’s application form to host the International Semantic Web Conference 2017 // 22nd–26th October or 29th Oct – 2nd Nov // 2017 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin

Table of Contents

Welcome Letter from the Ireland ISWC 2017 Bid Committee Chair 1 Motivation of the organisers to bid and potential legacy of ISWC 2017 in Dublin 2 Supporting Ireland’s Bid 3 Executive Summary 4 Why ISWC 2017 should come to Dublin 5 Details of Proposed Site 6 Country 6 City 6 Climate 6 Convenience 6 Traditionally High Delegate Turnout 7 Safety 7 Getting Around 7 Value For Money 7 Conference Venue 8 Venue Location in relation to 8 International Connectivity Of Airport 8 Location Attractiveness 9 Venue Location From The Relevant Hotels 9 Conference Activities 10 Venue Map 12 Exhibition Environment Details 13 Computer and Audio Visual Aids 13 Live Web Streaming 14 Social Media Corner 14 Networking Infrastructure 14 Sustainability 14 Wheelchair and Service Animal Accessibility 14 On-Site Attractions 15 Accommodation 16 Student Costs 18 Local Restrictions 18 Local Organisation 19 Summary of Financial Arrangements 22 Organisation 26 Conference Bid Online 27 Social Programme 28 Conference Excursions 29 Pre and Post Conference Tours 30 Professional Conference Organiser’s Experience 31 Letters of Support 32 Useful Links 45

Spire, O Street, Dublin

Welcome Letter from the Ireland ISWC 2017 Bid Committee Chair

Dear Colleague,

We extend a warm Irish welcome to our Semantic Web colleagues, their accompanying guests, participants and sponsors, and invite you to hold the International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC) 2017 in Dublin, Ireland’s vibrant capital city. This event is intended to be an exceptional networking opportunity for delegates to meet and discuss their own research projects as well as the research being undertaken elsewhere in the world. Dublin is also capital of the tech industry in enabling easy corporate connections. Visitors to the country are sure to find much to interest them, whether they are visiting Ireland for the first time or have been here many times before. Dublin represents more than just Ireland’s administrative capital; it is a vibrant and energetic city that combines a thousand year history with one of the most innovative commercial start-up cultures in Europe. Visitors to Dublin will always find something to engage and entertain them.

If successful, ISWC 2017 will be hosted at Croke Park, our national stadium, which like Dublin itself combines a wealth of history with state-of-the-art facilities, offering an inspirational and highly effective conference venue. Our conference delegates will benefit from a venue that is at the heart of Dublin city, with a range of accommodation options available. The city is easily accessed from Dublin Airport, which is well connected to airports world-wide with a range of flights. Our Professional Conference Organiser, Conference Partners, have an exceptional track record which assures that delegates will be extremely well supported in everything from registration and booking accommodation to locating conference rooms and booking pre and post conference tours.

The desire to see ISWC in Ireland in 2017 is held not just by Trinity College Dublin, the National University of Ireland, and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) but by our national and governmental bodies: Science Foundation Ireland, the primary supporter of scientific research in Ireland; ADAPT, an international research centre focused on digital content technology; the INSIGHT Centre for Data Analytics; Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authorities; and the Lord Mayor of Dublin. If our bid is successful, ISWC 2017 can be assured that the Local Organisers will deliver an experience that will be genuinely world-class. If chosen to run this prestigious event, Trinity College together with Conference Partners will collaborate effectively, diligently and enthusiastically with SWSA to deliver a memorable and highly successful ISWC 2017.

Ireland is famed for its ‘Céad Míle Fáilte’. This translates from Gaelic as ‘one hundred thousand welcomes’. I hope to extend this welcome to you all to Ireland in 2017.

Sincerely,

!

Prof. Declan O’Sullivan Chair, Ireland ISWC 2017 Bid Committee Head of Intelligent Systems, School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin

1 Four Courts, County Dublin

Motivation Of The Organisers To Bid And Potential Legacy Of ISWC 2017 In Dublin

The motivation for the Irish bid comes on a number of levels.

Ireland has a long and notable history of research into the Semantic Web and Linked Data since the formation of these disciplines. The national science research funding agency, Science Foundation Ireland - SFI (www.sfi.ie), has invested significant funds into initiatives that advance the state of the art in the area and facilitate the impact of the research upon industry and society, including (but not limited to) the INSIGHT Centre for Data Analytics (https://www.insight-centre.org), the ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology (www.adaptcentre.ie) and CONNECT Centre for Internet of Things & Future Networks and Communications (http://connectcentre.ie). This investment is continuing to strengthen and in 2015, SFI has announced funding over the next 6 years of these centres totalling 100M euro.

Meanwhile, Ireland has one of the most open economies in the world and most of the major international IT companies have established bases in Ireland with Dublin hosting 9 of the 10 top global software companies (e.g. Microsoft, IBM), 9 out of the 10 top technology companies (e.g. Intel), and the three top enterprise software companies (e.g. SAP) . At the same time, young Irish graduates can be found bringing their skills and enthusiasm to all corners of the world and, in many cases, returning home enriched professionally and culturally by their time abroad.

2 Supporting Ireland’s Bid Ireland’s bid to host the International Semantic Web Conference 2017 is being supported by the following (letters of support from these bodies can be seen on page 32):

Local Organisation Support Bodies;

Trinity College Dublin National University of ADAPT INSIGHT Universidad Politécnica Ireland, Galway de Madrid

Industry Support;

Semantic Web Company Wolters Kluwer Ericsson HUAWEI

Local Support Bodies;

Department of Transport, Lord Mayor of Dublin Fáilte Ireland Tourism and Sport (the National Tourism Development Authority)

Tourism Ireland (Ireland’s National Airline)

3 Executive Summary

TITLE OF CONFERENCE: International Semantic Web Conference

YEAR OF CONFERENCE: 2017

COUNTRY: Ireland

CITY: Dublin

CONFERENCE HOST: Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin builds on its four-hundred- year-old tradition of scholarship to confirm its position as one of the great universities of the world, providing a liberal environment where independence of thought is highly valued and where staff and students are nurtured as individuals and are encouraged to achieve their full potential. County Dublin PROPOSED CONFERENCE DATES: Sunday 22nd – Thursday 26th October 2017 or Sunday 29th October – Thursday 2nd November 2017

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 450-550 delegates

PROGRAMME: Sunday: Workshops and Exhibition. Monday: Workshops and Exhibition. Tuesday: Main Plenary Sessions, 3 Breakout Sessions and Exhibition. Wednesday: Main Plenary Sessions, 3 Breakout Sessions and Exhibition. Thursday: Main Plenary Sessions, 3 Breakout Sessions and Exhibition.

4 why ISWC 2017 should come to dublin

1 Leading Conference Destination

Ease Of 2 International Access 3 Value For Money

Excellent Modern Venue With A 4 Significant Role in Irish Culture 5 Strong Local Conference Organisation 6 Strong Industry & Local Support

Top Quality Accommodation Options in 7 Close Proximity To The Conference Venue 8 Legendary Irish Hospitality 9 Exciting & Authentic Social Programme 10 An Experience To Remember

5 Trinity College Dublin

Details of Proposed Site IRELAND

Ireland has emerged as a leading international conference destination and has succeeded in combining the quality product demanded by academics and professionals alike with a unique and memorable tourist experience. The scenery in all its variations and the friendliness inherent in the Irish people provide that unquestionable draw which optimises the desired delegate attendance. This, combined with the excellent transport and access facilities, creates an important yardstick for all conference destinations internationally. Married to all of this is the outstanding professional support available which serves to underwrite all these attributes and guarantees an exceptional conference every time.

Ireland has recently received a number of accolades, with its capital city not only being voted the second most enjoyable holiday destination in the world by ebookers but also voted “Favourite Worldwide City” at the Trazee awards in Orlando and the “World’s Second Friendliest City” by readers of the US travel Magazine Conde Nast Traveller. Six of Ireland’s most famous attractions were also listed on Lonely Planet’s World Top 500 Must-See Sights.

DUBLIN

There are many layers to the city of Dublin amongst which every visitor finds their niche. It is a bustling city with a population of over 1.7 million and is home to over 100 different nationalities all of whom contribute to the fabric of Dublin. While it has a genuine cosmopolitan feel, Dublin has still managed to retain its own distinct culture which is expressed in a love of literature, drama and traditional music. The city centre has seen many a historical event such as the Mansion House on Dawson Street which stood centre-stage to the proclamation of the Irish Declaration of Independence by the first parliament or Dáil in 1919

The wide-ranging choice of hotels, restaurants, and pubs meets every visitor’s budget and taste and whether it is a chic boutique hotel, world-class international accommodation or a quaint B&B, Dublin’s menu suits every palette. With Michelin Star Restaurants centrally located, to casual eateries for resting the feet, again the mood and inclination of Dublin’s guests is anticipated, provided for and enjoyed. Of course, the quintessential Dublin Pub provides the focal point of Dublin’s social life, illuminating the vibrant hues of Dubliners and their culture. Conversation flows freely unleashing the unique atmosphere that defines the city.

