Planning your in-person attendance
Find out key information about attending the conference in person.
This page provides more information for those planning to attend all or part of the conference in person. You can also plan your attendance in the conference's virtual spaces.
This year's in-person elements will take place at the University of Birmingham. We will publish more information in early 2025 on our venue page.
Please read the latest government advice and guidance on travel restrictions and entering the UK. Delegates attending the conference in person will be expected to abide by this advice.
Accommodation
The RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2025 will take place online and at the University of Birmingham. The postcode (for accommodation searches) is B15 2TT.
More information about the venue
Accommodation is not included in the conference registration fee and delegates are responsible for making their own arrangements. The conference organising committee cannot recommend or book accommodation for delegates. The following accommodation search options may be helpful:
- Visit Birmingham
- Youth Hostel Association
- Hotel booking websites such as: laterooms.com, lastminute.com, hotels.com, booking.com, airbnb.com and trivago.com, which allow you to search for accommodation by postcode and price range.
Important: only use official booking websites or travel agents to book your accommodation. Use travel booking services provided by your institution wherever possible. Be vigilant of emails claiming to offer accommodation packages and do not respond to, or click links contained within, unsolicited emails. If you have questions, please email ac2025@rgs.org to contact the conference organisers.
Applications for funding
We regret that we are unable to contribute to the costs of conference registration or attendance (travel, accommodation or any other expenses) for any conference delegate other than invited chair's plenary speakers, beyond the Research Group guest scheme.
The conference organisers are able to issue a letter confirming the acceptance of your contribution to the programme to support a funding application from your institution or another body.
Visas
All conference delegates who need a visa to enter the United Kingdom are advised to arrange this as early as possible.
Proof of registration to support a visa application can only be provided by the Society after the delegate's submission has been accepted for the conference programme, the full in-person registration fee has been paid, and complete contact details from a recognised institution have been provided. We will send an electronic copy of the letters; printed and signed originals will be sent via post upon request.
Request proof of in-person registration
The invitation letter from the conference organisers is not an official invitation to enter the UK. Delegates are expected to organise and pay for all their expenses.
Travelling to Birmingham
Birmingham is easily accessible by a number of modes of transport. More information is available on the Visit Birmingham site. Other helpful sites for planning your travel in and around the UK include National Rail Enquiries and the Trainline.
Internet access at the in-person conference
We will confirm arrangements for internet access in Spring 2025.
If you are based at participating Higher Education institutions across the UK, Europe and a number of other countries, please sign up for Eduroam in advance of the conference and set this up on your devices. This will allow you to connect to the Birmingham network for free.
Crèche
The conference organisers are pleased to offer registered conference delegates a crèche service for children up to 11 years old. The crèche is provided by Little Hens Childcare, an Ofsted-registered provider, whose staff are all first aid-trained, reference-checked, and CRB-checked.
The crèche will operate from 08.30am-7.00pm daily, allowing delegates to attend sessions with time for drop-off and pick-up at the start and end of each day. The crèche will be located close to the conference session rooms.
Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to delegates who have completed their registration to attend the conference.
Expressions of interest will open in early 2025.