Well it’s official. There will be no TechEd Europe in 2011. A quote from a Microsoft mail for Tech Days Belgium “… Since you have been attending TechEd Europe previously we wanted to inform you in person that Tech∙Ed Europe will not return in autumn 2011, but later in 2012.  …“

We’ve lost IT Forum a couple of years back and with no TechEd Europe in 2011 this means a barren landscape void of any major international Microsoft technical events in Europe. I think that’s a shame. The opportunities to network & interact with Microsoft employees, engage in passionate interactive discussion about technologies, solutions and  possibilities  with colleagues and peers from around the continent are sadly missing from my agenda this year. I always enjoyed to learn about their creative solutions to similar problems in an environment that is focused on what we love to do, where learning opportunities are abundant and the atmosphere is all about technology. I haven’t missed one in 10 years, sometimes against the odds.

To me TechEd is a key moment in the year. I use it to check my compass and adjust my bearings when needed. A good technical conference is a great place for both advancing what your are doing and reflecting on what can be done and remains to be done. Communication of visions, roadmaps and technology are paramount and I feel that I have lost the one event left we had as technologists in the Microsoft ecosystem in Europe that was our place to go and do that. As a good colleague touched upon. What’s Microsoft’s strategy and approach to what & when to communicate with it’s European audience? Local Events only? They are good, needed and of high quality but no substitute.  I’ll need to find another way to zero in my course this year.