29 April - 30 April 2025

This event will feature a day of workshops and presentations at University of Dundee followed by a day of advocacy and campaigning in Edinburgh. 

The Dundee session will start with student presentations on case advocacy across all European SAR faculty and students attending (and not just limited to the Belarusian cases). Hybrid breakout sessions with scholars in exile will help participants understand how to approach advocacy in sensitive or high-risk contexts. Interactive sessions on art and advocacy will also be held with the aim of preparing for the advocacy and campaigning in Edinburgh the next day. Faculty meetings will be held in the afternoon and informally through the day followed by a conference dinner at the Dundee Rep Restaurant.

Day two will see students undertake advocacy in Edinburgh. Students will begin the day at the Scottish Parliament where they will meet Members of the Scottish Parliament and members of the civil service teams for human rights and International Relations. In the afternoon, participants will have the option to explore the city on foot while contributing to Viasna’s social media campaigns. A peaceful public protest in the city with gestures of solidarity has been planned. Throughout the day, students and faculty from outside Scotland will have the option of joining Scottish faculty and students at meetings with government actors.

In pre-event activities, seminar groups will have the option to meet with Belarusian activists in exile, organised by the People’s Embassies of Belarus, who will provide interested faculty and students the opportunity to learn more about the Belarusian context in advance of the Advocacy Days. Short videos on government advocacy, particularly in the Scottish context and the Belarusian cases, will be circulated. Seminar groups will also have the option to co-design government and public advocacy actions with the University of Dundee seminar groups.

• University of Dundee, School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law - https://www.dundee.ac.uk/humanities-social-sciences-law
• Scholars at Risk Network - https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/
• Viasna - https://spring96.org/en
• Libereco UK - https://www.libereco.org/en/
• People's Embassies of Belarus - https://www.belarusabroad.org/
• Scottish Human Rights Defenders Fellowship - https://www.dundee.ac.uk/projects/scottish-human-rights-defender-fellowship
• University of Edinburgh - https://www.ed.ac.uk/ 

with support from Dundee City Region Convention Bureau

UK Visa

Visit the UK for tourism, business or a short stay (up to 6 months), airport transit visas. Visit the UK - GOV.UK website for more information.

Check if you need a UK visa by completing a short questionnaire on GOV.UK website.

Applying for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation)?

Everyone wishing to travel to the UK – except British and Irish citizens – everyone (including children) will need permission to travel in advance of coming here. This means if you were previously eligible to visit the UK without a visa you will need an ETA.

Please watch the two videos provided for more information.

What is an ETA?

ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport and ensure more robust security checks are carried out before people begin their journey to the UK.

From 9 April 2025, it will cost £16 to apply for an ETA.

What an ETA is, who can get one and how to apply before coming to the UK (hyperlink).

How long it takes

You will usually get a decision within 3 working days, but you may get a quicker decision. Occasionally, it may take longer than 3 working days.

Information correct at the time of writing (31 March 2025) courtesy of GOV.UK website

DACBRES is the official accommodation booking site for delegates attending European Student Advocacy Days 2025.

Dundee City Region Convention Bureau is working with the organising committee to manage accommodation for this event.

An allocation of rooms at guaranteed rates and terms have been secured with a variety of providers close to the conference venue in Dundee.

Benefits:

• Guaranteed Rates & Availability - Rates are fixed & subject to availability & individual hotel terms and conditions – True room availability – only rooms available to book are displayed.
• Breakfast & VAT Included - No hidden extras – the price you see is the price you pay. Changes up to 24 hours before your arrival (subject to individual hotel Terms & Conditions).  Please note that Dundee Backpackers does not provide breakfast.
• Nothing To Pay Upfront - Details of your valid credit card are only used to guarantee your reservation. Pay on check in (subject to individual hotel Terms & Conditions).

Visit our official accommodation booking portal

Loganair is offering up to 30% off flights to delegates travelling to/from Dundee from London Heathrow (LHR), Sumburgh (LSI) and Kirkwall (KOI) Airports for this conference.

Please book at Loganair.co.uk before 3 May 2025, quoting promotional code ESAD2025 at the time of booking, for travel between 27 April 2025 – 3 May 2025. 

Visit Loganair to book (link opens in new window) 

Launched in 2021, GreenSkies is Loganair’s sustainability initiative, which sets out how the company will achieve its ambitious target of becoming net zero by 2040. One part of the initiative is a small mandatory charge as part of every fare; with funds then invested in internationally accredited carbon offset schemes to take the same amount of carbon out of the atmosphere that each flight produces. While the carbon offsetting programme is the first step, Loganair have also been engaging with leading aerospace and technology companies to ensure we can have the systems we need to achieve our carbon-neutral goal.

All information in the travel guides correct at the time of filming (filmed 2024).

Read our Travel Made Easy Guide (link opens in new window) on how to get to Dundee from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow Airport, including coach travel to Dundee.

Getting around Dundee 

Get active out and about in Dundee city. A compact city bursting with places of interest, history, and things to see, it is so easy to get around.

Dundee’s active travel routes in and around the city have been developed over the last few years with a key objective to encourage active travel through walking, cycling and public transport, and deploy sustainable alternatives to decarbonise transport. Visit Dundee.com website and find out more about Our Walkable City.

MixMap is a friendly, easy to use, locally produced Dundee map for tourists showcasing the colourful range of independent businesses, attractions and places of interest in Dundee and Broughty Ferry.

We want to help you make the most of your time in our city. Discover great little shops, welcoming restaurants, immersive attractions with MixMap The Dundee Tourist Map.