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There’s yet another virtual worlds conference that’s just popped up in my email. This one’s Serious Virtual Worlds, September 13-14, in Coventry, England, of all places (it’s being put on by something called the Serious Games Institute and sponsored in part by Coventry University). It’s bloody expensive, as our British friends would say, but only a few of the speakers have been announced as yet. That combined with its location in what’s vaguely equivalent to the Research Triangle of the UK is another sure sign of the (pre?) maturation the virtual worlds sector. Any industry that can fill a conference center with guys in suits has certainly arrived. All that said, there’s the potential for this to be a vaguely interesting couple of days. If it can spread the word to wider quarters then it’s done its job. The press release for this one too leads off with the word “first,” however. Read it after the jump.

Serious Virtual Worlds ’07:
First European Conference on the Professional Applications of Virtual Worlds
13 – 14 September 2007 @ The Serious Games Institute, Coventry, UK
The Serious Games Institute and Ambient Performance announce the first Serious Virtual Worlds conference.

The Programme
The extraordinary success of virtual worlds such as ‘Second Life’ as virtual social spaces for play leads to the question ‘What is the potential for the serious uses of these worlds?’ The theme for this first Serious Virtual Worlds conference is ‘The Reality of the Virtual World’ and takes a close look at how virtual worlds are now being used for serious professional purposes. Many organisations are now actively researching and deploying virtual worlds. Serious Virtual Worlds is your introduction to the serious uses of virtual worlds.

Who should attend?
Professionals with interests in using technology for communication and collaboration, for education and training, scenario planning and for commercial activities,from corporates, the Media, multimedia development organisations, public sector organisations, consultancies, technology solution providers, researchers….

The Conference
Day 1 – Introducing Virtual Worlds: presentations and conversations introducing virtual worlds and the 3D web from Cisco, Forterra, Giunti, Daden, Ambient, Anticyp,..closing with the launch of the Serious Games Institute’s ‘Second Life’ Island

Day 2 - Serious Virtual Worlds: Action & Potential: live virtual world presentations and conversations from PA Consulting, IBM, Reuters, BP, Trusim, Forterra..

Conference Site: www.seriousvirtualworlds.net

For further information and to pre-book your place at this limited space event contact:
dick.davies@ambientperformance.com