Registration is now open for the U21 Teaching & Learning Conference to be held at the University of Nottingham's Ningbo Campus in China on 12-13 November.

Conference outline

The primary aims of this second conference are:

• To bring together the institutional leaders in teaching, learning and academic development across the U21 network
  
• To discuss issues of common interest, focusing both on employability (the main theme) as well as providing an opportunity for follow-up discussions on issues raised during the first conference
  
• To highlight opportunities for collaboration in teaching and research
  
• To encourage the development of peer networks across the U21 institutions, thus providing engagement opportunities for networks relating to teaching and learning and careers.

The conference will offer an opportunity for colleagues in U21 institutions to share issues, experiences and solutions in relation to enhancing the student experience, with a particular focus on employability and the engagement of students in becoming part of an academic learning community.  It will help to identify strategies that enhance employability with a particular focus on the international dimension of the student experience.  Finally, it seeks to build on the Glasgow conference outcomes by identifying opportunities for collaboration and the sharing of best practice in relation to curriculum development and the student experience in internationally oriented research intensive Universities.

The programme will be delivered as a mixture of keynote lectures to stimulate discussion and debate around key themes, conference papers aligned to the key themes and workshops to allow informal group discussion of themes associated with both the employability and agenda and agendas arising from the first conference (internationalisation, enhancing the student experience, teaching and learning in research intensive universities).

Keynote speakers

	Mr Richard Brown Former CEO Council for Industry and Higher Education in UK	Global Horizons: a business perspective
	Professor Deborah Terry Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) University of Queensland	An Australian Perspective

Details of papers to be given and an outline programme will appear shortly.

Registration

The Conference fee is US$100 which will cover all conference meals (lunch & dinner on 12 November and lunch on 13 November)

Registrations should be made via the website.  On receipt of your registration you will receive an invoice for your conference fee.  Your place will not be confirmed until payment has been received.

The closing date for registrations is Friday 30 October 2009.

Accommodation

The University of Nottingham, Ningbo Campus is able to offer very favourable rates at its staff hotel, directly opposite the conference venue.  The hotel is 3*-4* standard and all rooms have ensuite shower facilities.  Accommodation here will cost c.RMB 137 (US$20) per night (including breakfast) and needs to be booked via the conference registration form.

Alternatively, delegates are welcome to make their own accommodation arrangements.  Two recommended hotels with which the university has agreed rates are listed below:

New Century Grand Hotel - c.RMB 510 per night (c.US$75)
http://www.kaiyuanhotels.com/default.html

Four Seasons Rayli Hotel - c.RMB 318 per night (c.US$47)
http://www.sijiruili.com/Eabout.asp

Visa requirements

Most delegates will require a visa to enter China.  In order to obtain your visa, you will need a letter of invitation from the University of Nottingham.  This will be issued to you, if required, on receipt of your conference fees.

It can take up to a month for visa applications to be processed, so timely application and payment of conference fees is advised!

Please check with the relevant embassy as to whether you will require a visa.

Click here to download the preliminary conference flyer.