Dublin is one of the oldest cities in Europe and with ancient churches, grand buildings and fine museums, cultural riches abound. From the ancient to the avant-garde, from history, architecture, literature, art and archaeology to the performing arts, Dublin has it, with the real advantage to the visitor being that everything is contained within a small area. Furthermore, Dublin boasts the largest park to be found in a European City, the Phoenix Park.

Dublin is a modern city with all the skills, structures, features and facilities necessary to host the most complex of conferences. When conferencing business is over, there is a wealth of activities and culture to attract the delegate. Due to Dublin’s coastal location, the sea is an integral part of Dublin life. This inheritance allows for a wide variety of water activities, sports or just strolling. Inland, Dublin offers a pick of events from greyhound racing, a variety of many fine gardens, old stately homes and picturesque parklands.

CLIMATE

Ireland enjoys a mild and temperate climate all year round. The proposed October dates for ISWC 2017 fall during the Autumn when temperatures can reach between 55.4 F – 62.6 F

CONVENIENCE

Ireland is English-speaking and part of the Euro zone. There are very few travel restrictions for delegates or exhibitors. Furthermore, there is a beneficial tax regime in place. The Finance Act 2007 provides, with effect from 1 July 2007, that a business delegate attending a qualifying conference is entitled to reclaim the VAT paid in respect of accommodation costs incurred while attending that conference. More information is available at www.revenue.ie however Dublin Convention Bureau has an existing partnership with Tax Back International in order to assist companies who do not have the expertise or resources themselves to maximize their VAT returns. Please go to www.irishrefunds.com/dcb for more details.

6 TRADITIONALLY HIGH DELEGATE TURNOUT MOST World renowned for the warm welcome and genuine sense of fun, the EXPENSIVE Irish people’s undeniable passion for life is a wonderful lure to visitors the world over and Ireland is famous for attracting higher delegate turnouts in comparison to other destinations. Research shows that Dublin attracts 15% 1ST LUANDA more delegates to international conferences due to the destination appeal.

TH SAFETY 4 SINGAPORE

Ireland is renowned as one of the safest countries to travel to within Europe 5TH ZURICH because of its political neutrality. It has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe and accordingly attendees from across the globe experience a safe and pleasurable stay. Dublin is a safe and welcoming city, one of the 6TH GENEVA friendliest in Europe and maintains a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. 11TH BEIJING GETTING AROUND Dublin city itself is small, compact and is tailor-made for carefree exploring 12TH LONDON by foot. It also has an excellent transport system, which includes;

LUAS 15TH COPENHAGEN The is a state of the art Light Rail transport system in Dublin. The Luas provides passengers with a high-capacity service that is TH fast, frequent and reliable. There are convenient stop locations, 16 NEW YORK excellent levels of comfort, safety and accessibility. Tickets are available from every Luas terminal; fare types are available online 20TH OSLO at www.luas.ie

DUBLIN 26TH SYDNEY operates the city’s bus routes running from 6.30 – 23.30. Tickets can be purchased on the bus, and at shops displaying TH the Dublin Bus icon. All other information can be seen online at 27 PARIS www.dublinbus.ie 30TH MILAN THE DART The DART (Dublin Area ) is the rail line running along the coast of Dublin, from Malahide and Howth southwards as far 31ST ROME as Greystones, Co Wicklow. Tickets are available online at www. irishrail.ie or can alternatively be purchased at the station. 32ND VIENNA DUBLIN BIKES

Dublin bikes are a self-service bike rental system open to everyone RD from 14 years of age. With 40 stations and 450 DB’s (bikes), it 33 MELBOURNE enables you to travel through the city centre, and get out and about to enjoy Dublin city at your leisure. All Dublin bike stations 37TH PERTH are equipped for Long Term Hire Card and 3 Day Ticket users. 14 of the 40 terminals allow you to purchase a 3 Day Ticket. Once purchased, you can use the 3 Day Ticket similar to the Long Term 38TH STOCKHOLM Hire Card to rent or return a Dublin bike from any station in the network. A 3 Day Ticket costs €2. The first 30 minutes of use is TH free on every Dublin bike. 39 AMSTERDAM

TAXIS 42ND HELSINKI There are also over 10,000 taxis in Dublin city. Taxis can be hailed, hired at taxi ranks or booked by telephone. Three of the main taxi ranks in the city centre are located on O’Connell Street, Dame 49TH SAO PAULO Street and St. Stephen’s Green. A taxi journey from Dublin Airport to the city centre should cost approximately €25. 50TH TIANJIN VALUE FOR MONEY 51ST DUBLIN Dublin presents excellent value for money and we will ensure that delegates attending the International Semantic Web Conference benefit from this, guaranteeing a wonderful conference. Mercer’s 2014 Cost of Living LEAST Rankings, which compares the cost of living in 211 cities worldwide, shows Dublin as the 51st most expensive city. EXPENSIVE Mercer’s 2014 Cost of Living Rankings 7 Croke Park Stadium, Dublin

CONFERENCE VENUE: CROKE PARK

Croke Park, Jones Road, Dublin 3

Croke Park is located in North Dublin between Drumcondra and and is bordered by Jones Road to the west, Clonliffe Road to the north, St. James Avenue to the east, and the to the south. Croke Park provides an exceptional venue experience with leading edge technology and infrastructure, complimentary Wi-Fi, stunning city views and a central location. Croke Park is one of Ireland’s largest conference centres with over 5,000 square metres of event & exhibition space, eight large capacity suites for up to 800 delegates and 87 individual meeting rooms. Each of the unique conference suites offers natural daylight, full blackout facilities and magnificent stadium or city views, and it is also one of the most accessible venues in the world.

VENUE LOCATION IN RELATION TO DUBLIN AIRPORT

Dublin Airport is approximately 7 kilometres from Croke Park. The Air Coach, a privately run bus service connecting a number of city centre hotels and locations with Dublin Airport, provides a 24 hour coach service from Dublin Airport to nearby Drumcondra, which is a 10 minute walk from the stadium. Furthermore, there are almost 10,000 taxis in Dublin and taxis are readily available for hire outside the airport (a taxi journey from the airport to Croke Park should cost approximately €20).

INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY OF AIRPORT

Ireland, ideally located on the edge of Europe, is less than an hour from London, less than two hours from Paris or Brussels and just six hours from the US by air. Dublin Airport is the 11th largest in Europe in terms of international traffic and is Ireland’s busiest airport, with over 57 airlines flying to 185 destinations, including direct daily flights from North America, mainland Europe and the UK. Dublin Airport is one of the major airline hubs in Europe, providing easy access for delegates travelling by connecting flights via London and Amsterdam from the Middle East, South America, Asia and Australia. Etihad, Emirates and United Airlines opened new routes in the last two years so with the emergence of low cost air-travel along with traditional international carriers it has never been easier or less expensive to travel to Dublin. Dublin Airport manages an average of 60,000 passengers per day, rising to 80,000 during the peak season, with more than 600 aircraft movements every day.

7 hours 13 hours

North America 8 hours Asia

United 1 Arab Emirates hours

UK 22 2.5 hours hours Australia Germany

France

1.5 hours 8 LOCATION ATTRACTIVENESS

With a prime location in central Dublin and a tradition that is steeped in history, Croke Park has been at the heart of Irish sporting life for over a hundred years. The GAA Stadium is named in honour of Archbishop Thomas Croke and serves as the principal stadium, modern conference centre and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Croke Park has a capacity of 82,300 making it the third largest stadium in Europe and is a must see attraction when visiting Ireland. The conference centre has recently undergone a refurbishment and is due to be completed in October 2015.

Dublin is home to some of the world’s top “born on the Internet” companies such as Google (Ireland’s number one exporter), LinkedIn, Facebook, AirBnB, Hubspot and Squarespace, as well as hardware manufacturers like Intel.

VENUE LOCATION FROM THE RELEVANT HOTELS

Croke Park is served by many public transport options, with 20 Dublin Bus routes and an Irish Rail station within minutes of the venue; and the DART and LUAS bringing delegates within a 15 minute walk, or less, from the stadium. Furthermore, we have included a provision in the conference budget for private daily coach transfers between the designated conference hotels and Croke Park.

9 CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES

Croke Park is one of Ireland’s largest conference centres with eight large capacity suites for up to 800 delegates and 87 individual meeting rooms. ISWC delegates will not be required to leave the venue as all conference activities can be accommodated in Croke Park.

