open-goverance/Events/Planned/Euro_trip_2025.md

## Euro trip 2025
### Version 0.2 
#### Berlin
This document contains a foreign trip proposal for the Computer Society in the 2024/2025 AY.  
The foundation is based off of the 2021.  

## Proposal
The following points are based on the questions posed in the Foreign Trip Proposal form provided to the Computer Society.   
(<<https://cdn.ulwolves.ie/docs/resources/Wolves_on_Tour.docx>>)

### Name of the Club or Society
UL Computer Society

### Date of Trip
21/05/2025 - 28/05/2025

### Organisers
Main Organiser: 
* Brendan Golden  

Trip Leaders:
* Brendan Golden
* $PERSON2
* $PERSON3

### Destination & justification for choosing this location?
The International Conference on Social Media and Cloud Computing (ICSMCC-25) is being held in Berlin on the 24th and 25th of May.  
This conference is a research based conference where we expect our members to gain an increased understanding of the cutting edge of some of the topics covered in UL.  
It will also provide our members with international networking opportunities.

The city also hosts an impressive collection of technological based museums, to know where we (and technology) is going we must first know where we have been.  
These cover everything from early mechanical computers, to technology used during wartime and the cold war, right up to near modern day.

### Context
#### Can this be done locally?  (Saying yes does not mean the trip won’t be approved):
No

#### If yes, why select a location abroad?
ICSMCC and its content is not easy to find in Ireland.
Additionally Ireland does not have a long history with tech, this translates to us having no tech based museums.

#### How will this trip upskill/enhance training and the Clubs and Socs experience of members?
Our primary reason for the trip is to attend an industry/academic  conference which will provide an experience they cannot be obtained in Ireland.  
Aside from that Berlin is home to many museums which cover many aspects of computer history, from early mechanical days, to use of computers in the cold war to more modern such as the fledgling computer games industry.  
The museums that we have picked showcase some fascinating exhibits on computing and technology.   
Some other museums and exhibits we plan to visit are to inspire and learn about the history of technology and computing.  

#### How does this link to your club or society?
We are Computer society, so attending a conference on cloud computing is right up our alley.  
That is not even mentioning how wartime, specifically the cold war helped propelled computing forward.

#### Is this the first time this trip is proposed?
Yes this is the first time this trip has been proposed.

We saw how successful our trip was in 2019 and because of being unable to go for the past few years with COVID we wanted to up the trip capacity again this year.   
From a quick gauge of interest in the society it seems like we have a lot of interest for the trip.  
This has made us decided to go from 15 to 20 spaces on the trip.


#### How will you advertise this trip?
We will be sending out an email to all members and advertising this event on our Discord and Instagram page.   
We also plan to have an information meeting and presentation.

#### How do people sign up for the trip?
Sign up will be via Wolves.

#### Is there selection criteria?
All candidates must be in good standing in the Society.  
In certain cases the committee reserve the right to refuse admittance.

#### What is the breakdown (Undergrad, Postgrad, Alumni, Other) of the different membership types?
At least two thirds of the available twenty spaces on the trip will be reserved for undergraduate/postgraduate UL students who are members of the society.  
The other third will be offered to other Computer Society members (e.g. alumni or external members) but higher preference will be given to undergraduate/postgraduate students.

### Cost

| Cost                                |         |
|-------------------------------------|--------:|
| Total Cost                          | ~€15165 |
| % being subsidised by club          |     46% |
| Amount being subsidised by club     |   €7000 |
| Estimated No. of Members travelling |      20 |
| Cost per Person                     |    €412 |

#### Please insert a full cost breakdown of your trip here. Please include any funding details here

|               | Per Person |     Total |
|---------------|-----------:|----------:|
| Flights       |    €139.85 |  €2797.00 |
| Accommodation |    €278.43 |  €5568.60 |
| Transport     |    €107.00 |  €2140.00 |
| Locations     |    €233.00 |  €4660.00 |
| Total         |    €758.28 | €15165.60 |

The trip will roughly cost €15165, broken down by flights, accommodation, transport and museum tickets for 20 people.  
Should the society cover ~€7000 the cost for the individual will be ~€400, see the table below for more information.

Funding from the Computer Society portion will be from our savings as well as some of the sponsorship we have obtained this year.  
On top of that we have yet to submit some of the capitation requests for our earlier Irish trips.

Screenshots of the estimated costs can be found in the appendix.


