Registration and bookings

Abstract fees and conference registration

When you’ve written your abstract, you’ll need to submit it to the conference organisers and register.  Each conference has its own website and procedure for doing this, so follow their instructions.  However, common to each is the need to pay the abstract submission and registration fees for the conference (often early-birds get a discount).  The particular conference submission and registration website will likely issue you with a username and password for the account they generate for you; you’ll need these to deal with payment.  To pay, fill in a credit card form with the costs listed and get it signed by your PI.  This could be more than £500 and so may need to be counter-signed by the Head of School too (see credit card payment page for more information).  Once you have this form, you can then visit either Gemma Coleman  (for Williamson staff) or Julie Samson (for Simon staff) in person and they’ll work with you on the conference online registration page to make the payment using the School’s credit card.  Make sure you have the account username and password that the conference website gave you so you can log in.

Booking flights, hotel, trains, or car hire

All travel bookings (flights and hotels etc.) will soon be made through Egencia.  We’ll have a page dedicated to Egencia when it’s released, with all the details about how to go about booking flights, hotels, trains, or car hire for travel.

Travel Insurance

If you’re travelling and something happens (e.g. you get unwell, or miss a flight etc.), then you’ll need to contact the university’s travel insurers.  Make sure before you go that you print out a copy of the travel insurance form and keep it with you at all times.  It contains all the information and the phone number you’ll need.  If something happens, just call the number and the help desk will provide you with all the support you need.

Financial advice

Arranging an advance

You’ll make life a lot easier for yourself travelling to conferences if you arrange for an advance.  They save a lot of hassle eliminating the need to claim expenses back and make sure you’re not out of pocket.  We can’t recommend these strongly enough, and they’re fairly painless to organise.  Make sure you arrange this well ahead of time though!  Please see our dedicated advances page for all the information you’ll need.

Tips on receipting

• Keep copies of all receipts, as you’ll need these either to claim back expenses, or to complete the on-return paperwork the advance you received requires. • If you’ve had the usual ‘group meals’ and there’s only one receipt because someone didn’t ask for separate ones, or the restaurant was too lazy to split it despite charging extra for a larger party, make sure you make a note of who has it and badger them to send you a copy.  You could ask them to get it photocopied at the hotel ASAP, or if they have a camera, just take a photo and email it to you.  If you leave these until you return, it’s sometimes hard to remember who has it and it can cause a headache for you. • If you’re using public transport that has automatic ticket scanning machines, note that at the final destination, the ticket may be withheld by the machine thereby stealing your receipt!  There are a few ways round this.  If it’s possible to top up the ticket, add 5c more to the total so it keeps a balance and doesn’t get taken.  Some tickets come with a printed receipt which you should keep.  Alternatively, snap a photo of the ticket (or photocopy it) before it’s snatched off you.

Posters

Buying poster tubes

Poster tubes can be bought online (e.g. Amazon etc.).  You can also get them locally from Paperchase just down from Market Street near Deansgate opposite M&S for about £12.  If anyone knows of other places (and prices), please let us know so we can list them here!

Printing posters

You can get posters printed at the following on-campus locations: • The Print Shop in the Kilburn building (building 39 on the campus map) • GSW Services at Media Services in Humanities Bridgeford Street (building 35 on the campus map).  They can also laminate. • Faculty of Life Sciences Photographics (on intranet so needs log in to view) in the Stopford building (building 79 on the campus map).  They also laminate and can also print on fabric posters instead of paper (allowing you to fold it into your suitcase and use it as a towel after the conference, or wear it as a cape). The Plastic Art Co. is an external company which can also laminate posters.  It was originally located on Chorlton street near North campus, but it’s moved now (not too far away).  If anyone has used them recently, please let us know the details (costs and options etc.) so we can update this with more information.

Conferences and Travel Tips