Dimension LXW ISWC Activity Suite Area (sq.m) Ceiling H (m) Capacity (m) The Hogan Suite 385 2.5 ______N/A Registration Foyer (Level 5) The Hogan Suite 634.9 5.4 47 x 13.7 800 Theatre Style Main Plenary (Level 5)

Breakout Session The Hogan Suite 634.9 5.4 47 x 13.7 800 Theatre Style 1 (Level 5)

Breakout Session The Hogan Mezza- 252.8 2.9 / 2.4 21.8 × 11.6 250 Theatre Style 2 nine 1 (Level 4)

Breakout Session The Hogan Mezza- 302.4 2.9 / 2.4 25.2 × 12 275 Theatre Style 3 nine 2 (Level 4) Meeting Rooms: 4 X 50pax 50pax Theatre Style Theatre Style 8 X 30pax ______Workshops 30pax Theatre Style, Theatre Style (Level 6)

350pax (Seated Canal Suite (Level Capacity) 424 2.3 43.7 x 9.7 Lunch Area 5) 1000 (Reception Capacity) The Hogan Suite Foyer & The 1800 (Hogan Mezz 1,500 2.9/2.4 ______Exhibition Hogan Mezz Foyer Foyer Capacity) (Level 4 & 5)

Speaker Preview Ard Chomhairle 80 Theatre Style 81.5 2.4 9.7 x 8.4 Room (Level 5) 30 Boardroom Office/Board- Coiste Bainisti 112 3.3 10x10 25 Boardroom room (Level 5)

Hogan Suite Exhibition Area 10 ISWC REGISTRATION: The Hogan Suite Foyer The large Hogan Suite Foyer (385 x 2.5sq.m) is the perfect location for the ISWC registration. This area is located on level 5, which can be easily accessed by elevator from the main entrance on the ground floor. The registration desk will be clearly visible upon arriving on Level 5.

ISWC MAIN PLENARY AND ISWC BREAKOUT SESSION 1: The Hogan Suite The Hogan Suite is the perfect option for the ISWC plenary sessions and ISWC breakout session 1 with a capacity of 800 delegates theatre style, 4.9 meter ceiling mounted multimedia projectors, three-phase power and lighting hanging points. After the ISWC main plenary the Hogan Suite can be utilised for an ISWC breakout session.

ISWC BREAKOUT SESSIONS 2 & 3: Hogan Mezzanine Suites 1 & 2 The Hogan Mezzanine Suite 1 & 2 (level 4) will host the two remaining ISWC breakout sessions 2 & 3, which can accommodate over 200 delegates each. If required there is a four-in-one option, where the Hogan Mezzanine Suite can Hogan Suite be divided into four smaller suites to accommodate additional ISWC breakout sessions. Two of the ISWC breakout suites can each accommodate 200 delegates theatre style and the remaining two can accommodate 100 delegates theatre style in each. All suites can be accessed separately.

CATERING: Canal Suite The Canal Suite will be the designated lunch area for ISWC delegates with a seated capacity of 350pax. The Canal Suite is located on level 5 and offers air conditioning, natural daylight, and scenic views of the playing pitch.

EXHIBITION: Hogan Suite Foyer (Level 5) and Mezzanine Suite Foyers (Level 4) Both the Hogan Suite and Mezzanine Suite have fantastic foyers with combined area of 1,500 square metres. Both foyers overlook the playing pitch and are an ideal area for breaks, exhibitions and drinks receptions.

MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS: Meeting Suites Located on level 6 of Croke Park, all 87 meeting (30pax Theatre Style) and syndicate rooms (50pax T/S Style) are bright, well ventilated, modern and offer Registration Area - Hogan Suite Foyer natural daylight with outstanding views of the stadium. If additional meeting space is required there is plenty of scope within Croke Park to accommodate such requests.

SPEAKER PREVIEW ROOM The speaker preview room will be in the Ard Chomhairle suite which is self- contained offering AV, natural daylight and a private tea/coffee area. The Ard Chomhairle is located on level 5 and has a maximum capacity of 80pax in theatre style and 30pax in boardroom style.

OFFICE/BOARDROOM Coiste Bainisti will also be available as a boardroom for the duration of the conference and can hold 25pax. This unique suite is also located on level 5 of the Hogan Stand. It is furnished with luxury leather chairs and a magnificent oak finished boardroom table. The room is fully air-conditioned and fully equipped with leading technology.

Coiste Bainisti

11 VENUE MAP

12 EXHIBITION ENVIRONMENT DETAILS Croke Park is one of Ireland’s largest conference centres with over 5,000 square metres of event & exhibition space. The exhibition will take place in Hogan Mezzanine Suite foyers 1 & 2 (Level 4) both of which have a combined area of almost 1,500 square metres overlooking the playing pitch. The exhibition space is an ideal area for delegates to network on their coffee/lunch breaks. The venue offers 6ft trestle tables, power, air-conditioning, natural daylight, and complimentary Wi-Fi for all exhibitors. Although there are no public telephones located in this area there is an ATM onsite should exhibitors or delegates require this service.

COMPUTER AND AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS Croke Park provides leading edge technology in each of their conference suites. The below grid indicates the equipment that is and is not included in the venue hire for each activity for the duration of the conference. The Organisers have made a provision for the additional equipment in the budget. All equipment will be set up and operated by professional technicians to ensure the smooth running of the ISWC 2017 from start to finish. Budget Provision Equipment Included Activity Day Room For Additional In Hire Equipment

ISWC Main Plenary Tues, Wed & Thurs The Hogan Suite, Stage (20x8x2) 2 x HP 650G1 & ISWC Breakout Level 5 PA System Podium Laptop (16gb, Session 1 (600pax with wired mic 110gbSSD), Theatre Style) Screen & Projector PowerPoint Cue/ remote system, Logitech remote presenter (USB), speaker support monitor and radio mics

ISWC Breakout Tues, Wed & Thurs The Hogan Mezza- Screen & Projector 1x HP 650G1 Session 2 nine 1, Level 4 Laptop (16gb, (200pax 110gbSSD), 6 Theatre Style) Speaker 16ch PA System (EV SX300) 1x lectern Micro- phone 1 radio mic – handheld & tie clip package and 1 x Logitech remote presenter

ISWC Breakout Tues, Wed & Thurs The Hogan Mez- Screen & Projector 1x HP 650G1 Session 3 zanine 2, Level 4 Laptop (16gb, (200pax 110gbSSD), 6 Theatre Style) Speaker 16ch PA System (EV SX300) 1x lectern Micro- phone 1 radio mic – handheld & tie clip package and 1 x Logitech remote presenter

ISWC Breakout Sun & Mon Breakout Suites, 10 of 12 Breakout 2 x 2.7k – WUXGA Tutorials 1-12 Level 6 suites include a Projection Package, (8x 30pax) Screen & Projector 2 x 2.4m Tripod (4x 50pax) Screen + Drape 1 xLaptop Per Room

13 LIVE WEB STREAMING We have also included a provision in the budget for the professional recording of the plenary session across the three days of the conference. This will provide ISWC 2017 with the opportunity to expand their operating range and their target audience by broadcasting worldwide and independently of any time restraints. This creates added value for presenters, sponsors, exhibitors and capitalizes on people unable to attend. In addition the recording can be made available as video on demand after the event.

SOCIAL MEDIA CORNER The ISWC community is known to be active on social media and uses it as a platform to discuss, exchange ideas and disseminate knowledge, especially during the conference where quotes or summaries of keynotes, presentations images and important findings are shared in real time via Twitter and Instagram. These posts are closely followed by members of the ISWC community who are unable to participate. To engage the community and stimulate this important form of dissemination, we will setup a “social media corner” within the conference venue. In this corner, tweets will be displayed on a large screen to create a Twitter Wall and volunteers will curate tweets to provide an overview of impressions for each conference day.

NETWORKING INFRASTRUCTURE Croke Park provides an exceptional venue experience with complimentary Wi-Fi for all delegates for the duration of ISWC 2017. The wireless solution is based upon the Cisco Unified Wireless Network architecture. This is a centralised model with the Lightweight Access Point Protocol (LWAPP) at its core.

The system components include the following: • Two Cisco Wireless Service Module (WISM) with each core/distributed switch • Dual Cisco Access Control Servers (ACS). A single ACS server homed to each core switch independently. This will provide redundant and centralised user authorisation and accounting functionality for the wireless network • A Guest ‘Anchor’ (AIR-WLC-4402-12-K9) controller located within a DMZ in order to provide a secured mechanism for guest services. Each Anchor is located on either end of the stadium for redundancy • A single Wireless Control Server (WCS) in order to provide management plane functionality for all associated access points and Wireless Lan Controllers • AIR-LAP1142N-E-K9 A,B.G & N compatible Dual radio Access points in order to provide IEEE802.11 a, IEEE802.11 b/g and IEEE802.11n for the internal services within the stadium

All network infrastructures in Croke Park are the latest Cisco technology. The venue keeps all hardware and software up to date to ensure that all conference requirements are met. There is also a client link and CCX extension support enabled for enhanced client capability.

