Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is in the organising committee of the conference?

The members of the organising committee are Lorenzo Piccoli (Scientific Officer of the nccr – on the move), Annique Lombard (Communication Officer of the nccr – on the move), Katrin Sontag (University of Basel), Nenad Stojanovic (University of Geneva), and Oliver Pedersen (University of Neuchâtel).

Where and when does the conference take place?

In Rue Abram-Louis Breguet 2, University of Neuchâtel, on 12 and 13 September 2019.

What are the criteria for the selection of the contributions?

We used six criteria for the selection, namely: (1) relevance to the research on migration and mobility; (2) clarity of exposition; (3) soundness of the research design; (4) fit with the overall topic of the conference; (5) thematic fit with other paper proposals; (6) variety of the disciplines and the methods represented at the conference.

I did not see the call for applications on time and I did not send a submission: can I still participate in the conference?

Since we received an extraordinarily large number of applications, we can only accept external participants if they explain clearly the reasons why they are interested in attending our conference. If you have a special motivation to attend, please write to lorenzo.piccoli@nccr-onthemove.ch, who will discuss your request with the other members of the organising committee.

I need some additional document (e.g. a formal invitation letter) to apply for my visa.

Please contact our administrative officer Gina Fiore at gina.fiore@nccr-onthemove.ch.

How many contributions did you accept?

We accepted 80 proposals, 40 of which with scholarships and 40 without. External funding is provided by sending universities and by partner institutions (e.g. S-SAM Network; G3S Doctoral Programme of the University of Basel).

How many sessions are there be at the conference?

The conference includes nine panels, four roundtables, three expert interviews.

How are the panels structured?

In the panels, each participant has ten minutes to present her/his work. At the end of the five presentations, a discussant provides general comments within a timeframe of ten minutes. This should leave about half an hour for a more general discussion with the audience.

How are the roundtables structured?

The roundtables are similar to panels, with the difference that most of the time goes into the discussion rather than in the presentation. The presenters are asked to share a short introduction of three minutes each. This is followed by a set of questions from the moderator for all presenters and by a broader discussion with the audience.

How are the expert interviews structured?

The expert interviews are dedicated to discussing the work and philosophy of senior scholars. They are moderated by a journalist, who asks a series of questions to the participants. Answers should not exceed three minutes. In the second half of the sessions, the journalist collects questions from the audience.

How does the reimbursement procedure work?

Normally we ask participants to make their own travel/accommodation arrangements. We then proceed with the reimbursement right after the conference upon presentation of the original receipts (for covenience, it is possible to leave these at the registration desk). Please read the reimbursement instructions and use the reimbursement form (needed for your personal and bank details). For those who have qualified for funding (400 CHF), please note that you will receive an amount equal to your actual expenses based on receipts and up to 400 CHF. If your expenses are lower than 400 CHF, you will receive the lower amount. Contact persons for reimbursements: gina.fiore@nccr-onthemove.ch or roberta.ventura@nccr-onthemove.ch

When you organise your travel, keep in mind these guidelines:
– Air travel: try to find the best ratio price/performance, Economy Class
– Public transportation: priority is given to this form of transportation, 2nd Class
– Private vehicle: must be motivated (substantially timesaving, bad connections with public transportation etc.). This is reimbursed at CHF 0.50/km
– Accommodation: 3-star hotels or less, AirBnB, or B&B.

Can I get an attendance certificate?

Yes, please e-mail your request to gina.fiore@nccr-onthemove.ch.

What is the Best Paper Award?

This is a 500 CHF prize for the best paper awarded by a committee of experts composed of the Scientific Officer of the nccr – on the move, the Director of the nccr – on the move, and two professors of the network. Only non-NCCR members are eligible for the prize. Papers have to be uploaded online by September 5 at midnight, central European time.

The criteria for the decision are the following:
(1) does the paper engage with an original research question? (2) does the paper convincingly show the relevance of the research question? (3) does the paper clearly outline the key results of the research? (4) does the paper rely on well-grounded research design? (5) does the paper use original data?

The winner of the Best Paper Award is invited to publish her/his work in our Working Papers Series. The prize money will paid directly on a bank account provided by the winner.

What is the Twitter hashtag of the conference?

The Twitter hashtag is #neuchgradconf19.

What are the side-activities and why are you organising them?

We are organising two photo exhibitions, a Powerpoint Karaoke, and a walking tour in the Old Town of Neuchâtel: “Obscure Businesses” about Neuchâtel and its role in the transatlantic slave trade of the 17th – 19th century”. On Friday evening we thought we could wrap up with an informal potluck picnic on the lake side, if the weather allows.

There is no obligation to take part in any of these activities. We thought this would be an incentive to attend the conference from the beginning to the very end rather than just coming to give one presentation.

 

If your question has not been answered here, please contact Lorenzo Piccoli the Scientific Officer of the nccr – on the move lorenzo.piccoli@nccr-onthemove.ch.