Connection
Wi-Fi
Location
Travel
Weather
Accommodation
Social Activities
Funding
Accessibility
Insurance
Emergency Contacts

Connection

Most workshop communication will take place in our dedicated Slack space. Participants will be added to Slack by the organizers. Remote participation will also be possible via Zoom, with connection details shared in Slack closer to the start of the workshop.

If you would like to join the echo-IA GitHub organization, which will host repositories related to the workshop, please provide your GitHub username here.

All scheduled talks will be streamed, but not every work session will have a virtual option, and some may be online only. Since the workshop is intended to be highly interactive and self-organized, the availability of in-person or online participation will depend on the organizers of individual sessions and the level of interest.

Wi-Fi

Utrecht University offers free guest Wi-Fi on a day-pass basis, as well as Eduroam. All information can be found here.

Location

The workshop will take place at the Utrecht University Science Park Library. The main sessions will be held in the Boothzaal (capacity ~130), with the Living Lab (open-space discussion area, capacity ~30) used for informal discussions. Smaller quiet rooms for team work will be made available in the UU Science Park Library during the week. More information about the rooms itself can be found here.

We additionally encourage virtual participants to liberally connect over Slack workspace and virtual breakout rooms.

Downstairs from the main conference room is a coffee place and a supermarket.

Travel

The closest airport is Amsterdam-Schiphol, which is about 30 minutes by direct Intercity train to Utrecht Centraal station. The Netherlands has a well connected public transport network, and most journeys can be planned via Nederlands Spoorwegen.

The easiest payment option for long-term travel in the Netherlands is a reusable OV-chipkaart, which can be bought and topped up at train stations, supermarket kiosks, and vending machines. Most Dutch trains and many local services also accept contactless debit/credit cards and mobile wallets, so you can usually travel without the OV-card.

From Utrecht Centraal, the Utrecht Science Park area is best reached by tram line 20/21/22, by local bus, or by bike. Bikes are a very efficient way to move around Utrecht, and short-term rental via OV-fiets is available from many stations. Renting a bike costs less than 5 euros per day and requires an OV-chipkaart.

Weather

Utrecht at the end of August and beginning of September typically enjoys mild late-summer weather, with daytime temperatures averaging between 18–23°C. Visitors can expect a mix of sunny intervals and occasional rain showers, so light layers and a waterproof jacket are recommended. Evenings can be cooler, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Accommodation

Here are some recommended hotels in the area:

Social Activities

We are currently planning to go canoing throught the Utrecht canals on Wednesday with those interested. The conference dinner is likely going to happen on Tuesday.

The Utrecht Botanical Garden is a 10 minute walk from the venue and is particular beautiful in summer. It is worth strolling through there for a (collaborative) walk. For more central Utrecht options, the old town is just a short tram ride away, with canal cruises, shops, and cafés around the canals.

Funding

Limited amount of funding is available. If you require some, please indicate so in the registration form.

Accessibility

The workshop venue is wheelchair accessible. Elevators are located directly behind the stairs on entry. Gender neutral bathrooms are located on floor 1 on the left hand side, next to the stairs. If you have additional accessibility needs (e.g., mobility, vision, hearing, or other accommodations), please let the organizers know in advance so we can provide support.

Insurance

Participants are expected to arrange their own travel and medical insurance through their home institutions. The organizers cannot assume responsibility for individual coverage or expenses related to travel disruptions, illness, or medical care during the workshop.

Emergency Contacts