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September 21, 2023 – PhD Workshop

September 22-23, 2023 – 12th EARNet Symposium

Location: Thessaloniki, Greece

 

Dear Colleagues, the 12th European Auditing Research Network (EARNet) Symposium and PhD Workshop will take place on 21-23 September 2023 in Thessaloniki, Greece.

 

 

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Description automatically generatedThe Aristotelous Plaza

 

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The statue of Alexander The Great, the legendary king of Macedonia

The White Tower, the trademark of the city

 

The Symposium is established as a major event in Europe for presentation and discussion of auditing research papers. It also provides a forum for academics, practitioners, policy-makers and standard-setters to discuss auditing research and current issues in the auditing environment. The Symposium includes parallel sessions of presentation and discussion of research papers, a plenary panel session and a keynote speech.

The forthcoming EARNet symposium will be held in the Mediterranean Palace Hotel which is a 5 star hotel in the city centre of Thessaloniki.

The conference venue, the Mediterranean Palace Hotel

The view from the main symposium room in the Mediterranean Palace Hotel

The paved seafront almost outside (500m) the Mediterranean Palace Hotel

 

September 21, 2023 – PhD Workshop

September 22-23, 2023 – 12th EARNet Symposium

Location: Thessaloniki, Greece

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES

Call for papers : the deadline for submitting a paper for consideration has now passed.

Deadline for paper submission for both the EARNet Symposium, as well as the PhD Workshop – 31st March 2023

Notification of acceptance – 1st June 2023

Deadline for early bird registration for the Symposium – 15th July 2023

Deadline for registration for the Symposium – 13th September 2023

 

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The White Tower, the trademark of the city

 The Umbrellas artwork on the waterfront of Thessaloniki, very near to the White Tower

 The statue of Alexander The Great on the waterfront and near to the White Tower

 

PAPER SUBMISSION

The deadline for the submission of papers has now passed.

conference programme

The conference programme can be downloaded here.

 REGISTRATION

Registration fee for the Symposium

EARLY BIRD (until 15th July 2023): €350

LATE REGISTRATION (after 15th July 2023 and until 13th September 2023): €400

The conference fee includes coffee breaks, lunches, the welcome reception on Thursday 21st September and the conference dinner on Friday 22nd September 2023.

Additional fee for accompanying person for the Welcome Reception dinner on Thursday 21st September 2023: €40.

Additional fee for accompanying person for the main conference dinner on Friday 22nd September 2023: €60.

Additional fee for social activities: €25. See also below for some more information.

Registration and Payment procedure for the Symposium

Registration to the 12th EARNet Symposium, to be held in September in Thessaloniki, is now open to all. Please bear in mind that places for the conference are limited. You can register now here:

https://www.conftool.org/earnet2023/

 

Social Activities

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Description automatically generated with medium confidenceWe have organised some social activities within and outside the city, but delegates and their families can explore the city on their own. For example, a good start may be the hop-on hop off bus tour of the city. It’s a very friendly city, and you can walk to most places of interest. Feel free to email the host organiser, ilias G Basioudis, as Thessaloniki is his hometown and will be very happy to assist with any queries about the city.

We have also organised to offer as extra options three guided walking tours of 1) the Unesco Monuments, in the morning of Wednesday 20th Sept, 2) the Jewish heritage and sights (incl the Jewish museum and synagogue), in the afternoon of Wednesday 20th Sept, and 3) the historic old city, in the late afternoon of Saturday 23rd Sept. 

Other options that might be offered, depending on interest, are further out the city, for example a visit to the Archaeological Park of Dion or to the Ancient Vergina where the King Philip's tomb is discovered (King Philip is the father of Alexander's the Great).

In addition to the above guided tours, a short leisure boat trip (around 30-min) has been organised after the end of the Welcome Reception with cash bar and music to catch sight of the city of Thessalonki by night. A 10 ticket would need to be purchased in advance of onboarding.

Further, in the afternoon of Saturday 23rd Sept, delegates and their guests can go onto a boat trip or just casual stroll on Thessalonki’s sea prominade.  

Welcome Reception and Conference Dinner Information

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Description automatically generated with medium confidenceThe famous electric string quartet, Fortissimo, will accompany us during both the Welcome Reception on Thursday 21/9 and the Conference Dinner on Friday 22/9. In addition, after the Fortissimo, the swing band Grammofono will bring a lively and elegant performance to our Conference Dinner on Friday.

