This article provides a detailed preview of the forthcoming Learning Technologies 2008, on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 January 2008, Europe's largest organisational learning and performance improvement technology exhibition and conference.

Learning Technologies, Europe's largest organisational learning and performance improvement technology event, will take place on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 January 2008 at London Olympia. The two-day exhibition and conference, now in its ninth year, has established itself as a must-attend event for learning and development professionals needing to keep ahead in this fast-changing sector.

As the field of workplace learning and development grows, so does the exhibition and conference, and in January more than 3,000 exhibition visitors and over 300 conference delegates will gather to share experiences on organisational learning, and the ever-changing technology used to support learning in the workplace.

The exhibition allows learning professionals to meet the suppliers (of learning and learning technology products and services) currently shaping the way we learn and develop corporate skills. Over 120 exhibitors are expected and there will be a packed schedule of 42 free seminars for visitors to attend. Entry to the exhibition is free and you can register online.

The conference, running alongside the exhibition, brings together 40 of the learning industry's leading experts and visionaries, as speakers who will address learning and development professionals from across the industrial, commercial and public-sector spectrum.

The theme for the 2008 conference is 'Driving workforce performance through learning and development'. Jay Cross, the founder of Internet Time Group and the world-renowned commentator on learning and technology, will open the conference with a thought-provoking and inspiring view of what lies ahead for organisational learning professionals.

There will also be keynote addresses from Dr Itiel Dror, senior lecturer in cognitive neuroscience at University of Southampton, on how the brain's cognitive architecture underpins learning, and Nigel Paine, the former Head of Learning at the BBC, on how the digital workspace will revolutionise learning in the future.

Conference Chair Donald H Taylor says: "The learning professionals' world is set for immense change, posing many questions about how learning can be organised to help businesses to succeed. The last twelve months has seen considerable innovation in learning with several technology threads: social networking, Web 2.0, ‘the 3D Internet’ and advances in authoring applications, converging to present learning professionals with new ways to reach learners. We look forward to welcoming learning professionals to what promises to be one of the most important learning events in recent years."

The Learning Technologies 2008 Conference comprises three tracks for delegates to choose sessions from:

1. Learning Technology on social networking in learning, Learning 2.0, gaming and virtual worlds, mobile learning and learning tools.
2. Effective Learning on learning design, learning rollouts and deploying e-learning, learning infrastructures, rapid e-learning and content development.
3. Learning for Performance on improving performance through organisational learning, managing talent, large-scale learning, measuring value and rethinking evaluation, and global competition.

The complete conference programme, details of each session, booking information and details of discounts are available at www.learningtechnologies.co.uk/conference.

Event organiser, Mark Penton, delighted with the industry’s response to Learning Technologies 2008, says: "Learning Technologies is Europe’s largest and single-most important event for learning and development professionals. Nowhere else can you see so many of Europe’s top learning companies in one place."

Learning Technologies 2008 is sponsored and supported by leading learning organisations, including: Adobe, Atlantic Link, BCS, Becta, Brightwave, British Institute for Learning & Development, CompTIA, e-skills uk, GBS Corporate Training, Institute of IT Training, Intellego, learndirect Business, Learning Tree International, LSC, NIIT, PPI Learning Services, QIA, Saffron Interactive, The eLearning Network, Webex.

Conference structure

The conference will address all the key issues facing learning professionals today and there will be a mixture of session types from plenaries to interactive track sessions, from case studies to theory presentations, all from leading industry figures and experts.

Delegates will be able choose to attend sessions from one particular track or can mix and match sessions depending on their own particular objectives.

Learning and Skills Group

When people register for the Learning Technologies Conference, they will receive complimentary membership of the Learning and Skills Group (LSG), an invitation only international community of learning and development professionals interested in organisational learning and the application of performance improvement technology.

Membership of the Learning and Skills Group gives you a set of online resources and networking opportunities through the LSG community site so you can interact with other delegates before, during and after the January conference.

A full exhibitor list, floor plan, list of current press releases, photo library and information about all of the activities at Learning Technologies 2008 can also be found on the website.