### Health and Safety
#### What is your Health and Safety Plan for the trip?
Consent training is required for committee members attending.  
As part of an information meeting which will be held before we depart on the trip we will discuss safety with each member of the society that is attending the trip.   
We will also ensure that every member of the group has a European Health Insurance Card and a valid passport.  

#### Who will have overall responsibility for safety?
Committee members, with Brendan having the overall responsibility.

#### For certain trips, especially clubs, is there a competency level that members must achieve before signing up for the trip?
All members must attend an information meeting which will be held before we depart on the trip.

#### Do you need to carry out first aid, a health and safety briefing or specialized training in order to maximise your time on the main training trip?
We will designate a committee member who is attending the trip to carry a first aid kit before we depart on the trip.   
The first aid kit will be carried by that individual at all times while we are on the trip.   
No specialised training should be required for individuals to partake in this trip.  

#### Who is responsible for training on the trip? Are they external or internal to the club or society? What is their qualification to coach?
We intend to get guided tours for many of the museums that we visit.

#### Have risk assessments been completed for this trip or do you need support?
No risk assessments have been carried out so far, support would be appreciated.

### Itinerary
#### What is your proposed Itinerary?
This is a total of a eight day trip after the Spring exams finish in May.

* 21th - Travel to Dublin, Fly to Berlin, Berlin Highlights Bike Tour
* 22th - Technik Museum + Science Center Spectrum
* 23th - Deutsches Spionage Museum
* 24th - ICSMCC-25 Day 1
* 25st - ICSMCC-25 Day 2
* 26nd - S-Bahn Museum, Computer Spiele Museum
* 27rd - Futurium
* 28th - Mall of Berlin, Fly to Dublin, Travel Home

We will be putting together a more detailed itinerary for our members and to pass on to C&S.

## Visas

Ensure you have at least three months until the expiry date of your passport to be allowed out and back.
This applies to everyone with or without a visa.

### Germany
From Dublin to Germany, non-EU Citizens will require a Schengen visa to enter.  
Similar to earlier, EU Citizens do not require a visa to be allowed entry into Germany.  
Schengen visa applications can be submitted six months at the earliest and 15 days at the latest ahead of the trip.
To begin with applying for a Schengen visa, the applicant must first schedule an appointment with the German Embassy in Dublin by following the steps outlined on their service partner's [website][Visa_German_Embassy_Appointment_Booking_Link].
You will need your passport number for booking the appointment.

After scheduling an appointment, the applicant must then physically come to the embassy to lodge their application, the required documents for a Schengen Tourism visa can be found [here][Visa_German_Embassy_Appointment_Documents].
You can also find a more detailed documents list on their website [here][Visa_German_Embassy_Appointment_Documents_List] for Schengen Visas.

[The Application Form][Visa_German_Schengen_Visa_Application_Form] can be found here after the appointment.
For any other documents that might be required depending on your citizenship, They can be found by searching your country in the ["Harmonized List of Supporting Documents" page][Visa_Harmonzed_List_Page].

In addition you will also need to pay a fee of 90 EUR to process your visa.  
After processing the visa it will take approximately 15 days, assuming no complications arise, to make a decision on if you are to be issued a visa.  
The applicant can then choose return to the embassy to get their passport back with the German visa on it or choose a courier option to a preferred address.
Further details can be found on their website [here][Visa_German_Embassy_Visa_Retrieval].

[Visa_British_Visa_Application_Portal_Link]: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/visa-type
[Visa_German_Embassy_Appointment_Booking_Link]: https://www.visametric.com/Ireland/Germany/en/p/book-an-appointment-national-visa
[Visa_German_Embassy_Appointment_Documents]: https://www.visametric.com/storage/images/pages/files2/6717ad5c4cc7d-VAC-Website-Tourism-09-2024.pdf
[Visa_German_Embassy_Appointment_Documents_List]: https://www.visametric.com/Ireland/Germany/en/p/required-documents-national
[Visa_German_Schengen_Visa_Application_Form]: https://videx.diplo.de/videx/visum-erfassung/videx-kurzfristiger-aufenthalt
[Visa_German_Embassy_Visa_Retrieval]: https://www.visametric.com/Ireland/Germany/en/p/application-process
[Visa_Harmonzed_List_Page]: https://mzv.gov.cz/jnp/en/information_for_aliens/supporting_documents_overview/harmonized_list_of_supporting_documents.html

All of this information comes from  initial research and is subject to change in the future.

