CEMS Annual Events & MIM Graduation Ceremony

Frequently Asked Questions

About the CEMS events

Who can attend the CEMS Annual Events and Graduation Ceremony activities?

Everyone in the CEMS Community can attend the CEMS Annual Events.

Annual Meetings: Several governance meetings are open only to respective stakeholders (Deans, Executive Councillors, Management Council, Programme Managers, Academic Directors, Communication Directors, Alumni Relations Managers and Alumni representatives). 

CEMS MIM Graduation Activities: We encourage all our graduands from the class year 2024 to join in the Graduation activities. Places at some events are limited. See "Information for Graduands" for further details.

Register early to secure places for you and your guest(s).

About registration

How do I register?

CEMS community representatives, graduands and alumni: To register, please use the login email that you use for your www.cems.org account. Individual emails are needed for everyone – no group emails can be used. 
To register, click on "Register Here" directly from your invitation email. If your email is not recognised, please click on 'Sign in' on the upper right corner of the page and follow the steps to register. If you have any issues, send an email to annualevents@cems.org.

Guests of CEMS community representatives: Some events are open to guests of our CEMS Community Representatives. All guests must be registered with an individual email address via the registration portal. Please email any queries to annualevents@cems.org.

Guests of Graduands: Graduands must register their guest(s) as part of their own registration and all guests will require an individual email address. We recommended that graduands register their guests at the time of booking their own attendance.

To all attendees of the CEMS Annual Events & Graduation Ceremony 2024: Some events are restricted to specific community groups. You will be able to access events which you are eligible to attend. If you do not see an event or meeting that you need to attend during registration, please contact us at annualevents@cems.org.

If you don’t possess a login and/or password for www.cems.org, please request access by emailing annualevents@cems.org.

Registration closes for all participating members of the CEMS community on Friday, 15 November. For late registration requests, please contact annualevents@cems.org. Please note that places are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis.

Graduands & Guests Early-Bird: Please register by Saturday, 31 August to take advantage of the early-bird rate (-10%).
Only registrations with confirmed payments by the early-bird deadline will be accepted. 

Any payments made after this deadline will revert to the full price of the category and/or event.

If you register but are unable to attend due to non-completion of the MIM academic components, a 100% refund of fees paid for graduands and guests will be granted. This will incur a handling fee of €15 [EUR]. For cancellations caused by any other reasons, please see the cancellation rules within the "About Cancellation Policy" section.

Although the registration deadline for graduands is Friday, 15 November, places for all events are limited and cannot be guaranteed at this late date. We recommend that you book as early as possible to secure places for you and your guests.

For late registration requests, please contact annualevents@cems.org.

Payment is made at the time of registration. For credit card payment this is mandatory. For payment by bank transfer, your registration is confirmed when the payment is validated.
All registered guests are required to send their bank remittance receipt to annualevents@cems.org.

Non-payment at the 15 November deadline may indicate that you will not attend, therefore the system will automatically delete non-confirmed registrations. In the event of no shows, no refund will be made.

Payment and bank details:
Payment can be made by:
1. By Credit Card – Visa or MasterCard.
2. By Bank Transfer in Euros (only payments above €200 can be made by bank transfer).
All prices are quoted in Euros, payment in any other currency will not be accepted.

Bank transfer instructions:
Account Name: CEMS Annual Event 2024
Bank Address: RGPNO VERSAILLES PAROISSE, 66 Rue de la Paroisse, 78000 Versailles
IBAN: FR96 3000 2089 0000 0071 6567 G22
Swift Code/BIC: CRLYFRPPXXX

Bank charges, if any, will be incurred by the payment sender.

Important notice: If the payment source is not referenced adequately, we will have problems identifying the payer. This may cause your registration not to be validated before the payment deadline. It is therefore imperative that you clearly state your NAME and school, as well as the reference “CEMS Annual Events 2024” on your bank transfer form.

If payment is made for more than one person or covering several participants per school or company, please list all the names of individual participants.

All registered guests are required to send their bank remittance receipt to annualevents@cems.org.