SUSTAINABILITY In keeping with environmental awareness, “Cúl Green” (translating to “Green Goal”) is a Croke Park initiative aimed at keeping the stadium carbon neutral. The venue has an environmental improvement programme in place covering electricity, water and waste management systems. This carbon neutral venue was the first in Ireland to gain BS8901 Certification for Sustainable Event Management and was one of the first stadia in the world to receive the coveted ISO 20121 certification.

WHEELCHAIR AND SERVICE ANIMAL ACCESSIBILITY As a purpose-built, world-class entertainment and conference venue, all legislative requirements for accessibility have been incorporated into the design and construction of Croke Park. The full stadium is completely wheelchair friendly with a ramp on ground level and a number of lifts accessing all levels.

The Conference will take place in the Hogan Suite which is located on level 5 in the Hogan Stand. All doorways and access points are wheelchair friendly to ensure safe and easy access for both disabled individuals and assistance dogs. There are a number of bathroom facilities including a disabled access bathroom on levels 5 and 6 where the conference will take place.

Assistance dogs are welcome in all parts of the venue and staff members can provide water bowls on request. Croke Park ensures that all staff members are fully trained in evacuation procedures for those with limited mobility in the event of an emergency.

14 Hogan Suite LEVEL 5 THE HOGAN SUITE ACCESSIBILITY

Window m 13.7

47 m

Escalator Entrance/Exit

WC WC Kitchen Bar Entrance/Exit Cafe Unit m D esk 13.8 R eception

4.8 m Hogan Suite Foyer 75.4 m

Pitch

Entrance / Exit

Lift (wheelchair friendly) SUITE AREA CEILING DIMENSION THEATRE CLASSROOM DINNER RECEPTION BOARDROOM (sq.m) H (m) L x W (m) capacity capacity capacity capacity capacity Service Lift

ON-SITEHogan Suite ATTRACTIONS643.9 5.4 47 × 13.7 800 350 600 2000 110 Data Projector

Hogan Suite Foyer 385 2.5 – – – – 750 – Sockets

Light Control FACILITIES AIR 3 PHASE SOUND AV BLACKOUT NATURAL DIMMERS BROADBAND ETIHAD SKYLINECONDITIONING TOURPOWER SYSTEM DAYLIGHT Blind Control

AccompaniedHogan Suite by anyes experiencedyes touryes guide,yes delegatesyes can yesalso ascendyes to a yeswalkway 44 metresScreen above the grounds of Croke Park. Delegates can take in panoramic views of the Irish capital and find out more aboutNot to scale. Dublin’s key landmarks. The tour includes stops at five viewing platforms along Croke Park’s 0.6km rooftop walkway. Each stop gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the highlighted buildings and sites in their line of vision.

GAA MUSEUM Delegates will also have the opportunity to experience the major cultural importance of this venue which is steeped in over 130 years of history and tradition. Croke Park is home to Ireland’s most important sporting and cultural organisation, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and delegates can take a guided tour of the onsite GAA museum which features a viewing theatre and memorabilia spanning over a hundred years. Every year the stadium attracts crowds of over 82,000 to Ireland’s national games – Hurling and Gaelic Football.

Etihad Skywalk GAA Museum

GAA Museum Reception

Croke Park

GAA 125 th Celebration View from Etihad Skywalk 15 Morrison Hotel ACCOMMODATION COSTS Dublin boasts world class hotels providing top quality accommodation with several hotels situated close to the proposed conference venue Croke Park. The capital offers over 160 hotels with just over 18,000 bedrooms, all approved by Fáilte Ireland – The National Tourism Development Authority. Accommodation is available across a wide range of price categories from the luxury 5 star experience to more Morrison Hotel affordable budget accommodation. The Morrison Hotel is located right in the centre of the city, on the bank The following are simply a sample of the wide variety of accommodation of the and just a twelve minute drive from Croke Park. This options available. superior four star hotel is renowned for its style ambience and celebrity clientele. The Morrison was originally created by world renowned designer The Organisers have an established relationship with many hotels John Rocha. The 138 guest rooms are individually designed including in Dublin and is in a strong position to negotiate the best rates features like flat LCD screens, complimentary internet and a CD player / available on behalf of ISWC delegates. All rates offered are for iPod docking station. 2017 with the exception of Purcell House who have offered 2015 rates. A 5% annual increase can be anticipated for rates proposed. THREE STAR Best Western Plus Academy Plaza FIVE STAR The Westin Dublin

Best Western Plus Academy Plaza

The Westin Dublin This city centre hotel is a superior three star hotel offering 304 deluxe and executive bedrooms which are contemporary in design and finished to the The Westin Dublin is a luxury 5 star hotel, located right in the heart of highest standard. It is just a short stroll to all major shopping districts and a Dublin, steps away from Grafton Street and overlooking Trinity College. ten minute walk from Croke Park. The Westin is one of Dublin’s most luxurious five star hotels with 163 bedrooms offering an ambience of warmth and Irish hospitality. The hotel is just a fifteen minute transfer from Croke Park. Jurys Inn Parnell Street

FOUR STAR The Croke Park Hotel

Jurys Inn Parnell Street

Located within a ten minute walk from Croke Park, this newly built hotel provides an excellent standard of three star accommodations. Offering The Croke Park Hotel 253 spacious air conditioned bedrooms with satellite TVs and free Wi-Fi delegates will have all the comforts they need. Not only is The Croke Park Hotel located close to the airport and Dublin city centre, it is also literally steps away from the proposed conference venue. The 232 bedroom hotel with complimentary Wi-Fi throughout is located directly across the road from Croke Park.

Gresham Hotel

Staycity Apartments

STAYCITY APARTMENTS

Gresham Hotel Finished to an impressive standard the Staycity Serviced Apartments Saint Augustine St in Dublin City Centre provide the visitor with a home from home. Offering almost twice the size of a standard hotel room these After undergoing a multi-million euro refurbishment in 2007, The Gresham serviced apartments provide our guests with everything associated with Hotel is truly a hotel of the highest standards. The hotel is positioned right comfort and convenience. It is an ideal choice for groups and families as in the heart of Dublin city centre, only a ten minute walk from Croke per person sharing rates offer excellent value. All beds can be split into Park and close to the shopping districts of the city. With 301 state of the twins or doubles plus there is a sofa bed in the living room for an extra art bedrooms (all with free Wi-Fi) in this iconic landmark building, The person. Fifteen minute transfer from Croke Park. Gresham is one of the best known hotels in Dublin City. 16 ACCOMMODATION COSTS

NAME OF HOTEL STAR ROOM BLOCK AVAILABLE RATE LOCATION RATING The Westin Dublin 5***** 40 rooms per night €335 single and €355 twin B&B Westmoreland (all rooms within this block are available as twins if required) per room per night Street, Dublin 2. 15min transfer to the venue. The Croke Park Hotel 4**** 180 rooms €159 single and €179 double/twin B&B Jones Road, (60 rooms within this block are available as twins if required) per room per night Dublin 3. Opposite the venue. Gresham Hotel 4**** 100 rooms €165 single and €195 double/twin B&B O’Connell Street (50 rooms within this block are available as twins if required) per room per night Dublin 1. 10min transfer to the venue.

Morrison Hotel 4**** 50 rooms per night €215 single and €230 twin B&B Lower Ormond (all rooms within this block are available as twins if required) per room per night Quay Dublin 1. 12min transfer to the venue.

Best Western 3*** 150 rooms €149 B&B per room per night, additional €10 10-14 Findlater Pl, Plus Academy Plaza (60 rooms within this block are available as twins if required) per room for twin occupancy Dublin 1. 10min transfer to the venue. Jurys Inn 3*** 50 rooms €140 single and €160 double/twin B&B Parnell Street, Parnell Street (25 rooms within this block are available as twins if required) per room per night Dublin 1. 10 min transfer to the venue. Purcell House Student 54 rooms €50 single and €90 double/twin B&B Drumcondra, (4 twins, 2 doubles and 48 singles) per room per night Dublin 9. 5min transfer to the venue. Staycity Serviced 77 double bedroom apt, 21 single bedroom apt. €138 per night – 1 bedroom apartment (sleeps 3 people) 42-76 Saint Augus- Serviced Apartments Apartments 511 beds at max capacity €220 per night – 2 bedroom apartment (sleeps 5 people) tine Street, Dublin 8. 15min transfer to the venue.