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Description automatically generated with low confidenceThe Fortissimo string quartet is a stunning electric string quartet that performs classical tunes along with more popular styles of dance, pop, rock, Latin and Greek music. The band includes four beautiful and talented Greek girls with electric violins, with dynamic performance, explosive presence, passion for music and unlimited dreams. On Thursday night, Fortissimo will feature the well-known violinist, Popi Mylaraki, from the State Orchestra of Thessaloniki.

The Grammofono band will entertain us on Friday with popular jazz and swing tunes, vintage aesthetics, and well-liked retro songs from all previous decades. 

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Description automatically generatedAn exciting added feature during the Conference Dinner on Friday night will be a local folk dance group who will perform some traditional folklore dances, such as the well-known Hasapiko and Syrtaki, Leventiko, Kleftikos Macedonikos, etc from the areas of Greek Macedonia and rest of Greece. The dance group is called Voreades.

At the end of the first night (after the Welcome Reception), a short boat trip on a cruise bar in front of the White Tower will allow us to get to know Thessaloniki from a different angle! We will admire the incomparable beauty of the city of Thessaloniki, under the stars, while enjoying a drink from the cash bar and music. A 10 ticket would need to be bought for the boat trip.

 

 

 

 

 

September 21, 2023 – PhD Workshop

September 22-23, 2023 – 12th EARNet Symposium

Location: Thessaloniki, Greece

 

 

Thessaloníki, your host city

Thessaloníki or Salonica, is the second largest city in Greece with a population over 1 million and one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is also the Greece’s second largest export port and the main sea gate of the Balkans and Southeast Europe.

Thessaloniki is the capital of Macedonia, with a population of approximately 1,000,000 inhabitants, suited in the northerner part of Greece and stretches over twelve kilometres in a bowl formed by low hills facing a bay that opens into the Gulf Thermaikos.

It is an important economic, industrial, commercial and political centre and a major transportation hub for the rest of south-eastern Europe. The geographical position of this piece of land, between Eastern Europe and Asia with its political and economic role as a conversion point of eastern and western influences, has kept Thessaloniki to the front line of historical developments throughout its history up to this day.

Thessaloniki is a safe and pleasant city to stroll, jog, and live with a fascinating history and culture. Memories of 4000 years of history and civilization, as well as a variety of cultures and languages always characterised the city.

From the 3rd millennium B.C. up to the present day, Thessaloniki has got a very rich and brilliant historic past which includes personalities as King Philip the II, Alexander the Great, Aristotle, and it registers Macedonia and Thessaloniki, its capital city, as the cradle of civilization which fame and glamour surpassed its borders.

When King Cassander of Macedonia founded the city of Thessaloniki in 315 B.C. on the current site, he named the city after his wife, the half-sister of Alexander the Great. The city subsequently gained the reputation of being "Mother of Macedonia", a commercial centre possessing connections with all the ports of the East, its own coinage and a cultural development equal to that to the other ancient Greek cities.

A "Free City" during the Roman era, linked to the East and the West by the Via Egnatia (130 B.C.), it preserved the Greek language and its ethnic integrity, developing into the most populous city in Macedonia with the most important monuments, which some continue to adorn it today. In around 50 A.D, Thessaloniki was part of the Roman Empire, and the Apostle Paul founded the second Christian church on the European continent in Thessaloniki and sent it his known "Epistles to the Thessalonians".

Joint capital (together with Constantinople) of the Byzantine Empire and cradle of the Christian faith and Greek culture, Thessaloniki was the "eye of Europe and particularly of Greece". Thessaloniki still preserves outstanding monuments, which are characteristic of Byzantine art from the 5th until the 14th century A.D.

The artistic, intellectual and religious influences it exerted, contributed decisively to the development of the Balkan peoples, who were converted to the Christian faith by the Thessalonian theologians Cyril and Methodius (863 A.D.) The cult of Saint Demetrius, the city's patron saint, spread all over the Balkan.

At the end of the 15th century the population of Thessaloniki was augmented by an influx of 20,000 Jews driven out from Spain. Thessaloníki became a part of the Ottoman Empire and remained so for almost the next five centuries. Thessaloníki was the birthplace of Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) in 1881, the founder of Turkish Republic and its first President. The city was ceded to Greece in 1912. Thessaloníki is remarkable for its many fine Byzantine churches, for example the domed basilica of Áyía Sofía (early 8th century), and the Church of Áyíos Dimítrios, the city’s patron saint (early 5th century).

