What’s in Store at 2018 IEEE TSYP Congress? 

What’s the TSYP congress?

The TSYP is the abbreviation of “Tunisian Students and Young Professionals”. It’s the annual congress  for the IEEE student and young professionals in Tunisia. TSYP is a great opportunity to discuss present and future science and engineering challenges, immerse into the IEEE national network and exchange experience.

The congress attracts over 500 IEEE members from different cities in Tunisia as well some other participants from neighbor countries.The congress is the unique event which brings more than 30 IEEE student branches to interact, collaborate, and increase effective networking. Furthermore, student branches compete to organize the next year congress.

This year, IEEE INSAT student branch organizes, under the patronage of IEEE Tunisia Section,  the 6th edition of the congress, from 16th December to the 18th December 2018.

The program will include technical, professional, educational, and social activities. Sessions will be presented by highly qualified national and international speakers.

You can check out the website for further informations.

Let’s meet the Committee of the Tunisia section!

I interviewed the IEEE Tunisia section chair to get more information about the TSYP congress.

• What’s the goal of the congress?

“IEEE Students and Young Professionals members in Tunisia represents the active kernel of the Tunisia section. They are about 75% of the total IEEE members in Tunisia. The congress is the annual gathering event for them as well for the other professional and senior members. The congress is the unique opportunity for the new members to learn more about the IEEE benefits as well to network with the loyal members from Tunisia and other countries. It is also an opportunity to improve the technical and soft skills of the participants. In addition, the congress becomes the annual meeting of IEEE leaders and volunteers representing more than 100 IEEE subunits in Tunisia Section.

The congress began since 6 years ago with about 50 participants from 4 student branches. As congress outcomes, the number of student branches and the number of congress’ participants increased to reach 31 student branches and 650 participants last year. The challenge between the student branches was one of the main factors which helped to reach this success.

As this is the last TSYP in my term as section chair, I hope that I succeeded to create a great congress and I hope that this congress will continue longer in the future and will become more successful.” Habib Kammoun, IEEE Tunisia section chair

Let’s meet the TSYP 2018 Committee!

I interviewed the TSYP 2018 committee to get more information about the 6th edition of the congress.

• What’s new this year concerning workshops and conferences?

“In this edition, we will have diversified workshops: IEEE Related workshops, Soft Skills workshops and Technical workshops. The workshops will be as interactive as possible.The speakers will be as diversified as possible; Internationals and locals, young professionals and seniors.The attendance in the workshops will be mandatory as it allows the student branches to collect points that will help them win the competition and be qualified for the final phase.”

• Is there any additional activity ?

For this edition, there will be some extra activities in the program.

• What about the annual competition?

“ This year we are dividing the competition  into two phases:

*First phase: This phase is a competition between the SBs. It will determine the three SB finalists.During this phase, every student branch will collect points in order to have the maximum score and be one of the three finalists. Student Branches will collect points from the different challenges, from attendance and from Student Branch Related criteria.This phase will be on the first and the second day. At the end of the second day, we will announce the three SBs with the highest scores during the Gala Dinner. This SBs will be qualified for the final phase.

*Final Phase: This is the final phase that will determine the 2019 TSYP Organizing SB.This phase will be launched the second day, during the Gala Dinner. The three SB finalists will have a final challenge to work on and to present during the last day. The concept, the rules and the specifications of this challenge will be announced during the Gala Dinner, after the announcement of the Finalists. The presentations will take place during the third day. Then will come the vote, in which the Student Branches will choose the TSYP 2019 Organizing Student Branch.

• Is there a  team building activity?

“During the first day, and after the dinner, we will organize a team building activity. This activity will gather IEEE Members from all over Tunisia and even from other countries. It will be the perfect opportunity for them to get to know each other and to build a better network in an enjoyable environment.”

• Is there a Gala Dinner?

“A Gala Dinner will be held at the end of the second day of the congress. It will allow IEEE members to relax, have fun, listen to good music and talk to each other. We will announce the 3 winners of the final phase and other awards during the gala dinner.”

• What’s in store for Young Professionals?

“ We will have with us Mr.Rafal Sliz, the current YP Chair, Ms Sara Barros, the current Region 8 YP Chair and Mr.Skander Mansouri, Region 8 YP committee member. They will be pleased to guide and help the Young Professionals. We will have a job fair to help young professionals find new opportunities.”

• Are there any honorable guests?

“Absolutely, this edition will have various honorable guests from Tunisia Section as well as from Region 8.”

• How are you advertising for TSYP 2018 Congress ?

“The pre-event mediatization of the 6th edition of Tunisian Students & Young Professionals Congress (TSYP 2018) consists of the following :

          *Online-Media  ( Started on 24th July ): We are using all the possible online media to promote for the TSYP 2018. We Changed the visual aspect of our official Facebook page. An Instagram account (@ieee.tsyp) was built. We Shared a short teaser about the event. 

We Created an official website for the congress with a newsletter feature. We’re constantly sharing news and updates about the 6th edition of Tunisian Students and Young Professionals Congress on our social media pages.

       *Ambassadors Program  ( Started on 15th August ): The ambassadors program consists of assigning an ambassador to each IEEE student branch in Tunisia in order to promote the event locally in his assigned area. Ambassadors will execute media-related missions and transfer news, questions, and feedbacks to the congress executive board. The best ambassador will be awarded with a fully-funded participation in the congress.

      *Offline-Media  ( Starts on 14th November ): Our publicity team will make radio and TV interventions as well as an info session tour in about 13 universities in Tunisia.”

• Why did you share a pre-event survey ?

“We shared a pre-event survey on our Facebook page, official website, and also via our TSYP ambassadors  on 16th October. The purpose of such survey was to acquire questions regarding the 6th edition of TSYP, but also suggestions and feedbacks on the previous editions of the congress.

It’s compulsory for us to organize a perfect edition that meets the high expectations of all the attendees, and to do so, we need to consider the needs of participants.

We’ve received over 400 entries from all the different IEEE Students in Tunisia, as well as some graduate members. They all showed great interest in TSYP 2018. Please note that we’re taking into account all the suggestions that we’ve received so far.

As for the questions, we’ll be posting a FAQ section very soon on our website and social media.”

Conclusion

As an IEEE member from Tunisia, I attended the oldest editions of IEEE TSYP Congress, and it was really a great experience. I hope this edition will be something unforgettable.

Stay tuned for a supplementary article about TSYP Congress about the attendees’ satisfaction.