InfoComm has a new member benefit for German-speaking AV professionals. Four new German-language classes are available at no cost to InfoComm members. They are also available to non-members for only 110 euros. The new courses address the need for better training in this growing market. They include:

• Essentials of AV Technology/Grundlagen der AV-Technologie
• InfoComm-Recognized AV Technologist Certificate Program/InfoComm Qualifizierter AV-Techniker
• Event Setup for AV Techs Online/Veranstaltungsaufbau für AV-Techniker Online
• Networking Technology/Netzwerktechnologie

In addition, we will be announcing more localised activity in Germany, including roundtable discussions, local networking events and lots more in the near future. Follow InfoComm at our German-language website.

Whether you're still learning to navigate AV on the network or you're ready for advanced instruction, InfoComm University™ can help you. The Networking for the AV Industry Programme, 2-4 March at the Wirtschaftskammer Österreich Landesinnung Wien in Vienna, is customised for AV pros looking to gain an in-depth understanding of networks and how AV applications work within them. After completing this program, you will be able to:

• Use common network diagnostic tools and perform basic network troubleshooting
• Know the capabilities and limitations of remote monitoring and management
• Identify your customer's security concerns for the AV system
• Understand differences between emerging technologies in streaming and conferencing

Plus, your registration includes access to Networking Technology Online, a resource you can access any time your schedule allows.

InfoComm University's AV Design courses are coming to Hemel Hempstead, U.K. Take all three of the three-day classes and you will have conquered InfoComm's famous Design Boot Camp and gained expert understanding of the calculations, documentation and networking know-how required for AV design. Plus, you'll acquire the skills needed to work with other professionals.

The three design classes at Hemel Hempstead are:

• AV Design 1: Environment, 11-13 March
• AV Design 2: Infrastructure, 21-23 April
• AV Design 3: Applied Design, 12-14 May

Contact Ben Barnard, +44 (0)1442 345100, to customise your training. And ask how the new online design courses could help you meet your goals.

Save your seat today for these upcoming InfoComm networking events. On 22 March, join us at the Crowne Plaza Doha (pictured) to hear representatives of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce discuss Qatar’s digital economy. You will also hear Trevor Andrew Moore, Chief Information Officer at Qatar University, present Technology-Led Learning Will Change the Dimension of Education. Then stay for discussions and a networking lunch.

On 24 March, join InfoComm for a social gathering of AV professionals at the Holiday Inn Bur Dubai — Embassy District in Dubai, U.A.E. InfoComm will offer a short presentation and discussion, followed by a reception. Admission is free to both events. To register or learn more, please contact asia@infocomm.org.

When it comes to setting up an AV collaboration system, many people forget the basics. Like the fact that a webcam is rarely a good solution in a conference room setting. And if setting up a collaboration system has its pitfalls, so does using one. InfoComm All Voices blogger and Dimension Data Principal Consultant David Danto offers advice for designing collaboration systems that you ignore at your peril.

The InfoComm LinkedIn Group is where AV professionals like you share insights, ask questions, talk about technology, find out what the association is up to, and much more. Join more than 15,600 of your closest friends and colleagues and reap the rewards of their collective wisdom.