Today, Thessaloniki is an important industrial and commercial centre and connects other areas of Greece with the Balkans and the rest of Europe.

It has three universities, the Aristotle University, the University of Macedonia, and the International Hellenic University, an American college, a German school, and a French lycée.

The city was damaged by fire in 1890, 1898, 1910, and especially the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917 destroyed two thirds of the city of Thessaloniki. Also, it was extensively damaged by a powerful earthquake in 1978 (6.5 on the Richter scale).

Thessaloniki has a long history of music and culture, as it has long been home to a colourful mosaic of peoples, from other areas of Greece, the Balkans, North Africa, the East by Greek refugees from Asia Minor, and the persecuted Spanish Jews. Thessaloniki has got two orchestras, the renown and outgoing State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, and the upgraded Symphony Orchestra of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, with extensive repertoires which both regularly perform in the city’s ornament, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, and other Thessaloniki concert halls and outdoor venues (like ancient amphitheatres). Open to the world music, Thessaloniki today has many places with live Greek and foreign music for every taste. Concerts, events, music happenings, tributes, are continuously organised.

Just as you will enjoy the atmosphere in the numerous open-air cafes and bars, you will adore the choice of traditional tavernas and gourmet restaurants. Thessaloniki is designated as a City of Gastronomy by UNESCO.

Nearby Thessaloniki lies the scenic Chalkidikí (or, Halkidikí) peninsula, a very popular holiday destination for both locals and international tourists. You can find more info about holidaying in Chalkidiki in the website of the Halkidiki Tourism Organisation here.

Here you can explore more about your host city: https://thessaloniki.travel/ or, https://inthessaloniki.com/ or, https://www.visitgreece.gr/mainland/macedonia/thessaloniki/ or, https://www.thessalonikitourism.gr/index.php/en/        

Practicalities

The weather in Thessaloniki is pleasantly warm in September.

In Greece there is only a single timezone. Greece is in the Eastern European Time Zone, and hence, Thessaloniki is 2-hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Thessalonians' native language is modern Greek, the country's official language. English is the most popular foreign language in use and most people speak English fluently.

Driving in Greece is not as daunting as it may sound, and renting a car will give you flexibility and freedom. However, Greece has an excellent public transport system, incl trains, KTEL buses and airports. Thessaloniki is a busy city and there are more cars on streets that can be accommodated by city roads. Many of the roads in the city are one-way, especially in the city centre.

Greece is part of the European Union and Greece’s money currency is the Euro (€). The Euro replaced the Greek Drachma in 2002.

Plastic money (Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, etc) is widely accepted in Greece. Still, it would be best if you carry some cash with you, as many street vendors, artists, and small cafés only accept cash, while also cash is the preferred method of tipping in Greece.

Tipping is seen as a gesture of appreciation for good service in Greece, and therefore, it is not considered rude if you choose not to tip, but in general it is customary to tip in Greece. In restaurants, give your tip directly to the person you want it to go to or you can leave it on the table, and allow 10-15% of the bill for fair to good service (but check if service charge isn’t already added in the bill which will be the exception). In bars and café places, no tip is required. Taxi Driver, round up to the nearest Euro. No need to tip for someone opening the door at the hotels. Tour guide, you can tip €2-5 if you wish.

Avoid flushing your toilet paper in the bathroom in Thessaloniki.

It is fine to drink water from the tap in Thessaloniki.

In Greece the power plug sockets are of type C and F, two round pins. The standard supply voltage is 230V and the frequency is 50Hz.

 

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The skyline of Thessaloniki during sunset

The Ladadika area with outdoor restaurants, bars and cafés

The Skyline Tower and Bar, very near to the White Tower, with its gradual 360o rotation

 

 

TRAVEL INFORMATION

How to reach the city of Thessaloniki in Greece.

With a strategic position in Greece and Europe, Thessaloniki is easily accessible by all means of transport. Features an International Airport (called the Macedonia International Airport by IATA code SKG), Railway station, Harbour, Intercity Bus station and it is connected by road with the rest of Greece and abroad through national and international highways. By plane, train, bus, car or cruise ship, see how you can get to Thessaloniki and choose the best for you.