## Cost breakdown
Cost breakdown is over four categories which cover the majority of the trip.


### Flights
We will have two flights, there and return.  
Some options may be better options because timing suits better.

| Flights   | Cost | Proof                  | Link                  | Notes                                             |
|-----------|-----:|------------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| Cheapest  |  €87 | ![proof][flight_1_img] | [link][flight_1_link] | Cheapest but times are not the best for returning |
| Best time | €139 | ![proof][flight_2_img] | [link][flight_2_link] | Times of flights maximise days abroad             |

[flight_1_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/flight_1.png
[flight_1_link]: https://www.skyscanner.ie/transport/flights/dubl/ber/250521/250528/?adultsv2=1&cabinclass=economy&childrenv2=&inboundaltsenabled=false&outboundaltsenabled=false&preferdirects=false&rtn=1&priceSourceId=&priceTrace=202501261254*D*DUB*BER*20250521*ryan*FR|202501261506*D*BER*DUB*20250528*ryan*FR&qp_prevCurrency=EUR&qp_prevPrice=87&qp_prevProvider=ins_month

[flight_2_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/flight_2.png
[flight_2_link]: https://www.skyscanner.ie/transport/flights/dubl/ber/250521/250528/?adultsv2=1&cabinclass=economy&childrenv2=&inboundaltsenabled=false&outboundaltsenabled=false&preferdirects=false&rtn=1&priceSourceId=&priceTrace=202501261254*D*DUB*BER*20250521*ryan*FR|202501261506*D*BER*DUB*20250528*ryan*FR&qp_prevCurrency=EUR&qp_prevPrice=87&qp_prevProvider=ins_month


### Accommodation
We are staying in Berlin.  
The most cost-effective is to book out dormitory rooms.

#### Berlin
[Search page][accommodation_0_link]


| Accommodation Options         |      Cost | Per Person | Proof                           | Link                         |
|-------------------------------|----------:|-----------:|---------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Kiez Hostel Berlin            |  €4544.82 |    €227.24 | ![proof][accommodation_1_image] | [link][accommodation_1_link] |
| Metropol Hostel Berlin        |  €5568.64 |    €278.43 | ![proof][accommodation_2_image] | [link][accommodation_2_link] |
| Industriepalast Hostel Berlin |  €4981.76 |    €249.09 | ![proof][accommodation_3_image] | [link][accommodation_3_link] |
| Pegasus Hostel                |  €5519.85 |    €275.99 | ![proof][accommodation_4_image] | [link][accommodation_4_link] |
| a&o Berlin Hauptbahnhof       | €17451.00 |    €872.55 | ![proof][accommodation_5_image] | [link][accommodation_5_link] |

[accommodation_0_link]: https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/wds/s?q=Berlin,%20Germany&country=Berlin&city=Berlin&type=city&id=26&from=2025-05-21&to=2025-05-28&guests=20&groupType=4&groupAgeRange=4&page=1
[accommodation_1_image]: ./Euro_trip_2025/accommodation_1.png
[accommodation_1_link]: https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/wds/hosteldetails.php/Kiez-Hostel-Berlin/Berlin/89602?from=2025-05-21&to=2025-05-28&guests=20&origin=microsite&groupType=4&groupAgeRange=4
[accommodation_2_image]: ./Euro_trip_2025/accommodation_2.png
[accommodation_2_link]: https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/wds/hosteldetails.php/Metropol-Hostel-Berlin/Berlin/42712?from=2025-05-21&to=2025-05-28&guests=20&origin=microsite&groupType=4&groupAgeRange=4
[accommodation_3_image]: ./Euro_trip_2025/accommodation_3.png
[accommodation_3_link]: https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/wds/hosteldetails.php/Industriepalast-Hostel-Berlin/Berlin/40694?from=2025-05-21&to=2025-05-28&guests=20&groupType=4&groupAgeRange=4
[accommodation_4_image]: ./Euro_trip_2025/accommodation_4.png
[accommodation_4_link]: https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/wds/hosteldetails.php/Pegasus-Hostel/Berlin/702?from=2025-05-21&to=2025-05-28&guests=20&groupType=4&groupAgeRange=4
[accommodation_5_image]: ./Euro_trip_2025/accommodation_5.png
[accommodation_5_link]: https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/wds/hosteldetails.php/a-o-Berlin-Hauptbahnhof/Berlin/42091?from=2025-05-21&to=2025-05-28&guests=20&groupType=4&groupAgeRange=4


