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The Association of Commonwealth Universities | ACU
Terms and conditions

By registering for ACU Congress 2025, you agree to the following terms and conditions. Please read them carefully. 

1. Registration, Payment and our Contract with you 

  • All participants must complete their registration and pay the applicable fee online. By registering, you accept that these terms and conditions combined with the online booking page will form a legally binding contract between us (subject to us confirming your booking). 

  • Your booking is only confirmed (and a binding contract formed) once we have issued you a written confirmation of your booking which will be sent by email. If we do not accept your registration, we will of course return your payment. 

  • We are unable to issue invoices for tickets. 

  • The fee payable is stated on the online booking page and covers your ticket for attendance at the event only. As noted further below, we are not responsible for your travel, accommodation or other costs.     

2. Eligibility 

  • Attendance is open to individuals who meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the event description. 

  • This includes executive heads (vice-chancellor level) and ACU Ambassadors of ACU members, and the equivalent roles from non-member universities who are eligible to apply for ACU membership. 

  • The ACU reserves the right to decline registrations that do not meet these criteria. The ACU also reserves the right to remove and / or bar you from the event without any refund if we discover that you have concealed information, or given us incorrect information in circumstances where (if you had not done so) it would have been reasonably foreseeable that we would have declined your registration. 

3. Cancellations and Refunds 

  • Cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to events@acu.ac.uk. 

  • Cancellations received on or before 1 September 2025 will be eligible for a refund, subject to an administrative fee. 

  • No refunds will be issued for: (i) cancellations made after 1 September 2025 or (ii) in cases of non-attendance. 

  • Substitutions may be accepted upon request and must be approved by the ACU in advance. 

  • We may refuse your attendance and / or remove you from the event without any obligation to refund you for the reasons outlined elsewhere in these terms and conditions, or if you are in material breach of this contract in some other way in our opinion.  

  • We may also cancel your registration because we are affected by events beyond our reasonable control (such as, but without limitation, flood, fire, adverse weather conditions, act of God, war, terrorist threat, government action or some other catastrophic event, or the breach or failure of third parties who supply goods, services or property). If we cancel your registration due to such events and are unable agree alternative dates for the Congress, we will refund the cost of the booking to you less any reasonable charges that we have incurred in anticipation of your attendance.  

  • We cannot be held responsible if you are not able to reach the event because of your own travel difficulties. 

4. Code of Conduct 

  • All participants are expected to behave in a professional and respectful manner throughout the event. 

  • Harassment, discrimination, or any disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the event without refund. 

  • Participants must adhere to Chatham House Rules in sessions that are marked as ‘CHR’, this will also be made clear at the start of each session by the chair.  

5. Intellectual Property 

  • All event content, including presentations and materials, is protected by copyright. 

  • Reproduction, distribution, or reuse of materials without prior written permission of the ACU (or the relevant third party rightsholder) is strictly prohibited. 

  • Photography and videography may take place during the event. By attending, participants consent to being filmed or photographed, and for these images or recordings to be used in ACU’s future promotional and marketing materials (including digital and print).  

  • If you do not wish to appear in any event photography or recordings, please either notify the ACU in writing prior to the event by emailing events@acu.ac.uk or in-person upon arrival when you collect your badge. 

6. Liability 

  • Our total liability to you for any loss you suffer will be limited to the total amount of money payable by you to us for your attendance. Except for liability which cannot excluded by applicable law, the ACU accepts no liability for personal injury, loss, or damage incurred during the event. 

  • Delegates are responsible for their own health, safety, and personal belongings at all times. 

7. Event Changes 

  • The ACU fully reserves the right to make changes to the event schedule, speakers, format, or venue as necessary. 

  • Any significant updates will be communicated to registered participants in a timely manner. 

8. Data Protection and Privacy 

  • Where necessary, your personal data may also be shared with the ACU’s partner hotels for the sole purpose of confirming your status as an ACU Congress guest and enabling access to negotiated accommodation rates arranged for attendees.  

  • Your data may also be used to contact you about information on similar events. You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time.  

  • For more information about how we handle your personal data, including your rights, please see our privacy notice here. 

9. Travel and Accommodation 

  • Delegates are responsible for arranging and covering the cost of their own travel, accommodation, and any related expenses. 

  • The ACU is not responsible for costs resulting from travel disruption, visa issues, or other external circumstances. 

10. General 

  • You may not transfer any of your rights or obligations under our contract with you to another person or organisation without our prior written consent.   

  • We can transfer all or any of our rights and obligations under the contract to another organisation, but this will not affect your rights under this contract.  

  • If any court or competent authority decides that any of the provisions of this contract are invalid, unlawful or unenforceable to any extent, the term will, to that extent only, be severed from the remaining terms, which will continue to be valid to the fullest extent permitted by law.  

  • No person or legal entity who is not a party to our contract with you shall have any rights under or in connection with it. 

  • These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales and shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. 

If you have any questions or require clarification, please contact us at events@acu.ac.uk.