If you register and pay for your guests (maximum two) as soon as possible, you are guaranteed seats in the main hall of the ceremony venue. If the capacity limit is reached, remaining guests will be offered seats in screening rooms with video streaming of the ceremony. 
After the registration period ends, any remaining seats in the main hall will be made available for additional guests.

Each graduand can bring one (1) guest to the Pre-Graduation Party on Friday, 6 December and two (2) to all Graduation Activities on Saturday, 7 December, including the Graduation Ceremony. Seats in the main hall will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with overflow guests directed to screening rooms. All graduands are guaranteed a seat in the main hall.

Yes, you can add guests (within the 2 guest limit) or events to your existing registration by clicking on 'Add an additional event' in your confirmation email before Friday, 15 November, provided there still are vacant spots.

- For candidates not qualifying for the graduation:

  • Cancellation before 15 November: 100% refund, less a EUR 15 handling fee.
  • Cancellation after 15 November: No refund.

Please note: This only applies for candidates (and their guests) who have registered and subsequently realise that they do not qualify for graduation in 2024 due to non-completion of the CEMS MIM requirements.

- For all other participants and guests:

  • Cancellation before 31 August: 100% refund, less a EUR 15 handling fee.
  • Cancellation between 1 September and 15 November: 50% refund, less a EUR 15 handling fee.
  • Cancellation after 15 November: No refund.

Please note: If you have to cancel for unforeseen and unavoidable reasons after the respective deadlines, full or partial refunding (less the handling fee) will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Possible exceptions (i.e. reasons for refunding) include:

  • VISA refusal. Please provide a refusal letter.
  • Illness or accident. Please provide medical certificate.

All cancellations must be confirmed in writing to annualevents@cems.org.

Cancelling hotel bookings:
Please pay attention to the cancellation terms for your chosen hotel. The CEMS Organising Committee do not take any responsibility for booking or managing disputes with hotels.

We cannot open places to current students at this time because of high numbers of participants and we must prioritise our Graduands and their guests first. Any available places, either for the Ceremony or the Parties, will be opened at the closing of registrations on November 15. However, this is not guaranteed.

During registration you may indicate that you wish to bring extra guests. We will contact you if capacity allows it.

Graduands: Smart formal, including:
- Tuxedo, national costume, or a formal dark suit and tie.
- Long dress, smart suit, or a formal cocktail-length dress.

Guests: Formal dress is preferred. 

For all other events, there is no stated dress code.

The CEMS MIM Graduation is a special moment for graduands and their guests. The ceremony will include speeches and entertainment, and most importantly, an opportunity to applaud all graduands receiving their diploma.
After the ceremony, our newly graduated alumni and guests are invited to join the CEMS community for a welcome drink, followed by a formal dinner and a party.

Prices for the events are detailed in the packages during registration.
Hotel prices are to be found during booking at the individual hotels. Please note that the prices may change, so we advise you to book early.

Please note: Grieghallen is a cashless venue. 

All authorised refunds will be made by the CEMS Global Office following the CEMS Annual Events. If payment is made with Visa/MasterCard, refunds will be made directly to the card used at payment.
Alternatively, via bank transfer, full personal and bank account details (address, swift code, IBAN number, etc.) must be sent by email to annualevents@cems.org.

CEMS community representatives: Made up of colleagues who contribute to the governance and delivery of the CEMS Global Alliance, including Deans, Executive Councillors, Academic Directors, Management Council, Programme Managers, Communication Directors and Alumni Relations Managers, Alumni representatives, Language Advisory Committee and Student Board.
Graduands: A person who is about to receive their academic degree.
Guests of graduands: Family and friends of the graduand.

About your trip

Do I need a visa to travel to Bergen?

You may need a visa to come to Norway depending on your passport.
This helpful page allows you to quickly enter the name of the country of your citizenship and you will then find the necessary requirements for you. Alternatively, visit this link for a list of Visa-free countries.

