Frequently asked questions about Annual Conference
Find answers to your question or contact us via email at ac2025@rgs.org for guidance.
This page answers some of our most frequently asked questions about the conference
Don't see the answer you need? Contact us via email at ac2025@rgs.org
Participating in the conference
I'm attending the conference in person. What do I need to know?
Please see our guide about attending the in-person conference.
Ahead of the conference, we recommend:
- Set up your Eduroam account if you are eligible
- Download the conference 'mobile guide' so you have the programme in your pocket [COMING SOON!]
- Download the University of Birmingham campus app
- Pack your reusable water bottle and a reusable coffee cup
I'm attending the conference online. What do I need to know?
Please see our guide about attending the conference remotely.
Ahead of the conference, we recommend:
- Making sure you have the latest version of Zoom installed on your computer.
I'm confused. How do I navigate the Ex Ordo online platform?
Please see our guide about making the most of the online programme.
I'm attending the conference in person. How do I join an online-only session?
There are many quiet spaces available across the University of Birmingham campus. If you are struggling to find somewhere suitable, please come to a Helpdesk for advice.
- We will have headsets available to borrow from the conference Helpdesk, though we also encourage delegates to bring their own. Delegates must use headsets/headphones for joining sessions, to avoid disrupting other delegates.
- Space will be allocated on first come, first served basis, with no need to pre-book.
- If there are no spaces available and you urgently need to join a session as chair or presenter, please come and see us at the conference Helpdesk (if possible at least 20 minutes ahead of the session start time)
Read our guide on navigating the online event space
Can I upload additional/asynchronous content to presentations in the online programme?
Yes. This year session organisers and presenters will be able to upload additional content to presentations in the online programme (such as pre-recorded presentations, posters, papers, slides, and so on), to be viewed before, during, and after the conference. We encourage you to make the most of this capacity.
You can now start to add material to your presentation in the online programme. Follow our detailed instructions to upload materials in advance of the conference, including slides, papers (as word or pdf documents), images, and pre-recorded video presentations.
Uploaded material will be visible to registered delegates when they are logged into the conference programme.
How many papers can I present at the conference?
Delegates will be limited to ONE paper presentation and ONE panel/workshop contribution, OR, TWO panel/workshop contributions. The role of discussant is included as a panel/workshop contribution.
A single paper may only be presented once at the conference. Please see our guidance for presenters.
How long will I have to present?
Check with your session organiser about how long you will have to present. If you are in an open session (i.e. you submitted your paper via the open call), expect to have 15 minutes to present, plus 5 minutes for Q&A. There is more information in our guidance for presenters.
Do I need to submit my paper in advance?
No, you are not required to submit your paper to the conference organisers in advance. Your session chair or discussants may ask to see a copy in advance of the session; contact them to confirm this.
You have the option, should you wish, to upload a copy of your presentation in the online programme, and we encourage you to make the most of this opportunity. For further guidance please see here.
I'm chairing a session at the conference. What do I need to know?
See our detailed guidance for session chairs.
Where can I find out more about accessibility at the conference?
We are committed to making the conference as accessible as we can to all delegates, in person and online. Please see our guide on accessibility at the conference. If you have questions or specific requests please do contact us at ac2025@rgs.org
How do I request my certificate of attendance?
Certificates of attendance can be provided by the conference organisers upon request. These will be provided in digital copy after the conference.
Request your certificate of attendance
If you require a printed original, please request this no later than Friday 15 August by emailing the conference team.
The conference theme and programme
What is the Chair's theme for this year's conference?
Whether it’s the capacity to create new places out of old, or new spatial relations where none existed before, or to create beautiful things – artworks, writing, architecture, music, dance – in places and across spaces, creativity seems almost too fundamental to focus on.
But what are the spatialities of creativity? The geographies of creative practice – how artwork sustains globalised flows of money for example, or how music reshapes buildings and bodies, or how creative writing nurtures geopolitics – are sometimes hard to theorise and bear witness to. Yet creative practice is crucial both to physical processes and to human experiences: we need to understand it.
More fundamentally, if there sometimes seems to be too little creativity in our habitually over-consuming world, how do geographers become more creative? Is 21st century Geography a truly creative discipline?
At a time when our world really needs a creative vision, to deal with new challenges in new ways, this conference theme asks for nothing less than a creative re-visioning of our discipline.
How do I find out what's happening at the conference?
The final programme is now live. Please note, from Monday 11 August you will need to log into Ex Ordo to view the programme, using the exact same email address that you used to register.
How do I find out the dates and times for sessions?
Please see our programme page for more details on conference dates and session timings, as well as the structure of the conference day.
How do I tell whether a session is in-person, hybrid, or online?
Sessions are in-person, hybrid, or fully remote. The format of the session is displayed alongside the location in the programme.
Registering for the conference
How do I register for the conference?
Registration for the conference remains open. You can find out more about registration, including fee categories, and prices, on our registration page.
By registering for the conference, you agree to abide by the conference's code of conduct.
What rates are available for registration? Can I attend just the virtual sessions?
The conference will take place in-person in Birmingham and online. To reflect this, there are two sets of registration fees:
- In-person, which include access to all in-person sessions for the day(s) you select, and to all virtual content.
- Virtual only, which allow access to all online and some hybrid sessions, asynchronous content and session recordings
Please see our registration page for more details.
Do I need to register for the conference before submitting an abstract?
No, you do not need to register for the conference before you can submit a proposal for the programme. However, if your contribution is accepted, you must then register and pay the appropriate fee to attend. Both online-only and in-person rates are available. In-person registration also includes access to all online elements.
Planning your attendance
Where can I find out more about accommodation and travel to the conference?
Please see our guide to planning your attendance at the in-person conference, as part of our wider guide on planning your attendance.
Can I request proof of my registration to support my visa application?
Yes. 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.
Please find more information in our guide on planning your attendance at the in-person conference.
Will a crèche be offered at the conference this year?
The conference organisers are pleased to offer registered conference delegates a crèche service for children of all ages. The crèche is provided by Little Hens Childcare, an Ofsted-registered provider, whose staff are all first aid-trained, reference-checked, and CRB-checked.
There is more information in our guide on planning your attendance at the in-person conference. Places are limited so please enquire as early as possible if you would like to book a place for your child.
Chair's theme
The Chair's theme for the 2025 Annual International Conference is Geographies of creativity/creative geographies.
Call for sessions, papers and posters
The call for sessions, papers and posters closed on 7 March 2025.
Guidance for session organisers
Read this guidance before circulating your call for papers and submitting your session proposal.
Guidance for presenters
Information about presenting at the conference for prospective presenters.
Calls for Research Group Sponsorship
Learn how you can get a Research Group to sponsor your session.
Conference session formats
Conference venue
More information about the venue of the upcoming conference.
Programme
Read our information about the conference programme, including programme start and end times.
Registration
Registration is now open.