LARGE AND ATTRACTIVE HOTEL ALTERNATIVE HOTEL CHOICES CLOSE TO THE CONFERENCE VENUE CLOSE TO THE CONFERENCE VENUE The Croke Park Hotel is a luxury 4-Star hotel located opposite the conference Yes there are alternative hotel choices within a 10 minute transfer or 15 venue. The Organisers have secured 180 out of a total 232 bedrooms on hold minute walking distance of the conference venue. Delegates staying in for ISWC delegates attending the conference. Behind every bedroom door designated conference hotels that are a ten minute walk or more from you will find contemporary, comfortable beds, large marbled bathrooms and Croke Park can avail of a daily coach transfer to and from the conference plenty of space to relax after the conference. The hotel’s Sideline Bistro & venue. Bar is a lively and welcoming spot for hotel guests to mingle and soak up the laid-back, friendly atmosphere while enjoying a beer, a glass of wine, or a tasty BUDGET ALTERNATIVES FOR STUDENTS NEAR THE meal from the bar menu. Breakfast is served from 6.30am-10.30am allowing CONFERENCE VENUE delegates the perfect opportunity to sample a full Irish breakfast before As a budget alternative for students we propose the Purcell House and crossing the road to attend the conference. The Croke Park Hotel’s suite Staycity Serviced Apartments. Purcell House is located on the 15 acre of three multi-purpose conference rooms can each accommodate up to 50 campus of All Hallows College, a 5 minute transfer from Croke Park, and delegates in theatre style, there are also three smaller boardrooms that can combines the tradition and elegance of its nineteenth century origins with accommodate 8 delegates should they require off-site meeting spaces within the comforts of today. Purcell House boasts 50 plus bright and modern close proximity to the main conference venue. single en-suite bedrooms set in peaceful surroundings, which are a perfect accommodation option for students attending ISWC 2017.

The Staycity Serviced Apartments are ideal for students who may prefer to stay closer to the city centre. The apartments are located on Saint Augustine and offer the choice of either a 1 bed apartment (sleeps 3) or 2 bed apartment (sleeps 5). All beds can be split into twins or doubles. The Staycity Serviced Apartments are a fifteen minute transfer from the city centre to the conference venue.

The Croke Park Hotel 17 STUDENT COSTS COST TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE We anticipate that it will cost ISWC students approximately €875 to attend the International Semantic Web Conference 2017. This figure is based on the student opting for early conference registration, workshop registration for 2 days and student accommodation for the full duration of the 5 day conference. This estimation includes the following; Conference Registration : €475 Full conference registration at early fee 2 coffee breaks per day of main conference 1 lunch break per day of main conference Welcome Reception Poster Session Reception Conference Dinner Workshop/Tutorials: €175 Workshop/Tutorials registration 2 coffee breaks per workshop day 1 lunch break per workshop day Accommodation: €225 Accommodation for 5 nights Approximately €45 per person sharing Daily transfer to and from conference venue Total : €875

COST TO LOCAL STUDENTS ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE We anticipate that it will cost local students approximately €650 to attend. This figure is based on early conference registration and workshop registration for 2 days only and does not include accommodation or travel expenses. This estimation includes the following;

Conference Registration : €475 Full conference registration at early fee 2 coffee breaks per day of main conference 1 lunch break per day of main conference Welcome Reception Poster Session Reception Conference Dinner Workshop/Tutorials: €175 Workshop/Tutorials registration 2 coffee breaks per workshop day 1 lunch break per workshop day Total : €650

LOCAL RESTRICTIONS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS OR SPECIAL VISA REQUIREMENTS

While visas are not currently required by EU nationals, EFTA Nationals or USA, Canadian or Australian nationals, visitors are required to have a valid passport. Information on nationalities requiring a visa may be obtained from an Irish Embassy or Irish Tourist Office. The Professional Conference Organiser will work closely with delegates who require VISA management by following the below steps to ensure all procedures are followed correctly.

• Provide delegates with a step by step guide to follow. • Answer any questions that they may have. • Advise delegates on the required documentation. • In some cases, assist with shipping documentation.

The Organisers will also meet with the Department of Justice providing them with a list of delegates and speakers who require visas. Confirmation of payment letters are issued to each delegate who will in turn apply for their visa directly

CURRENCY FOR THE LOCAL CONFERENCE ACCOUNTING Euro

EXHIBITION RESTRICTIONS ON THE IMPORT/EXPORT OF CONFERENCE EQUIPMENT No

18 LOCAL ORGANISATION

Prof. Declan O’Sullivan of the ADAPT Centre (www.adaptcentre.ie) in Trinity College Dublin, has significant experience in organising conferences having taken on a variety of Chair roles (12+) in IEEE conferences and workshops in the last 7 years. For example, he was central in his roles as local chair and publication chair to the success of IFIP/IEEE Integrated Network Management Symposium (IM) with its 350 delegates in Dublin in 2011.

Dr. Paul Buitelaar of INSIGHT (www.insight-centre.org) of the National University of Ireland, Galway, has been a programme chair or senior committee member of numerous significant conferences, in the last 7 years: AAAI 2015 – 29th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, SEM 2015 – 4th Joint Conference on Lexical and Computational Semantics, IRFC 2014 - 7th Information Retrieval Facility Conference, ACM International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces 2013, ESWC - Extended Semantic Web Conference 2012, ACM 17th Conference on Information and Knowledge Management 2011, ISWC- International Semantic Web Conference 2010, ACM Conference on Information and Knowledge 2008.

Prof. Dave Lewis of the ADAPT Centre (www.adaptcentre.ie) in Trinity College Dublin, has served as committee member on numerous Organising Committees, including the W3C Multilingual Web workshop series, IEEE/IFIP Symposium on Integrated Management, IEEE International Conference on Autonomic Computing, IEEE International workshop on the Management of Ubiquitous Communications and Service, the workshop on Networking for Distributed Knowledge Management Infrastructure and the IEEE WoWMoM workshop on Autonomic Wireless Access Networks. Of particular note is his Local Chair role for the IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference held in Dublin in 2007 (700 attendees).

Prof. Asunción Gómez-Pérez of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), has been on a significant number of organization committees and programme committees. For example she was programme chair of Asian Semantic Web Conference 2009, Extended Semantic Web Conference 2005 and EKAW 2002. She has also been the driver and key organizer of the annual ”Summer School on Ontological Engineering and Semantic Web”, which is now in its 11th edition.

Prof. Vincent Wade of ADAPT Centre (www.adaptcentre.ie) in Trinity College Dublin, has been General or Scientific Programme Chair for many international conferences including ACM Hypertext 2014, IEEE/IFIP Integrated Management Symposium 2011, and ACM Adaptive Hypermedia 2006. He has served in several leadership positions (Workshop Chair, Tutorial Chair etc.) on over forty international conference organising committees and approximately ninety scientific programme committees e.g. ACM Hypertext & Social Media, UMAP, Adaptive Hypermedia, IEEE IM, IEEE NOMS.

19 The River Liffey, Dublin

ARE THE ORGANIZERS ACTING ON THEIR OWN BEHALF?

Yes

ARE THE ORGANIZERS ACTING ON BEHALF OF SOME OTHER ASSOCIATION?

No

INSTITUTION SUPPORT The Organisers will receive comprehensive support (as noted in the letters of support from the Vice Presidents of Research) from their individual institutions (Trinity College Dublin and National University of Ireland Galway) both in terms of access to comprehensive administrative and technical support in the preparation for the event but also via a strong volunteer base. In order to continue and enhance the delegate experience, it is vital to have approachable, efficient and knowledgeable staff and volunteers available to answer delegate queries and provide direction. In addition the Organisers will draw upon the comprehensive technical, financial, logistical and marketing supports of the ADAPT and INSIGHT research centres, and their research networks, in the promotion and preparation for the conference.

CONFERENCE SUPPORT FROM THE LOCAL COUNTRY As large, industry-facing, applied research consortia, the ADAPT and INSIGHT research centres count between them a significant number of individual industry partners, both large and small, who collaborate closely in the research programmes of the centres. These include all the major players who have bases in Ireland such as Intel, Microsoft, Cisco. In addition to these industry partners, each centre maintains an active industry outreach agenda to continually promote the research being done, to develop strong links to industry in Ireland and to help maximise the industrial relevance of the research being undertaken.

While the existing industry partners of the ADAPT and INSIGHT research centres may participate in sponsorship of the ISWC 2017 conference, the Organisers are also well positioned to engage with new potential sponsors to become involved with ISWC so as to help ensure the best possible conference experience for attendees while keeping registration fees within reasonable limits. We have included letters of support from a sample of the companies who have already committed to supporting the bid to bring ISWC to Ireland, ranging across a representative spectrum of Semantic Web engaged companies: Semantic Web Company, Wolters Kluwer, Ericsson and Huawei.

Complementing the commercial sponsorship opportunities, the organising committee will also leverage the full complement of available government and local agency support in organising and marketing the conference. Science Foundation Ireland’s Conference and Workshop Programme supports conferences and workshops which enable Irish research bodies to contribute to international scientific debates, and which encourage industry-informed research and foster academic-industrial collaborations to build competitive advantage for Ireland. Fáilte Ireland can provide financial support for marketing ISWC 2017 should it be brought to Dublin in 2017.

