This list of frequently asked questions covers common doubts about who are the members of the program, how to register to the website, how to participate to the activities, and how to ask for reimbursements, in addition to some advice for organizers. Please note that in case of any difference between this document and the CUSO directives, the CUSO directives are valid. To take part to CUSO activities, you need to acknowledge that you know and understand CUSO directives.

Your question is not answered here? Contact the coordinator at informatique(at)cuso(dot)ch.

MEMBERSHIP & REGISTRATION

Q. Who can register as a member of the CUSO doctoral program in computer sciences?

A. All PhD students (doctoral candidates) in computer sciences from CUSO institutions and partners (Geneva, Fribourg, Lausanne, Neuchâtel, IDHEAP, ISDC, IHEID, IUKB, EPFL, Bern) may become members of the program. They get full priority for participation to activities of the program, for access to the CUSO soft skills program (https://competences.cuso.ch). Travel and meal expenses related to their participation in CUSO activities can be refunded (subject to conditions, see below).
Advanced researchers (from postdoc to full professor) may also become members. As such, they are part of the CUSO community for doctoral education and listed on the program’s website. They may attend the program’s activities (except otherwise stated), or organize such activities themselves (with agreement from the committee). Part of the travel and meal expenses related to their participation in CUSO activities can usually be refunded (subject to conditions, see below).
Other people, including master or bachelor students, as well as academics from non CUSO institutions, cannot register as members. However, academics may apply for participation in given activities, provided there are enough places available.

Q. I am a CUSO PhD student, how do I register as a member?

A. Use the online form: https://informatique.cuso.ch/registration. 

Q. I am a CUSO academic, how do I register as a member?

If you are an advanced researcher (professor, teacher, postdoc, MER, maître-assistant...), send a message to the coordinator (informatique(at)cuso(dot)ch) or use the special form : https://informatique.cuso.ch/form.

Q. Can professors or other academic personnel of CUSO institutions also take part in activities?

A. Yes, subject to the availability of places.

Q. Do I have to be a member of a CUSO doctoral program in order to participate to activities?

A. No, but priority is given to registered CUSO PhD students, then to other CUSO academics. If there are still open places, people from other institutions may apply. Application for participation to an activity is always made online.

Q. I am a postdoc/researcher/professor/..., but I registered as a PhD student by mistake. What do I do?

A. Please contact the coordinator at informatique(at)cuso(dot)ch, stating your name and your actual position. We will modify your membership.

Q. I have a CUSO account from another doctoral program. Can I register for activities of the doctoral program in computer science?

A. Yes, provided there are enough places available. Just login in the website of your main CUSO doctoral program using your myCUSO account and then return to our site (https://informatique.cuso.ch/activities).

Q. I am a member of the doctoral program in computer science. Can I register for activities in other CUSO doctoral programs?

A. Yes, usually (may be subject to places availability or other conditions). Just login at the website for computer science (https://informatique.cuso.ch/mycuso) using your myCUSO account and then go to the other program’s website.

Q. I already have an account on the CUSO website. How do I register for an activity?

A. Go to the activity list at https://informatique.cuso.ch/activities and read about the activities open for registration. Click on the title to get more details. At the top of the details, you can find a "Registration" link.

Q. I finished my thesis and graduated. Can I still be a member ?

A. Yes, upon completion of their PhDs, new doctors are considered alumni of the program (nothing formal here, only that you once belonged to the community). Alumni appear in a separate list on the website. Of course, you may opt out simply by sending a message to the coordinator at informatique(at)cuso(dot)ch.

Q. I am no longer a member of a CUSO institution / I no longer want to be a member of the CUSO website. How do I cancel my account?

A. Please contact the coordinator at informatique(at)cuso(dot)ch stating your name. We will cancel your membership. Please note that you can choose appear in the alumni list of the program instead.

PARTICIPATING TO AN ACTIVITY

Q. What do I do to participate to an activity?

A. You need to register for it. Go to the activity list at https://informatique.cuso.ch/activities and read about the activities open for registration. Click on the title to get more details. At the top of the details, you can find a "Registration" link. Priority is always given to CUSO PhD students. Other persons may thus be placed on a waiting list.

