WACRA 2001, The Eighteenth International Conference on Case Method Research & Application will be hosted by Lund University, Lund, Sweden. The conference (from June 17 - 20, 2001) is scheduled to coincide with the traditional Swedish Midsummer Night celebrations. Delegates from around the world, including representatives from affiliated Case Method oriented organizations BACRA (Baltic), CZACRA (Czech) and NACRA (North American), will present their ideas and proposals on interactive, interdisciplinary, inter-cultural and international teaching and learning.

They will report on case method research (on-going and completed), case writing, simulations and new innovative uses of multi media and interactive teaching methods and applications. As requested by participants, WACRA® is increasing the number of demonstration and interactive, hands-on sessions conducted by experienced, renowned speakers and presenters. These sessions and workshops will include plenary sessions on 'Case Studies of Gender Issues in the Work Place', the 'Eighth Cross National Training Forum on 'Teaching, Culture and Diversity', 'International Programs: The New Frontier for Academia', 'Academia and New Economy Companies', the Tenth Annual International Case-writers' Workshop & Case-writers' Colloquium as well as a variety of workshops on 'Case Teaching and Learning.'

For more details on conference activities refer to dedicated contributions in this NEWSletter. We also invite you to visit the photo galleries of the past WACRA conferences in France, Spain, Hungary and past ACT conferences in Lucerne, Switzerland. The photo galleries can be accessed through the WACRA® web site http://www.wacra.org. Photographs submitted by delegates capture the academic seriousness of the conferences, the warm welcome of the hosts of the various conferences.

All day pre-conference WACRA Interactive Case Sessions on Sunday, June 17, 2001 will offer conference delegates the opportunity to attend exciting and intellectually stimulating demonstrations by experts. Dr. James Camerius, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, U.S.A., will direct the Case Writers' Colloquium and Dr. Jim Erskine from the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, will conduct several case teaching and learning workshops. Dr. Violet Malone, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A., Dr. Amelia Klein, Wheelock College, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., and Dr. Josef Broder, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, U.S.A., will continue the dialogue begun at WACRA 2000 in Budapest and conduct an interactive case discussion on Diversity in the Classroom and Teacher Preparation'.

'Early arrivals' - you might want to plan to arrive on Friday or Saturday to overcome the jet lag - will have the opportunity to 'meet the hosts' up-close and personal during an optional event that begins at 'Kulturen', an outdoor museum in Lund with buildings from various parts of Sweden including a Vicarage from 1755, a Blacksmith's Workshop from around 1700, a Wooden Church (1652), "Locus Peccatorum" (late 1700's, once a student residence hall) and ends with a special dinner.

Highlights of the conference include the special reception at the "Main Administration Building" by the President of Lund University, the gala dinner on Monday evening at the new "Economics" building, the educational - cultural excursion by bus along the Swedish coastline from Lund to Helsingborg, across the Öresund (Sound) by ferry to Helsingör in Denmark, a visit to Kronburg Castle (also know as Hamlet's Castle) along the Danish coastline to Copenhagen, a bus tour of City, a visit to the world renowned Tivoli Gardens, Dinner and Entertainment and return to Sweden (Lund) via the recently opened, 26 km long bridge connecting Denmark to Sweden.

WACRA® conferences strive to promote the development of new teaching-learning methodologies in an international, inter-cultural, interdisciplinary environment. Meeting the hosts of each year's international conference and learning about the culture and national heritage of the host country are important ingredients of the success of WACRA® conferences. A three post-conference tour: beginning in Copenhagen, Denmark, including an overnight boat journey north to Oslo, the Capital of Norway, overnight stay in Oslo, a spectacular train ride - beginning at sea level and rising to 4000 feet - across the Norwegian Alps with a descent to the largest Norwegian Fjord on a cog railroad, a voyage by boat through this Fjord with rock formation on both side rising vertically 4000 feet, ending in Bergen, one of the oldest, most attractive towns in Northern Europe, will provide such an opportunity of learning about the country and its people. Registration before March 1, 2001) is very important to guarantee seating on the boat and train and to lock in special rates at hotels in Oslo and Bergen.

Submit papers and proposals for the double blind peer review process before January 15, 2001. Revised copies of papers accepted (both for presentation and publication) are due at WACRA® before March 25, 2001 accompanied by conference registration and payment. For manuscript and presenters guidelines visit the WACRA homepage www.wacra.org.

WACRA® has selected SAS as the official conference airline (see page 5 of this NEWSletter for details). Most international airlines and many hotels follow a model of reassessing 'their inventory of unsold space' continuously. As time passes and bookings increase, available inventory decreases and ... prices increase. In simple terms, to avoid paying the procrastinator's premium, don't wait making your airline and hotel arrangements. Availability of space and price move in opposite directions: the availability decreases and the price increases. For details on hotels, airfares, special events, program notes visit the frequently up-dated WACRA® homepage www.wacra.org.