Arranging the Opponent’s Travel and Accommodation

The doctoral researcher (or custos/supervisor/representative from doctoral subject) arranges the opponent’s travel and accommodation with the help of the Faculty’s Office Services. To get further instructions regarding the arrangements, the designated travel arranger contacts the Office Services via medi-toimistopalvelut@utu.fi in good time before the planned date for the public dissertation defence (Note: A message to the service address should be sent from the utu email address). A service secretary will then provide the Faculty’s travel reservation form and instructions for filling it. If the expenses are covered by the University or projects at the University, travel arrangements must be done according to the instructions and organising the opponent’s travel and accommodation by other means is not allowed. The University’s Travel Services will make all of the actual travel and accommodation bookings and purchases.

• The Faculty will cover a maximum of 2 nights of the opponent’s accommodation. (According to the University of Turku’s framework agreement with Hansel, Original Hotel Sokos Kupittaa provides the accommodation for opponents.)
• The expenses of domestic opponents are disbursed directly from the Faculty’s cost centre.
• With foreign opponents (traveling from abroad), The Faculty will cover up to 500 euros (+ VAT 24%) worth of travel and accommodation expenses as per services ordered by the University.
• The Faculty will also provide the opponent with an invoice form that they can use to bill other possible expenses related to the trip (e.g. taxi rides to the airport or train station). Such expenses are reimbursed to the opponent against receipts returned with the form.
• The doctoral researcher has to make sure that there is a source for costs exceeding the Faculty’s payment limit for foreign opponents, and must be able to provide the alternative cost centre or other payment details on the travel reservation form.