FAILTE IRELAND The promotion of Ireland as an International destination for conference is supported financially through a number of initiatives with Fáilte Ireland. The Conference Financial Support Scheme assists every step of the way, from the bid stage right through to the marketing of the conference to ensure it will be a successful memorable one. Broadly there are three stages to their support scheme, Bid, Site Inspection and Marketing and they help with the financial cost in the following areas.

1. Bidding Fáilte Ireland provide financial aid in bidding for an International conference to choose Ireland as the host destination. They assist with the initial bid document related costs and provide support towards travel, accommodation associated with bid/presentation.

2. Site Inspections Financial support is available towards site inspections for key decision makers to come to Ireland to inspect venues and accommodation.

3. Marketing Fund The marketing fund is a financial contribution towards the marketing of the conference. They support activities that promote the conference internationally to increase delegate attendance and ensure its success. Also, limited assistance is available towards the travel in the intervening years to promote Ireland to delegates, and assistance towards welcome receptions for delegates in certain circumstances. For marketing, Fáilte Ireland provides financial support for €10 per international delegate for the first 999 delegates attending and €20 per international for each delegate over 1000pax.

20 STAFF SUPPORT The Local Conference Organisation will work closely with our local Professional Conference Organiser, Conference Partners to ensure a timely, efficient and effective performance related to the execution of all tasks leading up to the International Semantic Web Conference 2017. A dedicated ISWC project management team will be put in place to ensure all ISWC stakeholders experience the highest quality throughout. The ISWC project team, led by a Senior Account Manager will be responsible for all logistical management of the event. The Local Conference Organisation will be responsible for sourcing ISWC volunteers from Trinity College Dublin and National University of Ireland Galway. The Professional Conference Organiser will then coordinate volunteers to ensure they understand their role for the duration of the conference.

ANTICIPATED DELEGATE NUMBERS The Local Conference Organisation anticipates between 450-550 delegates will attend the International Semantic Web Conference 2017. In recent years the average delegate numbers have been 520 and we are confident that Dublin will be an appealing destination for ISWC delegates.

SUPPORT FROM THE EXISTING SW COMMUNITY Through its involvement since the pioneering days of Semantic Web, the Organisers at the National University of Ireland Galway through its research centres of INSIGHT(and DERI which preceded it), have applied the Semantic Web and Linked Data in many projects and initiatives within Ireland, such as collaborating with the national broadcaster RTÉ, or with the major technology giant Fujitsu. The Organisers at Trinity College Dublin through its research centre of ADAPT (and CNGL which preceded it) have collaborated and published in the Semantic Web area with industry partners such as Ericsson, Alcatel Lucent and Cisco. Both organisations have also collaborated with public facing organisations who aim to open up and share information with the wider public, such as the Royal Irish Academy and Open Data Ireland. In addition, through the ADAPT and INSIGHT research centres, the Organisers are networked into researchers who focus on Semantic Web and Linked Data from all the seven universities in Ireland. The International Semantic Web Conference 2005 in Galway had a significant impact upon the Irish community. As a result, there is a very strong, enthusiastic and active pre-existing Semantic Web community in Ireland who will support, participate and benefit from ISWC 2017 being in Ireland.

Finally, although the above commentary has focused on the Irish Semantic Web community, it should also be noted that the local organisers also includes UPM. All three institutions have worked together closely and also have comprehensive involvement in European Union projects that have researched in this area (e.g. LOD2) or are working in the area (e.g. LIDER and ALIGNED), which will be drawn upon to secure the support and participation from the European SW community.

OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO ADD VALUE TO/ BENEFIT FROM THE CONFERENCE There are a number of local communities seeking to support the publication of data and knowledge in an open manner within Ireland. Evidence of the vibrancy of these communities can be seen in the Open Data Ireland Google Group ([email protected]) and www.openknowledge.ie. An example initiative arising from these activities can be seen in Dublinked (www.dublinked.com) which is a Dublin Region Local Authorities (DLAs) and NUI to facilitate data-driven innovation in urban environment.

The Digital Repository of Ireland (Ireland’s digital repository for humanities, social sciences, and cultural heritage data) through several projects, with various communities, have been exploring the application of Semantic Web technologies to bring benefits to curation and access of their datasets.

Recently, Ordnance Survey Ireland (who have responsibility for all mapping data in Ireland) announced that they will be making available a cost-neutral, centrally funded agreement between the Government and OSI providing free access to their national datasets for all Public Sector Bodies including third level education institutions. A Linked Data community around this is likely to emerge as initiatives using these datasets take off.

The above examples indicate the kind of communities that will clearly benefit from ISWC 2017 in Ireland and that through papers and their participation can add value to ISWC 2017 in Ireland.

21 SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS DETAILED FINANCIAL OVERVIEW The values for planned attendance are 450 with a + or - 20% attendance as per the SWSA budget template available at SWSA. semanticweb.org.

INCOME OVERVIEW

22 SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS EXPENSES OVERVIEW

23 SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS EXPENSES OVERVIEW CONTINUED

24 Dublin City Centre, Dublin

SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Income 450 540 360

Registration 323,375 388,050 258,700

Sponsorship 59,500 60,400 58,600

Total Income 382,875 448,450 317,300

Expenditure

Fixed 233,386 245,687 221,445

Variable 140,988 169,186 112,790

Total Expenditure 374,374 414,873 334,235

Summery

Conference Income 382,875 448,450 317,300

Conference Expenditure 374,374 414,873 334,236

Surplus 8,501 33,577 -16,936

Breakeven Point 407 paying delegates

INSURANCE

We have included a provision in the conference budget for insurance in the event of conference cancellation. The Professional Conference Organiser is also fully insured with the following insurances;

• Employers Liability Insurance • Public / Products Liability Insurance • Professional Indemnity Limit Insurance

25 Trinity College Dublin

ORGANIZATION Founded in 1592, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is recognized internationally as Ireland’s premier university. The School of Computer Science and Statistics (www.scss.tcd.ie; SCSS) at Trinity College Dublin is the oldest school of computer science in Ireland (established 1964) and an innovative and energetic centre for research and academic study, ranked in the top 100 Schools of Computer Science in the world in the 2015 QS rankings. Since its formation, it has grown to become one of the largest Schools in the University with a community of 500 undergraduates, 480 postgraduates and in excess of 150 members of staff. The School is dedicated to realizing world-class research.

In addition to TCD SCSS, the local organizing committee for this bid also includes research leaders from the National University of Ireland Galway and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). These institutions have a long history in Semantic Web and Linked Data and so their perspectives and input are key to the success of the conference.

Members of the local committee have been involved in the organisation of many conferences of a similar scale to International Semantic Web Conference. These include ACM Hypertext 2014, ACM SIGIR 2013, ESWC 2012, ACM 17th Conference on Information and Knowledge Management 2011, IEEE/IFIP Symposium on Integrated Management 2011, IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference 2007 and ISWC 2005.

PREVIOUS SIMILAR SIZED TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCES HELD IN CROKE PARK

International Law Enforcement IP Crime Conference 500 delegates Research Data Alliance (Digital Repository of Ireland) 470 delegates Dell Solutions 375 delegates European Data Forum (Digital Repository of Ireland) 300 delegates 1st Annual Conference on Digital Preservation for the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 200 delegates All Ireland Business Summit 800 delegates

26 CONFERENCE BID ONLINE To view a private online version of the conference bid simply insert the following URL into your search engine. This page is password protected. The password is: iswctcd17* www.conferencepartners.com/bid

OTHER RELEVANT DETAILS MARKETING • Media: The development of an effective marketing and communications plan is For the duration of the project, thr Organisers will propose essential for the successful delivery of the International Semantic Web using a combination of media, including on air, print media and Conference 2017. The key is to match the ISWC Conference concept with advertisements. Where possible, the Organiser’s Commercial the appropriate audience. In order to do that, it is important to have an Partnership team will aim to secure contra partnership deals to effective plan of action, the right combination of marketing tools and the receive media coverage in return for promotion and exposure at the necessary resources to implement it. We plan to implement the following conference. strategies and tactics, focusing on those that have been successful in the past. • Incentivise: The Organisers will encourage early booking and increase footfall • Promotional Material: by providing incentives for early registration and group bookings. The Organisers in-house graphic design team can create a logo and For example, “register before 31st July to be in with chance to win brand unique to the International Semantic Web Conference 2017. a weekend in Dublin for two…” Also, special registration fee for This brand will be consistent across all promotional collateral that will group bookings of five or for more delegates from one organisation be designed, such as ‘save the date’ and ‘final reminder’ postcards, / company can be offered. e-zines, email signatures for committee members, and brochures. • Marketing through speakers & delegates: • Websites: We will provide confirmed speakers and registered delegates with A dedicated event page will be created to serve as the material to promote the International Semantic Web Conference “destination page” (iswc2017.semanticweb.org) to which all email 2017. We suggest sending ‘packs’ with branded email signatures communications will link. The event page will go live ten months with phrases such as “I’m attending the International Semantic Web before the conference and will be updated on an ongoing basis as Conference 2017” or “I’m speaking at the International Semantic information becomes available. Web Conference 2017” along with logos, images and a link to the conference website, which they could place on their own blog or • Promotion at ISWC 2016: website. We will send Local Conference Organisation representatives to present and promote ISWC Dublin 2017 at the ISWC Japan 2016. Please note the above is not an exhaustive list and the Organisers Alternatively hard copy postcards will be designed/printed and sent will work in partnership with the Local Conference Organisation to to ISWC 2016 conference instead. devise the most appropriate and potentially successful marketing and promotion strategy for the ISWC community. • E-Zines: A series of direct email promotions will be sent to previous delegates and target audiences in line with the deadlines set by the Technical Programme Committee and the SWSA. • Podcasts: The Organisers will upload videos and podcasts to the website to promote participation in the conference. The videos will be of keynote speakers and other key participants in the conference to give potential delegates a flavour of what to expect.

