Newsletters
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March 2024
Dear all,
The registration deadline for our ARGAGE2024 conference is closing in on us, so we thought this would be a good time to give you some information about the event.
1. Registration deadline
The registration deadline is 15 April 2024. Please make sure you register before that date, as we need to be able to have final attendance figures early to ensure smooth planning.
2. Programme
Given the high number of submissions we received – and an accordingly higher than usual number of papers accepted –, the conference will feature 4 parallel sessions over the three days. A welcome reception will take place on the first evening of the conference and the conference dinner on the second evening.
3. Travel and accommodation
We advise you to book your accommodation early in advance, as it seems June is a busy time of year in Fribourg. If you come by plane, flying to Geneva or Zürich are equivalent options, since Fribourg is located more or less halfway between both airports. The view from Geneva is perhaps nicer, though, since you’ll be riding by the lake until Lausanne on the way to Fribourg. If you book your train tickets in advance, keep an eye out for super saver options (indicated with the % symbol on the website or the app) of the SBB Company.
4. Conference dinner
The conference dinner will take place on the evening of day 2 of the conference (Wednesday 26 June 2024) and will be preceded by a sight-seeing stroll in the Fribourg countryside. We will all hop on a private bus from the conference venue at around 16:30, which will take us to the “Black Lake” (Schwarzsee). You will then have the opportunity to walk around the lake (it’s about a 1h15min walk, 4 km) or stroll on its shore, and dinner will be served in the restaurant at around 7pm. In the interest of coherence between the scenery and the food served, the plan is for us to share a fondue, a typically Swiss dish. A (less typically Swiss, unfortunately) vegan option will also be available.
Looking forward to welcoming you in Fribourg in June,
The ARGAGE2024 organising committee
(Steve Oswald, Jennifer Schumann, Daniel de Oliveira Fernandes & Ramy Younis) -
June 2024
Dear all,
As the ARGAGE2024 conference is little less than a month from now, we are back with a final round of information regarding the event.
1. Conference dinner
Two menus will be available at the conference dinner: a typically Swiss meal (plate of cold cuts as a starter and fondue as a main), and a vegan option (salad as a starter and chickpea curry with rice and vegetables as a main). Please let us know your choice in advance by filling in our form before Wednesday 19 June 2024. Those of you who had not registered for the dinner but still want to do so may use the same form to register; the price is CHF 75.- and includes transportation and dinner. Schwarzsee, a small lake surrounded by mountains, can be chilly in the evening, so be sure to pack a jacket. If you want to join us for the short hike (ca. 1 hour and 15 min) around the lake prior to the dinner, please make sure to bring appropriate footwear; the path is well maintained, and ascent/descent is negligible (+50m / -50m). See here for details.
2. Venue and lunches
The conference will take place on the Miséricorde campus of the University of Fribourg (Avenue de l’Europe 20, 1700 Fribourg), which is located in close proximity to the train station and the city centre (ca. 5-10 min walk). The conference and the coffee breaks will take place in building 3 (=MIS03). Lunches will be served at the University cafeteria (Mensa), the MIS07 building conveniently located across the MIS03 building. You will be given one voucher per lunch in your conference pack, which covers a menu (choice between vegetarian and non-vegetarian), one drink and coffee/tea. Tap water is free and there are water fountains right after the cashier.
3. Programme and book of abstracts
You will find the programme on the conference website. You will see that it is quite packed, with 4 parallel sessions every day, but we have tried to accommodate all the talks to the best of our ability, hoping that this will be coherent. Have a look and please let us know whether there are spelling mistakes, so we can modify them accordingly. The book of abstracts is also available on the website, with all relevant information regarding the conference.
4. Session chairing
We have adopted the following system for chairing: the 2nd speaker of the session will chair the talk of the 1st speaker of the session, and the 1st speaker will chair the rest of their session. The format is 20 min. for presentation, with 5-8 min. for questions. Please allow for enough time for people to move between rooms to attend other talks. We kindly ask chairs to make sure they are in the adequate room for their session and to keep track of time efficiently, as this is crucial for the smooth running of the conference.
5. PowerPoints and presentations
All rooms will be equipped with a computer (PC) and a projector. You are welcome to bring your presentation on a usb stick and transfer it on the room computer before your session. You may also use your own computer, but we cannot guarantee that this will always work. Rooms are equipped with an HDMI cable, so please make sure you have an adaptor if your computer needs it. Room managers will provide assistance where needed.
Looking forward to welcoming you in Fribourg in June,
The ARGAGE2024 organising committee
(Steve Oswald, Jennifer Schumann, Daniel de Oliveira Fernandes & Ramy Younis)