FAQ
EARMA has postponed our annual conference to later in 2020 in response to the current unprecedented situation. This event is now due to take place September 29 - October 1, 2020, in Oslo at the same venue.
If you are able to attend the EARMA conference in September, there is no further action required on your part. However, if you are unable to attend or you would like to make changes to your registration, please consult our frequently asked questions section below which contains a set of actions for you to follow in relation to cancellation or modification.
We again would like to wish you our very best during this difficult time and emphasise our solidarity with all of our EARMA community. Stay healthy and stay strong.
Dates
On which days in September will the conference take place?
Tuesday, September 29, 2020: Workshops, social activities and the reception.
Wednesday, September 30, 2020: Conference Programme Day 1.
Thursday, October 1, 2020: Conference Programme Day 2.
When will the gala dinner take place?
Wednesday, September 30, 2020.
When will the Leadership Event take place?
Thursday 1 October (icebreaker and dinner), Friday October 2 and Saturday, October 3, 2020 (half day).
Why did you choose these dates?
In order to ensure the safety of our delegates, sponsors and partners, and that the conference programme would be carried over as fully as possible, EARMA negotiated new dates with the venue management for later this year to minimise as much as possible the disruption presented by this unprecedented situation. The dates negotiated were a result of the limited availability of this popular venue due to pre-booked events.
Registration, modification, cancellation
Can I still register?
Yes. Registration will be open as long as there is availability. If there is not, we will be providing a waiting list facility in which you can sign-up to. You will then receive notification via email with details on how to complete the registration process once availability arises. We fully understand that the new conference timeline may conflict with some registered attendees existing schedules, meaning those people will no longer be able to join us. In order to check the availability of places or to be added to the waiting list, please register at www.earmaconference.com.
What do I need to do if I was already registered and it is my intention to attend in September?
Nothing. Your initial registration will be carried over to the new dates. No further action is required regarding registration on your part.
What do I need to do if I want to modify my registration (e.g. add a social event, unregister from a workshop)?
Please check your email for link and make the relevant modification. If your modification is seeking reimbursement of your registration fees, you will receive an e-mail requesting for you to send the relevant bank details to facilitate a bank transfer of your refund.
Can I transfer my registration to a colleague?
Yes, this is possible. Please note that like for like transfers must take place within the same registration category. This means, the transfer of your conference registration from one EARMA member to another EARMA member or the transfer of your conference registration from one EARMA non-member to another EARMA non-member. Please contact the PCO via earma@gyro.no and they will happily guide you through the process.
I am not an EARMA member, but I want to transfer my registration to an EARMA member?
Non-members can transfer to members, but you will be unable to receive a refund for the difference. Please contact earma@gyro.no who can explain this process to you.
What do I need to do if I want to cancel my registration along with all side events?
Please check your email for link and complete the cancellation procedure. You will be charged a fee of 1000 NOK as a result of cancellation in addition to cancellation fees that may apply for other side events (see the question below on cancellation fees for more details).
We have reactivated the cancellation option due to the rescheduling of the event for the benefit of members. Although reimbursement is not a legal requirement on the part of EARMA, we felt that this was the fairest way to approach the situation due to the wider implications surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
What do I need to do if I want to cancel my participation in the conference but still attend the Leadership Event or a workshop?
Please contact earma@gyro.no and they will guide you through this process. Please note that like for like transfers must take place within the same registration category. This means EARMA members can transfer to EARMA members and non-members can transfer to non-members.
Location
The location, the Oslo Kongressenter in Oslo, Norway, remains the same. For more details, please visit www.earmaconference.com
Side events
Will all of the side events take place?
All of the side events are scheduled to take place but are subject to final confirmation. Should anything change, you will be notified by e-mail.
Might those events that were sold out previously now have availability if participants cancel?
Yes, there is the potential for this to happen. Please check your email for link and make the relevant modifications. If places are not available at the point that you make your modification, you can request to be added to the waiting list. You will then receive a notification and details on how to complete the registration process once availability changes.
Cancellation and refund conditions
Will I be refunded if I cancel?
Yes, you will receive a refund with a deduction of the cancellation fee. This cancellation fee is 1000 NOK for the main conference, 500 NOK for a workshop and 1000 NOK for the leadership event. There are no cancellation fees for social events. We have reactivated the cancellation option online at www.earmaconference.com for your convenience. Although reimbursement was not a legal requirement on the part of EARMA, we felt that this was the fairest solution for our community given the current circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Conference programme and speakers
Will the main conference programme be the same?
We intend to carry over the full programme including all presentations. The possibility may however arise that adjustments will need to be made to the conference programme to accommodate schedule conflicts. We will periodically update the programme on the website as confirmations occur. Please visit www.earmaconference.com in order to monitor the programme.
I am a speaker and was allocated a slot (session). Do I need to do anything?
If you are a speaker and are still attending the conference, you are not required to take any further action. If you are a speaker and are now unable to attend, please notify us via oslo2020@earma.org as soon as possible.
Membership and conference attendance
Can my EARMA membership be refunded because I am cancelling my conference participation?
This is not possible. While we do appreciate that the conference discount is an important benefit of EARMA membership, these are separate things. An ongoing membership cannot be refunded.
Can my membership be extended seeing as the conference has been postponed?
This will not be possible. All EARMA memberships are active until the last day of the calendar year. Your discount for the annual EARMA conference granted by your membership is associated with the relevant calendar year the membership is active.
Accommodation
If you have booked accommodation at Scandic or Thon hotels, please follow these procedures:
Thon Hotels
The hotel will contact you directly so you can change or cancel your booking.
Scandic Hotels
Your booking will be deleted, but you can rebook in the registration section of the EARMA conference website.
If you have not booked accommodation yet, you can still book in the registration section of the EARMA conference website.