### Transport
Since we are staying for 8 days we will need a 7 day + 1day for transport in Berlin.

| Transport                                   |    Cost | Proof                     | Link                     |
|---------------------------------------------|--------:|---------------------------|--------------------------|
| EirEagle Limerick - Dublin Airport (return) |  €42.00 | ![proof][transport_1_img] | [link][transport_1_link] |
| Berlin 7-day ticket                         |  €52.70 | ![proof][transport_2_img] | [link][transport_2_link] |
| Berlin 1-day ticket                         |  €12.30 | ![proof][transport_3_img] | [link][transport_3_link] |
| Total (per Person)                          | €107.00 |                           |                          |

[transport_1_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/transport_1.png
[transport_1_link]: https://www.citylink.ie/timetables/712x/


[transport_2_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/transport_2.png
[transport_2_link]: https://www.bvg.de/en/subscriptions-and-tickets/all-tickets/time-tickets/7-day-ticket

[transport_3_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/transport_3.png
[transport_3_link]: https://www.bvg.de/en/subscriptions-and-tickets/all-tickets/time-tickets/7-day-ticket

### Locations
This is for all the locations we will visit, museums, exhibitions and tours.

Pass: https://www.smb.museum/en/plan-your-visit/museum-pass/

| Locations                                |    Cost | Proof                     | Link                     |                                                    |
|------------------------------------------|--------:|---------------------------|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| ICSMCC-25                                | €169.00 | [pdf][locations_1_img]    | [link][locations_1_link] |                                                    |
| Technik Museum + Science Center Spectrum |   €7.00 | ![proof][locations_2_img] | [link][locations_2_link] |                                                    |
| Deutsches Spionage Museum                |  €10.00 | ![proof][locations_3_img] | [link][locations_3_link] |                                                    |
| Berlin Highlights Bike Tour              |  €34.00 | ![proof][locations_4_img] | [link][locations_4_link] | May need to contact them about a group of up to 20 |
| Computer Spiele Museum                   |  €11.00 | ![proof][locations_6_img] | [link][locations_6_link] |                                                    |
| Futurium                                 |   €0.00 |                           | [link][locations_7_link] |                                                    |
| S-Bahn Museum                            |   €2.00 |                           | [link][locations_8_link] |                                                    |
| Mall of Berlin                           |       - |                           | [link][locations_5_link] |                                                    |
| Total                                    | €233.00 |                           |                          |                                                    |

[locations_1_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/Conference_Flyer.pdf
[locations_1_link]: https://scienceleagues.com/events/index.php?id=3130517&source=b3JnYW5pYw==

[locations_2_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/locations_2.png
[locations_2_link]: https://technikmuseum.berlin/en/

[locations_3_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/locations_3.png
[locations_3_link]: http://www.deutsches-spionagemuseum.de/

[locations_4_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/locations_4.png
[locations_4_link]: https://www.viator.com/tours/Berlin/3-Hour-Berlin-Highlights-Bike-Tour/d488-3933P25

[locations_6_img]: ./Euro_trip_2025/locations_6.png
[locations_6_link]: https://www.computerspielemuseum.de/

[locations_7_link]: https://futurium.de/en

[locations_5_link]: https://www.mallofberlin.de/en/

[locations_8_link]: https://s-bahn-museum.de/en/


### Total

Round up from ``€15165`` to ``€15250`` to give a little bit of a buffer.  
Final cost may be less than estimate.

#### Compsoc Subsidises

| Subsidy | Total - Subsidy | % Subsidy | Per/Person | Notes              |
|--------:|----------------:|----------:|-----------:|--------------------|
|      €0 |          €15250 |        0% |    €762.50 |                    |
|   €1000 |          €14250 |        7% |    €712.50 |                    |
|   €2000 |          €13250 |       13% |    €662.50 |                    |
|   €3000 |          €12250 |       20% |    €612.50 |                    |
|   €4000 |          €11250 |       26% |    €562.50 |                    |
|   €5000 |          €10250 |       33% |    €512.50 |                    |
|   €6000 |           €9250 |       39% |    €462.50 |                    |
|   €7000 |           €8250 |       46% |    €412.50 | Includes the fees? |
|   €7250 |           €8000 |       48% |    €400.00 | Preferred          |
|   €7500 |           €7750 |       49% |    €362.50 |                    |