster before arriving at the conference.
- Printing services will not be available at the venue.
- If you wish to print your poster in Brazzaville before the conference, you may wish to contact the following providers to check on available services and timescale for printing:
- NEW IMAGE PRINT. 38, Avenue Simon Kimbangou, Makélékélé Directions: Montagne Sainte opposite Impact Assurance agency. WhatsApp : +242 06 830 49 53
- Global Services. 2007 avenue Fulbert Youlou, Makélékélé. Directions: vers la station service PUMA en allant vers l’hôpital de Makélékélé
- WhatsApp : +242 06 663 25 14 / 06 678 13 38
- Global numérique services. 10 avenue des trois francs. Directions: virage commune Bacongo, la glacière
- WhatsApp : +242 06 458 20 44.
- Your printed poster should be produced in your preferred language (French or English). If possible, please also upload your poster in the other language (French or English) in order to facilitate understanding.
- Log in to Oxford Abstracts using the e-mail address you entered when you submitted your abstract.
- Go to your event dashboard, click View on the event your submission is associated with.
- To edit a submission you have already made, click on Edit (on your personal dashboard).
- Scroll down to Poster upload, select your PDF, confirm the upload, then click on Submit.
- For more guidance visit: https://help.oxfordabstracts.com/knowledge/editing-a-submission
- Format: .pdf
- Maximum file size: 30 MB
- Your file will be visible alongside your abstract in the conference programme.
When arriving at the conference and receiving your badge, we will provide instructions on where and when to mount your poster.
Mounting materials will be provided, and the conference team will be available to help you locate your assigned board.
Your poster will be displayed during one of the two dedicated poster sessions. Posters must be removed at the end of the day on Friday 9 January 2026 when the conference concludes.
Information regarding your board number will be communicated in the final conference programme.
Have a different question?
If you cannot find the answer to your question on these pages, contact the CBSI Secretariat and we’ll do what we can to answer it.
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