• Social Media: The Organisers can set up and manage a variety of social media channels; for example, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs, Forums, News and YouTube. For the International Semantic Web Conference 2017, we propose using LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube in particular, as these are best suited for the target audience. Establishing an online presence will help build awareness and digital engagement among potential delegates. The Organisers will also liaise with social media monitoring experts to analyse mentions across these channels, if required.

• Online Event Community: We will encourage delegates to network before the conference begins – not only will this create a ‘buzz’ for the International Semantic Web Conference 2017, but it will also increase the quality of conversations at the actual conference. This will allow attendees to get right into the programme content and in turn will increase delegate satisfaction.

27 There are no strangers here, only SOCIAL PROGRAMME friends who have not yet met The social programme of any conference is central to its success and accordingly must be both innovative and creative. Dublin has the great -William Butler Yeats advantage of being a cosmopolitan capital city which has the Irish Sea lapping its shores to the East whilst to the West and North, there is rolling countryside which aptly showcases Ireland as the “Green Isle”. Furthermore, the heather-clad Dublin Mountains form the gateway to the South and the “Garden Of Ireland”, County Wicklow. This offers the conference delegates a wide array of innovative and entertaining tours both around the city centre and to the varied landscape beyond.

Dublin offers a variety of impressive venues for evening functions, from the traditional to the sophisticated, from the casual to the chic, the options are extensive affording the opportunity for all moods and sentiments to be captured and met.

Welcome Reception The Welcome Reception sets the scene for any international conference. To mark the official opening of ISWC 2017, a welcome reception will be held in the Dining Hall, Trinity College Dublin. Despite being one of the most significant tourist attractions in Dublin, Trinity College retains a tranquil collegiate atmosphere in the heart of the capital city. Famous for its architecture and grounds, the historic 18th century Dining Hall will provide ISWC delegates with a relaxed classical atmosphere. The Dining Hall can accommodate 500 guests for the ISWC 2017 Welcome Reception.

Dining Hall, Trinity College Dublin

Gala Dinner Interpreting the mood and understanding the sentiment is crucial when we organise this wonderful and most important element of the social programme. This will be a signature event unique to this Conference, its objectives and its essence.

In order to accommodate all ISWC delegates we suggest holding the ISWC 2017 Conference Gala Dinner in Croke Park. With a capacity of 600pax, the Hogan Suite has experience in hosting countless award ceremonies, themed launch nights, parties and gala dinners, the venue offers a unique breathtaking location combined with superior service and quality.

This relaxed evening will also include traditional Irish entertainment and is guaranteed to deliver the essential and inherent “craic” to any Irish social occasion. A provision has been made in the budget for private transport to transfer delegates to and from the event. In advance of the conference the Organisers will ask delegates for their special dietary requirements to ensure all dietary requests are catered for at the Gala Dinner.

Hogan Suite, Croke Park

28 CONFERENCE EXCURSIONS For a relatively small island, Ireland offers a large variety of entertainment, scenery and culture and there is a wide choice of daily excursions from which to choose. The following offers a flavour of what is there to enjoy:

Dublin City Tour This tour will provide an introduction to Dublin and its elegant Georgian buildings. We will visit 16th Century Trinity College founded in 1582 by Queen Elizabeth 1. Here on display is the legendary Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript dating from the 8th century. The tour ends with a visit to the Whiskey Corner. A short audio-visual presentation in English explains the process of whiskey-making after which you get into the pub for whiskey tasting. Four members from each group will be presented with diplomas as professional whisky makers.

Grand Traditions and Great Houses In County About an hour’s drive from Dublin resides the treasured house of one of Ireland’s proudest traditions – The National Stud. A tour of the stud and Dublin City Tour a visit to the horse museum will entertain and delight even those who have not yet been bitten by the bug of horse racing. Mare and foals can be seen in the paddocks from the Tully Walk and a few famous stallions will be on view. Integrated into the grounds of the stud are the remarkable Japanese Gardens. Laid out in an area of bogland by the Japanese gardener Tasa Elida, and devised by Col. William Hill-Walker, the gardens have been designed and landscaped to take the visitor on the “Path of Life” from cradle to grave. There is a short drive of approx. 30 minutes to Castleton House, Ireland’s largest and finest Palladian country house, built in the early 18th century for the then Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, William Connolly. The façade was designed by the Italian architect Aleksandra Galilee, and a great part of the rest was restored by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce. The interior decoration was completed under the supervision of the wife of Connolly’s nephew Lady Louisa, sister to the 3rd Duke of Richmond.

Boyne Valley In the heart of the Boyne Valley situated in the great bend of the , is one of the finest examples in Western Europe of a prehistoric passage tomb. Newgrange or Brugh na Boinne, is the largest of the three impressive monuments in this area and is associated with many myths and Newgrange - Boyne Valley legends of Irish History. The Kings of Tara are said to have been buried here. Newgrange farm is the next stop on the excursion. This surrounds the famous national monument, and is itself a fully working farm. At the ancient monastic site of Monasterboice, a short distance to the north are the three famous examples of 9th and 10th century decorative crosses and the ruins of two small churches and a round tower.

Glendalough We travel south to the Dublin and Wicklow mountains to the monastic site of Glenalough, founded by St Kevin in the 6th century. This is followed by a visit to Russborough House situated on the shores of the Blessington Lakes. This is the home of Sir Alfred and Lady Beit and is an outstanding Palladian House by Richard Castle built between 1740 and 1750. The tour includes a visit to the house to view the Beit Art Collection.

North Coast and Malahide Castle This tour travels along the North Coast of Dublin Bay to the summit of the Hill of Howth, which offers a panoramic view of Dublin and its surroundings. Later a visit will be made to Malahide Castle, one of Ireland’s oldest and most historic sites founded by Richard Talbot in the 12th century and occupied by his descendants until 1976. During the tour, there will be the opportunity to view excellent examples of Irish period furniture, as well as a unique collection of Irish Historical Portraits.

29 The Giant’s Causeway, Co. Antrim

PRE AND POST CONFERENCE TOURS Pre and post conference tours are generally longer ranging from three to five day tours. These will run based on minimum numbers. Below is a sample of the tours that are available allowing delegates and accompanying persons to enjoy Ireland’s beautiful scenery and affording them the opportunity of visiting historic places of note such as: • Glendalough in Co Wicklow • Kilkenny City • The Giant’s Causeway, Co Antrim • The Rock of Cashel, Co Tipperary • Bunratty Castle, Co Clare. Sample Tour Itinerary: Dublin – Belfast – Dublin, (3 Day Tour)

Day 1: Discovering Northern Ireland Check out of your luxury hotel in Dublin and get on the road to discover Northern Ireland. En route, you will visit Malahide Castle, set on 250 acres of parkland in the pretty seaside town of Malahide. Light Lunch in Cruzzos restaurant on the Marina in Malahide and drive towards Belfast City. After checking into your luxury hotel, you will be chauffeured by a local guide in a traditional black taxi for a tour of Belfast City. This tour allows you to sit back and to acquaint yourself with Belfast city that is so steeped in history and culture. Evening entertainment is provided as you dine in one of Belfast’s great restaurants. Overnight stay in luxury Belfast City Centre Hotel.

