Professional development > Electronics, telecoms and engineering

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I register?

You can register and pay online from the course webpage (credit/debit/bank card required). You will receive immediate confirmation of your registration.

or

Please download our pdf Registration Form, complete it and fax it back to us at +44 (0)1865 286956. Confirmation of booking will be sent to you by email once we have received a completed form and the relevant payment details or company purchase order.

If you would like to make a provisional booking on a course, to allow time to obtain authorisation etc, you can do so by contacting the Course Administrator either by email or by phone on +44 (0)1865 286958.

What is included in the course fee?

Included in the course fee is all day-time catering, a copy of all course presentations and any additional material as appropriate (for example, textbooks are provided for some courses). Not included is accommodation and evening catering. Click here for details on accommodation.

Do I pay VAT on the course fees?

All our courses are VAT exempt so no VAT is payable. The course fees shown on the relevant course page is the total you pay.

Are the courses accredited?

Participants who satisfy the course requirements will receive a Certificate of Attendance. The wording will reflect the course and dates attended.

We plan to obtain accreditation for many of our courses in the near future - please visit again for an update on accreditation.

My finance office takes weeks to process payments. Can I reserve my place on the course?

We are happy to provisionally reserve a place for you on a course until we receive payment details subject to receipt of a completed application form (available from the course webpage). We will endeavour to contact you if we are still waiting for your payment and the course is nearly full. However, due to the automated nature of our online booking system, it may not always be possible to contact you before the final course places are filled.

My circumstances have changed and I cannot attend. Can I send a colleague to replace me?

Yes - there is no charge for this. Please notify the Course Administrator by email (telecoms@conted.ox.ac.uk) or by phone on +44 (0)1865 286958 so that training materials can be updated.

I have registered for this course and paid in full but unfortunately I will now not be able to attend. Can I get a refund?

If you cancel your place on a course at any time after expiry of the seven-day cooling-off period you will not be entitled to a refund, except in exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Department for Continuing Education. In such circumstances that a refund is given an administration fee may be levied.

In exceptional circumstances you may be able to transfer your enrolment to a different Course, or substitute a different Student onto the same Course, run by the Department for Continuing Education, subject to any administration fees. Course fees already paid can be transferred to the new Course, and any outstanding balance must be paid in full before the delegate can be registered on the new Course. No refund will be given if the cost of the new Course is less than the cost of the original Course.Click here for our terms and conditions.

I cannot attend the course on those dates. Can I buy the course notes from you?

Unfortunately, we can not sell the course notes to people who have not attended the course (for copyright reasons). Most of our courses run every year and the more popular courses run several times each year, so we will try to ensure that you have a place the next time the course is held.

Who teaches on the courses?

Our course presenters are specialists in the areas they teach and are drawn from industry and academia around the world. Many of them are involved in cutting edge research in the world of electronics, telecoms and engineering and are internationally recognised.

There are lots of us in the company who could do with this training. Can we get a special deal?

We can do better than this! We are happy to speak to you about your training needs and design a course to suit your company, either by adapting an existing course or by developing a course from scratch. This can be presented at your own site, or you may prefer to use our dedicated teaching venue. Please contact us to talk about this further.

Is there any dress code for attending classes?

No - all our courses are held in an informal atmosphere and we encourage you to come dressed in whatever clothing you feel comfortable in for a classroom environment.

Where can I park?

Please note that no car parking facilities are available at Rewley House. In common with other historic cities Oxford was not built with motor transport in mind. There is a one-way system and parking, especially overnight parking, is a serious problem.

There are a very limited number of car parking spaces available at Ewert House. These are available for use only by those travelling from outside Oxford on each day of a particular course Parking permits are issued on a first come, first served basis and a permit does not guarantee that a space will be available.

Please note that public car parking facilities are available in the car park next to Ewert House at a cost of approximately £14.00 a day.

If you are driving to Oxford for each day of the course it is advisable to use the Park & Ride Service. There are 5 large "park & ride" areas on the city approaches with free parking and frequent bus services into the city centre. Further bus information and maps are available on the Oxford Bus Company website, or by phone at +44 (0)1865 785410.

If you are staying in Oxford for several nights please be aware that you cannot leave your car overnight in the park & ride car parks, so we advise you check parking availability with your accommodation.

Further information on car parking in Oxford can be found on the Oxford City Council website

Is motorcycle parking available?

Motorcyclists can use the on-street residents parking areas outside Rewley House. At the time of writing a residents parking permit was not required (please check with us for the latest situation before parking in these spaces). Motorcycle parking is available at Ewert House. There are spaces provided in front of the main building along with secure points to lock your motorbike to.

Our company has a need for training but none of the courses you offer is exactly what we want. Can you develop a course specific to our requirements?

Yes. We have worked with many companies since 1989 to develop courses of the highest quality. We employ specialists from within the University of Oxford and from industry. These courses can either be held here at the University or onsite at your company. We have travelled to many parts of the UK and Europe to deliver our courses. For further information, email the Programme Manager at (telecoms@conted.ox.ac.uk)

Do you supply a list of delegates?

A list of the other delegates attending the course is provided to all those attending (only your name, company and job title are given). On registration each delegate agrees for us to pass on their contact details to any company that is specifically connected with the course that they are attending (this may, for example, be a company who is providing demonstration equipment for the course). If you would rather your contact details were not given to other delegates or to any companies specifically connected with the course you are attending, please email us to let us know (telecoms@conted.ox.ac.uk)

I see that lunch is provided. What sort of food will be offered?

The standard lunch offered is a 3-course lunch. However, there are occasions when a buffet style lunch will be offered as an alternative. (Click here to see sample menus).

Do you cater for those with specific dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, food intolerance or allergy etc)?

Yes, we believe we can cater for most specific requirements. Please indicate your requirements on the registration form or by email to the Course Administrator.

How can I contact the course presenter?

If you are a delegate and would like to contact a specific course presenter, please email the Course Administrator at (technology@conted.ox.ac.uk) and we will be happy to contact the speaker on your behalf.

I need to apply for a visa to attend the courses in Oxford. Can you send me a confirmation letter?

The University of Oxford cannot issue any confirmation letters or related documents until payment in full has been received. Once we receive full payment prior to the course we can send a letter stating that you have a confirmed place on the course. Note that should your visa application be unsuccessful, our cancellation charges will still apply as per our terms and conditions.

I am a resident of a non-European country. Do I need a visa to enter the UK?

The UK Visa website should provide the information you require.

I have an idea for a new course. Who can I contact about it>

We are always happy to listen to ideas regarding new courses. Please email the Programme Manager at (technology@conted.ox.ac.uk)