VENUE

This year's meeting will be held in Merton College (University of Oxford).

Oxford

Oxford, The City of Dreaming Spires, is a beautiful medieval city interwoven with the University’s magnificent colleges and halls. The city centre is relatively small and easy to walk around. The Oxford Tourist Information Centre offers daily walking tours of the city. Their Official University and City tour is the most popular. They also offer a range of themed tours with the most popular being: Gardens; CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien; Stained Glass; Tudor Oxford and Pottering in Harry's Footsteps. The City Sightseeing Bus is a useful way to get around the city and learn something of its history at the same time. Tickets are valid for 24 hours, so you can hop and off all day.

Attractions in the city include:

• Ashmolean Museum
• Blackwell’s Bookshop is a large bookshop which claims the largest single room devoted to book sales in the whole of Europe, the cavernous Norrington Room (10,000 sq ft).

• Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera
• Christ Church Cathedral
• Museum of the History of Science
• Oxford Botanic Gardens
• Pitt Rivers Museum
• Sheldonian Theatre
• St. Mary the Virgin Church

Further information on Oxford and its many attractions can be found here.

The University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, and a leader in learning, teaching and research. It is comprised of 38 independent, self governing colleges (map of Oxford city centre and colleges ). The collegiate system is at the heart of the University’s success, giving students and academics the benefits of belonging to both a large, internationally renowned institution and to a smaller, interdisciplinary, academic college community. It enables leading academics and students across subjects and year groups, and from different cultures and countries to come together to share ideas. Currently there are over 21,000 students at Oxford, including 11,723 undergraduates and 9,327 postgraduates. Throughout its history, Oxford has produced gifted men and women in every sphere of human endeavour who have studied or taught at the university. Among these are 26 British Prime Ministers, including the current one, the Rt Hon David Cameron MP; at least 30 international leaders; 47 Nobel Prize winners; at least 12 saints and 20 Archbishops of Canterbury; and some 50 Olympic medal winners.

Merton College

Founded in 1264, Merton is one of the oldest colleges in Oxford and offers a historic and picturesque setting for our meeting. As soon as you step through the ancient Lodge Gate, you enter an enclave of learning and contemplation. Because the College has continuously evolved to suit the needs of cutting-edge research and education, its diverse buildings boast modern convenience as well as traditional grandeur.

Conference delegates can:

• Enjoy the magnificent, award-winning gardens

• Walk, run or jog through Christ Church meadow (directly behind Merton) and back along the picturesque banks of the Isis and Cherwell rivers
• Drop in the College Bar for a pint
• Play tennis or other sports in the College playing fields
• Go on a guided tour of Merton, including a look at the oldest continuously functioning library for university academics and students in the world
• Dine in the magnificent hall in Merton.

Merton is conveniently located in central Oxford on Merton Street, which is just off the High Street.

Blenheim Palace

The conference gala dinner will be held at Blenheim Palace, which is a World Heritage Site and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Situated in Woodstock, just 8 miles from Oxford, Blenheim Palace is surrounded by over 2,000 acres of landscaped parkland, the great lake, and beautiful formal gardens. As part of our gala dinner, we will have a private tour of the palace.

Merton College (University of Oxford)
Merton Street
Oxford OX1 4JD
United Kingdom

Larger map

 

 Arriving by air

London Heathrow airport is the nearest airport to Oxford. The Airline X70 coach service, operated by the Oxford Bus Company, runs directly from Heathrow to Oxford. They run a regular (every 30 mins) 24 hour service and the travel time is approximately 60 - 90 mins (depending on traffic).

• If you arrive at Terminals 1-3, proceed to the Central Bus Station (few minute walk) where the coach leaves from bay 14A.
• If you arrive at Terminal 5, the coach leaves from bay 11.
• If you arrive at Terminal 4, transfer to Terminal 5 using the shuttle.

You will need to purchase a "Period Return Ticket” which allows for transportation to Oxford and back to the airport with the same ticket and costs £27. Tickets may be purchased at the Central Bus Station in London Heathrow Airport, from the bus driver (£ cash only), or in advance online.

Coaches stop on The High Street in Oxford, approximately a 5 min walk from Merton.

London Gatwick airport is also served by The Airline X80 coach service which operates a direct service from London Gatwick to Oxford. They run a regular (every hour at peak times or every 2 hrs at off peak times) 24 hour service and the travel time is approx 2 – 2.5 hrs (depending on traffic).

• If you arrive in the South Terminal, proceed to the lower forecourt where the coach leaves from stand 18.
• If you arrive in the North Terminal, proceed to the lower forecourt where the coach leaves from bay 5.

You will need to purchase a "Period Return Ticket” which allows for transportation to Oxford and back to the airport with the same ticket and costs £37. Tickets may be purchased from the bus driver (£ cash only) or in advance online.

Coaches stop on The High Street in Oxford, approximately a 5 min walk from Merton.

London Stansted airport is linked to Oxford by the National Express 757 coach service, running every two hours. Journey time is approx 3 – 3.5 hrs (depending on traffic). Coaches stop on The High Street in Oxford, approximately a 5 min walk from Merton.

Birmingham International airport has a direct rail link to Oxford. Trains depart every hour and the journey time is approx 60 mins. The train station in Oxford is about a 10 - 15 min walk from Merton. Alternatively a taxi rank is located at the train station in Oxford.

A list of companies which offer a bespoke airport pick-up service can be requested.

 Arriving by train

A direct service operates between Oxford and London Paddington (every 30 minutes) with a journey time of 60 mins. A direct service also operates between Oxford and Birmingham International Airport/Birmingham New Street (every 60 mins) with a journey time of 60 mins. Other services operate from the north via Birmingham New Street; from the South via Reading; and from the west via Didcot or Reading. For information contact National Rail. The train station in Oxford is about a 10 - 15 min walk from Merton. Alternatively a taxi rank is located at the train station in Oxford.

 Arriving by coach

Frequent 24-hour direct services connect Oxford with London. At peak times they depart every 10-20 minutes. The Oxford Espress service includes Victoria Coach Station, Grosvenor Gardens, Marble Arch, Baker Street/Gloucester Place and Hillingdon. The Oxford Tube service includes Grosvenor Gardens, Marble Arch, Notting Hill Gate, Shepherd's Bush, and Hillingdon. For information on coaches to other major cities and airports contact National Express. Coaches arrive at Gloucester Green Coach Station in Oxford city centre, which is approximately a 10 min walk from Merton. Alternatively a taxi rank is located at the Gloucester Green Coach Station.

 Arriving by car

Many Oxford streets are now closed to traffic and parking is severely limited. There is no parking available at Merton for conference delegates. There are a number of public car parks around Oxford which offer parking 24hrs a day, but rates are very expensive. Visitors are encouraged to use the Park and Ride bus services which operate between the city centre and parking areas on the outskirts at Pear Tree, Woodstock Road (north); Water Eaton (north); Seacourt, Botley Road (west); Redbridge, Abingdon Road (south); and Thornhill, London Road (east).

 Taxis

Taxi ranks are located at Oxford Railway Station, Gloucester Green Coach Station and St Giles' in the city centre. A list of taxi companies can be found here.