Q. The registration link is absent / is not working. Why?

A. Activities have a limited number of places, as well as a registration deadline. If it's not possible to register, it might be that there are no more places available or that the deadline is past. You can try and ask the organizers if they think a deadline extension is possible or if more places can be added, although the latter is rare for budget reasons.

Q. I registered for an activity but I cannot go. How do I cancel my participation?

A. Please contact the coordinator at informatique(at)cuso(dot)ch, stating your name and the name of the activity. We will cancel your registration.

REIMBURSEMENTS

Q. What expenses does CUSO reimburse?

A. CUSO reimburses travel, meal and accomodation expenses for participants, according to the duration, location and type of activities, and within some budget limits. Some expenses are fully reimbursed, others are partially reimbursed, and all are subject to maximum expenditure limits. Reimbursement rules are established in detail in the CUSO directives. A summary is given in https://informatique.cuso.ch/reimbursement. CUSO members should read and understand the CUSO directives, in particular in what concerns maximum amounts allowed for reimbursements.

Q. Who is eligible for reimbursements?

A. The following categories of participants are eligible: PhD students from CUSO institutions; speakers and organizers of the activities. Other (i.e., non-PhD students) academic personnel from CUSO institutions may ask for reimbursements on condition that they do not constitute more than 20-25% of the participants to an activity. Organizers must be aware of this and check that this proportions are respected.

Q. I am a member of a non-CUSO institution and I registered for an activity because there were enough places available. Can I ask for reimbursement?

A. Members of non-CUSO institutions cannot ask for reimbursements from CUSO.

Q. I want to take part to an activity without asking for reimbursements. Is it possible?

A. If the organizers of the activity agree and there are enough places available, any person (CUSO or not) can take part to an activity if he/she is ready to fully cover his/her expenses. As a general rule, though, the person must still register to the activity using the website.

Q. How do I ask for a reimbursement?

A. Go to https://www.cuso.ch/structure-et-administration/formulaires/ and download the "Remboursement de frais à un-e participant-e" form. Fill it, print it, sign it, and send it to the coordinator's address (found on https://informatique.cuso.ch/contact-us/). You need to send the printed form with an original signature, scanned forms are not accepted.

Q. How much can supervisory, organizational and teaching staff be reimbursed?  What are the rates?

A. For activities which last more than four hours, the CUSO subsidizes meals (lunch or dinner) with up to CHF 40 per meal and for overnight and breakfast up to CHF 190.

QUESTIONS FROM ORGANIZERS

Q. My activity has a speaker coming from abroad. What is needed to reimburse his/her trip?

A. The speaker should provide his/her original tickets together with the reimbursement request. Speakers coming by airplane should provide the original boarding passes.

Q. What account information must I provide for my speakers to be reimbursed/paid?

There are some caveats with respect to what information to provide about banking accounts:

• For speakers having an account in Switzerland, the IBAN number is sufficient.

• For speakers having an account in the USA, Canada or other countries not using IBAN, you need to provide  both a routing number and a BIC/SWIFT code.

• For speakers having an account in the European Union, you need to provide both an IBAN number and a BIC/SWIFT code.

• Any other special case should be asked to the coordinator at [email protected]

Q. What form should speakers use to ask for reimbursement?

A. Go to https://www.cuso.ch/structure-et-administration/formulaires/ and download the "Ordre de payement pour intervenant-e-s et personnel d'encadrement (rémunération et/ou frais)" form. Fill it, print it, sign it, and send it to the coordinator's address (found on https://informatique.cuso.ch/contact-us/). You need to send the printed form with an original signature, scanned forms are not accepted.

Q. The meals in my activity are provided by a catering company. How do I get reimbursement for that?

A. You should ask the company to make a bill in the name of the organizer, which has to mention "CUSO Doctoral program" on it. Do not pay the bill yourself; instead, send it to the coordinator and CUSO will pay it. Make sure that the amount is within the foreseen budget and that it is possible to understand the number of persons (in order to check against the number of participants). The general principle is that CUSO should be able to understand that the catering was used only for participants who are eligible for reimbursement.