Day 2: The Giants Causeway Today you will visit Northern Ireland’s premier tourist attraction, The Giants Causeway. The site is comprised of 40,000 basalt blocks with interlocking basalt columns and formed by cooling lava some two million years ago. Legend has it that the giant Finn McCool the Ulster warrior built giant sized stepping stones to bring his love from the island of Staff off the Scottish coast across the sea to Ulster. Don’t forget a visit to the heart-stopping Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. For those brave enough to cross the 24m deep and 18m wide Atlantic chasm, you will enjoy stunning views over the sea to the Scottish Coast. Three kilometres from this fascinating causeway coast brings you to Bushmills, home to Ireland’s oldest working distillery and the oldest licensed distillery in the world. Enjoy lunch and a guided tour before departing back to Belfast. Evening entertainment is in the form of a Gala dinner at Waterfront Hall, Belfast. It is the perfect venue for your final night in Ireland. After dinner enjoy the spectacle of a troop of Irish Dancers, who will perform a selection of routines from the lyrical moves of soft shoe dance to the more dynamic moves and sound of hard shoe. Overnight in your luxury Belfast City Centre Hotel.

Day 3: End It’s up early for transfers to Belfast/Dublin Airport and a farewell to the green Isle.

30 Conference Partners - Winner of Best PCO, Event Industry Awards 2015

PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE ORGANISER’S EXPERIENCE projects which have been undertaken by its talented team of professionals. We have partnered with Conference Partners for the International Semantic Web Conference 2017. Conference Partners is a multi-award Of particular interest is their experience in organising a the 36th Annual winning and internationally accredited Professional Conference Organiser ACM SIGIR Conference from the 28th July – 1st August 2013 in Dublin, (PCO). They offer a comprehensive in-house service which enables the Ireland, on behalf of Professor Vinny Wade in Trinity College Dublin. provision of a single source solution for all of the bespoke needs of ISWC The conference proved to be a huge success with the world’s leading 2017. Services include venue sourcing and management, online and on-site information retrieval experts from academia and industry converging on registration of delegates, accommodation management, social programme, Dublin. The conference attracted delegates from around the globe, with graphic design and website, marketing and promotion, transport and travel, large numbers attending from the United States, China, South Korea and catering, sponsorship and exhibition, budget management as well as general the Netherlands. advice and consultancy for the project duration.

Driven by passion and enthusiasm, their experienced team of 49 highly They also organised the 20th EurOMA (European Operations Management skilled and multilingual professionals will organise this prestigious Association) Conference in June, 2013, on behalf of Trinity College Dublin conference with commitment to SWSA’s mission and a focus on creativity, and University College Dublin. The conference theme was Operations efficiency and premium quality. Their approach is in their name, they will be Management: At the heart of Recovery. The main motivation of the theme our PARTNER. They will identify the strategy best suited to achieving our was to reinforce the message that operations management has a central role objectives; guaranteeing the maximum engagement of all the participants to play in the recovery of our linked economies and society. The conference at the conference and delivering a return on investment. proved to be a huge success with the attraction of 623 abstracts and the outstanding attendance of 507 delegates, one of the highest attendance Conference Partners has been a leading provider of conference and event numbers in the association’s history. management services to international markets over the past 17 years. They organise conferences and events across a broad range of disciplines and have an extensive portfolio of high profile, unique and tremendously successful

31 Letters of Support

SWSA (Semantic Web Science Association) c/o Institut AIFB, Geb. 11.40 KIT – Campus Süd D-76128 Karlsruhe Germany

25 May 2015

Dear Conference Organisers,

I am delighted to support the application of the local organizing committee to host the International Semantic Web Conference in November 2017.

Dublin is an excellent venue for the conference and has the facilities to provide an excellent environment for the conference.

Trinity College Dublin, with its experience in organizing significant international conferences, is confident that an energetic and successful conference will result, should you choose Dublin with TCD as lead organizer.

Yours faithfully

Prof. Vinny Cahill Dean and Vice President for Research

Professor Vinny Cahill BA (MOD), MSc, PhD, FTCD Professor Vinny Cahill BA (MOD), MSc, PhD, FTCD T +353 (0)1 896 1398 An Déan Taighde Dean of Research F +353 (0)1 896 2303

Office of the Dean of Research Oifig an Déin Taighde [email protected] Coláiste na Tríonóide Trinity College www.tcd.ie/research Baile Átha Cliath 2, Éire Dublin 2, Ireland

Letters of Support

28th of May 2015

RE: Letter of Support for ISWC2017 Conference Bid

Dear Conference Organisers,

I am delighted to support the application to host the International Semantic Web Conference in November 2017.

Advancing the state of the art in Semantic Web/Linked Data disciplines and applying these in industry and society in a manner that will bring real impact. Impact that is at the heart of our mission at Insight NUI Galway.

We are confident that we will repeat the success we had in organising ISWC 2005, and again provide a working and social environment in Dublin that will lead to engaging and productive outcomes.

Yours faithfully

Prof. Lokesh Joshi, Vice-President for Research, National University of Ireland Galway

ÓE Gallimh, NUI Galway, T: +353 91 495969 Bóthar na hOllscoile, University Road F: +353 91 494951 www.nuigalway.ie/research-support-services Gallimh, Éire Galway, Ireland E: [email protected]

Letters of Support

Dear SWSA Committee

The ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology is delighted to support the application to host the International Semantic Web Conference in Dublin in the winter of 2017. Supported by Science Foundation Ireland, ADAPT combines the world-class expertise of researchers at four universities (Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, University College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology) with that of its industry partners (e.g. Microsoft, Intel) to produce ground-breaking digital content innovations.

ADAPCENTRE This conference is in a key research area of relevance to ADAPT and the centre O’Reilly Building commits to providing whatever support is needed to bring the conference to Dublin.

We have hosted a number of conferences of a similar size in the past ten years, Dublin 2 and hosted a number of events at the proposed venue for this conference. Ireland There is a substantial body of resources behind the TCD team in ADAPT who are co-ordinating the proposal. Please be assured that the team has the full +353 1 8961797 support of the entire ADAPT centre in this bid and will have continued [email protected] supported towards the successful hosting of ISWC 2017 in Dublin. adaptcentre.ie

We at ADAPT very much look forward to the opportunity of welcoming the ISWC community to Dublin in 2017.

Prof. Vincent Wade CEO, ADAPT Centre School of Computer Science and Statistics

ADAPT is funded under the SFI Research Centres Programme and is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund Letters of Support Letters of Support Letters of Support Letters of Support Letters of Support Letters of Support

Ardmhéara Bhaile Átha Cliath Lord Mayor of Dublin

Christy Burke

Prof. Declan O’Sullivan School of Computer Science and Statistics Trinity College Dublin College Green Dublin 2

29th May 2015

Dear Professor O’Sullivan,

I am delighted to support your bid to host the International Semantic Web Conference in November 2017. Dublin has played host to numerous prestigious conferences and events in the past and has a very successful track record in this area.

Dublin would be an excellent choice for this international congress. It is an accessible destination and offers high level city infrastructure, world-class selection of service providers, entertainment and activities that will help ensure delegates a very pleasant stay. Dublin is an historical, cultural and literary capital of Europe and is a vibrant city to visit. I have no doubt that Dublin is the ideal location for your conference.

I look forward with interest to the outcome of your bid.

Yours sincerely,

______Christy Burke Lord Mayor of Dublin

Teach an Ardmhéara, Baile Átha Cliath 2, Eire. T. 222 6200 F. 679 6573 [email protected] www.dublincity.ie Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. T. 222 6200 F. 679 6573 [email protected] www.dublincity.ie Letters of Support Letters of Support Letters of Support Letters of Support The River Liffey, Dublin Useful Links

Organisers www.tcd.ie www.adaptcentre.ie www.nuigalway.ie www.insight-centre.org www.upm.es www.conferencepartners.com

Tourism www.meetinireland.com www.discoverireland.ie www.failteireland.ie www.tourismireland.com www.visitdublin.com www.lovindublin.com

Venue www.crokepark.ie www.guinness-storehouse.com www.dublinpass.com

Accommodation www.thewestindublin.com www.doylecollection.com/hotels/the-croke-park-hotel www.gresham-hotels-dublin.com www.morrisonhotel.ie www.academyplazahotel.ie www.jurysinns.com/hotels/dublin/parnell-street www.purcellhouse.ie www.staycity.com/dublin/augustine-street-apartments

Transport www..ie www.irishrail.ie www.luas.ie www.dublinbus.ie www.buseireann.ie www..ie

Visas www.dfa.ie

Airport & Airlines www.aerlingus.com www.ryanair.com www.daa.ie

Other www.sfi.ie www.dublincity.ie 45 CHAIR, IRELAND ISWC 2017 BID COMMITTEE Prof. Declan O’Sullivan School of Computer Science and Statistics Trinity College Dublin College Green Dublin 2

PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE ORGANISERS Nicola McGrane, Managing Director Conference Partners, 11 – 13 The Hyde Building, The Park, Carrickmines, Dublin 18, Ireland. e: [email protected] d: +353 (0)1 296 86 88 m: +353 (0)86 823 4154 www.conferencepartners.com

St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin