At Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
The French-Chinese Consortium LIAMA candidates for hosting RTA 2012 at the Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
LIAMA is an operative research hub, hosted by CASIA, the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Tsinghua University. Created by INRIA and CAS in 1997, LIAMA conducts research, training and transfer projects in computer science, automation and applied mathematics. The projects are performed in cooperation between Europe and China and can be hosted by any partner institution.
Organizing committee
Local arrangements will be done by Frederic Blanqui (INRIA) [contact person], Jean-Pierre Jouannaud (INRIA), Jean-Francois Monin (CNRS) and Ming Gu (Tsinghua) from the FORMES team located at Tsinghua.
Timing and programme
We propose to organize the conference in May or June as usual, but it can be organized later if necessary (the weather is very nice at this period of the year with 25 degrees in average).
We could also organize before or after the conference the 4th Asian-Pacific Summer School on Formal Methods as a variant of the International School on Rewriting targeted to Asian students. The 1st school has been organized by ourselves at Tsinghua in August 2009 and gathered about 60 master and PhD students from Asia (mainly from China). Its focus was on Coq and the proof of programs using Why and Frama-C. The 2nd school is again organized by ourselves in August 2010, and its focus is now on type theory and induction. The 3rd school will perhaps be organized by another Chinese institution.
Estimated fees
205 euros including welcome reception, coffee breaks, lunches, proceedings on USB key and printed proceedings + 30 euros for the conference dinner.
Advantages
The Haidian district where Tsinghua is located is the Chinese "Silicon Valley": it concentrates all major universities, research centers (public or private) and students in computer science, and many computer and electronic outlets.
Workshops as well as other combined events can be easily held at the same time and place.
The 4th Asian-Pacific Summer School on Formal Methods would be organized before or after the conference as a variant of the International Rewriting School targeted to Asian students.
All local costs (hotels, restaurants, registration) are cheaper than elsewhere.
Most tourist attractions are within 30 minutes by metro and taxi (for about 35 rmb by taxi and 2 rmb by metro). The Great Wall is only 1 hour away by bus.
Scientific environment
Universities and research centers close to Tsinghua: Institute of Automation (CASIA), Institute of Solftware (ISCAS), Institute of Computing Technologies (ICT), Insitute of System Sciences (ISS), Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Beihang), Peking University (Beida), Microsoft Research Asia, Orange Labs, Nokia Lab, etc.
Companies close to Tsinghua: Lenovo, Google, Intel, AMD, Oracle, Motorola, Sony, Ericsson, Microsoft, Baidu, etc.
Venue
The conference and the workshop will take place in the recent building for the Future of Internet Technologies. The main lecture hall can accomodate 150-200 people, and other smaller rooms can be provided on demand. The school or other events can also take place in the closeby School of Software where other conference and computer rooms are also available.
Visa
It may be necessary to purchase a (tourism) visa to enter China. The cost varies depending on your citizenship. For French people, it costs 35 euros and, after having given the necessary documents (passport, copy of plane tickets, hotel reservation), it takes one week to get it at the Chinese Embassy in Paris. Check the details on the website of the Chinese Embassy in your country.
Currency
The Chinese currency is the Reminbi or Yuan. See the current rmb/euro rate or the current rmb/dollar rate.
Travel
There are many air companies offering direct flights from North America and Europe to Beijing for a reasonable price (around 700 euros). The Tsinghua University is at about 45 minutes by taxi from the airport (about 100 rmb) and 1 hour by subway (25+2 rmb): from the airport express line (1 or 2 stations depending on terminal), take line 10 at Sanyuanqiao until Zhichunlu (9 stations), and then line 13 until Wudaoku (1 station).
Finance
Life in China is by far less expensive than in Europe. See the prices for transports and hotels hereafter. Chinese food is much less expensive than Western food. Western-style restaurants cost the same as in Europe. On campus, a student can have a lunch for about 10 rmb. For a restaurant on campus, count around 20 or 25 rmb per person. Excellent Chinese restaurants are usually below 100 rmb per person.
Transports
A bus ticket costs 1 or 2 rmb. It costs less if you use a card (but the exact price depends on the distance: 0.4 rmb for a few stations). A subway ticket costs 2 rmb. A subway ticket is valid a few hours only. For 20 rmb, you can buy a magnetic card for buses and subways that can be charged whenever it is necessary. Finally, a taxi costs around 50 rmb for 20 km. The minimum price is 10 rmb, plus 1 rmb if the price of petrol is high.
Accomodation
Tsinghua can provide cheap accommodation on campus:
- Student room at Tsinghua for Chinese students: 35 rmb/day (25 rmb/day for women).
- Student room at Tsinghua for foreigner students: 160 rmb/day.
- JinChunYuan ** hotel at Tsinghua: 270 rmb/day.
- JiaSuo *** hotel at Tsinghua: 438 rmb/day.
Local attractions
Beijing is a world-wide known city with a very rich and long history. Among the main places one can visit are the Summer Palace (15 minutes from Tsinghua by taxi), Tiananmen square and the Forbidden City (20 minutes by taxi), various Buddhist temples like the Lama Temple (20 minutes by taxi), the Olympic Parc (10 minutes by taxi) and the Great Wall at about 50 km from Beijing (1 hour by bus for about 50 rmb). You can also do some hiking or rent a bike and do some ride in the Beijing area.
Weather
The temperature at Beijing during summer varies between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius with an average of 25 degrees. July and August are more humid, so showers are possible.