  • Submit your application early to allow for the Norwegian government processing times.
  • You may require a visa invitation letter from The Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) to submit your visa application. 
  • Your visa invitation letter can only be accessed after your registration. Once you register, your visa invitation letter will be autogenerated in a downloadable form. Download this letter and use it for your visa application letter for you and your guests. Please register early so that you have enough time for the visa to be processed before you arrive in Bergen.
  • If you have any queries on the visa letter of invitation, please email us at annualevents@cems.org.

This year’s host, The Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), has negotiated preferential rates at the hotels listed on the accommodation page. Hotels have been chosen for their proximity to the main venues, the NHH Campus (for governance meetings) and Grieghallen (for the CEMS MIM Graduation activities).
Bergen is a small city with limited accommodation possibilities and tends to be quite busy throughout December in the run-up to Christmas, therefore we recommend you book your hotel accommodation early to secure the preferential rates that have been negotiated.

Accommodation for the Annual Events participants

CEMS community representatives attending the Annual Events programme are encouraged to stay at the hotels listed under "Hotels for Academics & Staff" (Havnekontoret, Rosenkrantz and Radisson Blu). Browse hotels for Academics and Staff participants.

Accommodation for graduands and their guests

Browse hotels for graduands and guests with preferential rates located at or close to Grieghallen Bergen.

Bergen has a small airport, making it easy to get around and finding your way to the transport. Check out the links below for the transport information from airport to the centre of Bergen.


Bergen light rail line 1 (Bybanen):

The cheapest way to get from Bergen Airport Flesland to Bergen city center is to go by the City Light Rail (Bybanen) line number 1. It takes about 45 minutes from the Airport to Bergen city centre and it costs NOK 44 for an adult and NOK 22 for a child. If you have a Bergen Card you can travel for free by the City Light Rail and all Skyss buses throughout Bergen and Vestland county. The Bergen Light Rail line 1 starts right at the airport terminal in Flesland and ends in the centre of Bergen.    
     

Airport bus (Flybussen):

A faster way to reach Bergen city center is by the Airport Bus (called Flybussen in Norwegian), which normally takes 30 minutes. The bus costs NOK 149 if you buy the tickets in advance online. If you buy the tickets on the bus, it costs NOK 30 extra. The bus has several stops in Bergen city center, among them the Bryggen in Bergen area, where many of the hotels are located, making it the easiest way to get there by public transport. You can find the bus just outside the Flesland arrival terminal. All stops with the Airport bus are announced.

Taxi:
The most direct way to get from Bergen Airport Flesland to your hotel is to take a taxi. The taxis are parked just outside the arrival terminal.
There are several taxi companies in Bergen, and you can freely choose who you want to travel with, regardless of their position on the taxi line. You do not have to choose the first taxi in the queue. We recommend 07000 Bergen Taxi. 

You can look for them in the taxi rank or order on their app or phone. 07000 Bergen Taxi recommends ordering when you have received your luggage and the car will meet you in front of the regular taxi queue. They also have a guaranteed maximum fare for all rides between Flesland and the center of Bergen. By taxi you will get where you are going fast and efficiently, especially if you stay outside of the city center. Bergen taxis are equipped with a taximeter and charge fares based on the time and distance travelled. Overall, a taxi ride to the city centre will cost you around NOK 580-820, depending on the number of passengers. 

The CEMS MIM Graduation Ceremony will take place in the Grieghallen venue in Bergen. 

Grieghallen is situated in the city centre, so if your hotel is also in the city centre, it should be fairly easy to reach the venue on foot. If you are further away from the city centre or if the weather conditions are harsh, here are the transport options: 

Public transport:
Bergen Railway Station and Bergen Bus Station are situated just a four minutes’ walk from Grieghallen. We encourage our audience to choose environmentally friendly transportation!

Parking:

You find parking spaces beneath the hall at Edvard Griegs plass, in GriegGarasjen. Entry from Lars Hilles gate street and exit to Strømgaten street. Read more about payment via app or other payment options here.

The average temperature in Bergen during December ranges from 1°C to 4°C, and rain or snow is very likely. For more detailed information about the weather in Bergen, check  Bergen weather. Umbrellas, waterproof clothes and shoes are highly recommended!