Compare train, bus, and flight options to Thessaloniki with OMIO, or Kayak or other similar websites.            

By plane

The International Airport ‘Macedonia’ (SKG) connects Thessaloniki with approximately 38 countries and more than 60 foreign cities with direct flights, as well as 35 cities and islands in Greece (direct flights and transit). International Macedonia Airport handles over 6 million passengers annually. For example, it has direct flights on a daily basis from London with British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair.

The airport is located just 16 km from the city centre of Thessaloniki. It is connected directly with the city centre via bus lines No 01X and No 01N (night) and via the IKEA transfer station by Halkidiki Bus Station. At the airport area, taxis are stationed in servicing passengers. The cost of the route from the airport to the centre is about 25 euros.

At the airport you will find currency exchange, automatic teller machines (ATM), catering, duty free shops, other retail shops, parking, car rental companies, etc. The airport’s Tourist Information Office operates Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 20:00 (except holidays).

By Train, Bus or Car

Use the following website to guide you if you are planning to use one of the above ways to travel to Thessaloniki.

https://thessaloniki.travel/useful-information/how-to-get-to-thessaloniki/

The Metro of Thessaloniki, an underground rapid-transit system, will open in 2023 and may be open by the time the symposium takes place. It has taken many decades to finish due mainly to the archaeological discoveries in the city centre during construction and in part to the Greek financial crisis.

 

September 21, 2023 – PhD Workshop

September 22-23, 2023 – 12th EARNet Symposium

Location: Thessaloniki, Greece

 

ACCOMMODATION

There are plenty of options for your accommodation in Thessaloniki; hotels, Airbnb bed & breakfasts, room rentals and youth hostels will all warmly welcome you.

5 star hotels:

Mediterranean Palace Hotel is located at the city centre. It is also the conference venue. It’s 800m from the popular Aristotelous Plaza and 1.6km from the White Tower, the trademark of the city.

Electra Palace Hotel is another city centre hotel and within the popular Aristotelous Plaza. It’s 700m away from the conference venue.

Macedonia Palace Hotel is a slightly further away (2.5km, 30-min walk) from the conference venue, but it is situated right on the seafront. You will be walking all along on the city’s stunning seaside and paved promenade, and pass through the White Tower, numerous cafeterias and bars that stay open all night, The Umbrellas, and the statue of Alexander The Great, the legendary king of Macedonia

4 star hotels:

Astoria Hotel is in the same block as the conference venue, and adjacent to the conference hotel.

Capsis Hotel is recently renovated and is about 900m from the conference venue and 1000 yards from the central square of the city (the Aristotelous Plaza).

City Hotel is located in the city centre of Thessaloniki, 650m from the conference venue, 50 metres from Aristotelous Square and 1km from the White Tower.

Diamond Suites Hotel is located 60m from the conference venue and in the Ladadika area.

3 star hotels:

Hotel Luxembourg is 650m from the conference venue and 50 metres from Aristotelous Square and 1km from the White Tower.

ABC Hotel is close to the White Tower and 2.3km from the conference venue.

Plaza Hotel is 80m from the conference venue and in the Ladadika area.

You can find plenty more choices in Trivago, or Kayak, or other online platforms.

See also the tourist information website:

https://inthessaloniki.com/accommodation/

 

 Thessaloniki’s stunning seaside and paved promenade

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Description automatically generated The Umbrellas artwork on the waterfront of Thessaloniki, very near to the White Tower

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Description automatically generated with medium confidenceThe snowy White Tower

 

 

Symposium VENUE

The PhD Workshop and all plenary and parallel sessions of the EARNet 2023 Symposium are scheduled on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 21st to 23rd, and will take place at the Mediterranean Palace Hotel.

Address: 3, Salaminos st, Thessaloniki, 546 26, Greece.

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CONTACT

Symposium Host:

ILIAS G. BASIOUDIS, Aston University Business School, UK. Email: i.g.basioudis@aston.ac.uk

 

 

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Description automatically generated The White Tower, through the famous “Koulouri of Thessaloniki” (a simple Greek bread that's formed into a ring normally and covered with sesame seeds)

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Description automatically generated The White Tower, the trademark of the city

 The White Tower, and the National Theatre opposite

 

 

 

Symposium supporters

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