Kia Ora from New Zealand!
Wiam Id Boumsoud
BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT PHD RESEARCHER
Hello and welcome to my blog about my exciting trip to New Zealand to attend the Australasian and New Zealand Marketing Academy conference (ANZMAC) held in Wellington, New Zealand. If you want to find out more about my experience in this beautiful country then read on...
My experience in New Zealand
With more and more time spent online reading academic articles and books, it’s more important than ever to connect with people offline. In this blog, I will share with you why I think it’s important for a PhD student to attend conferences. The University of Huddersfield offers opportunities for its postgraduate researchers to attend outstanding international conferences – and the most exciting part - I will tell you all about my own experience at the Australasian and New Zealand Marketing Academy conference (ANZMAC) held in Wellington, New Zealand.
Why are conferences important for PhD candidates?
Attending conferences is not a break from research to waste your precious time on a fruitless activity. On the contrary, it is an opportunity to meet peers and professionals in your field, giving you the opportunity to find answers to your research questions, discover groundbreaking ideas and overcome your fears regarding your thesis and what happens after your postgraduate degree.
You might even find your dream job...
Oh YES! Conferences are 'da best' place for networking which means that you are in the right place to forge your professional relationships with academics and practitioners in your field...you might even find your dream job there! So, how do PhD students get such opportunities and how can the University help with this?
Postgraduate Research Conference funding
As a full-time PhD student at the University of Huddersfield, The Business School facilitates my presentation of papers and posters at conferences of national and international standing by assisting with conference registration fees, travel costs and accommodation expenses.
Students can claim up to £1,000 in total throughout the lifetime of their course. All I need to do is provide the acceptance email/letter from the conference and my funding form to the Business School PGR (postgraduate researcher) Support Team.
My own experience in the land of the Kiwis, New Zealand!
As a PhD student in my third year, I have been fortunate to present papers at many conferences abroad. ANZMAC 2019 "the winds of change" was my latest one. ANZMAC is one of the greatest marketing conferences worldwide and is considered to be one of the leading marketing academic research forums in the Asia Pacific, attracting approximately 500 marketing academics.
It includes marketing theory and research and provides a pivotal platform where a huge network of academics, practitioners and educators work on the dissemination of current marketing information, knowledge and research development.
Flying to the other side of the world
As I travelled to the other side of the world, New Zealand, to attend this conference, I thought I’d share every little detail of the trip, from leaving Huddersfield to embark on one of the longest flights in the world. To reach the conference destination of Wellington, I had to fly from Manchester to Doha, from Doha to Auckland and finally from Auckland to Wellington. A very long tiring flight where you eat, sleep, read, eat again, go on social media for hours, eat, play, watch movies, eat, take photos, videos, selfies and once you look at the map you'll find yourself in Australia with another four hours to go to reach New Zealand!
Windy Wellington!
Once in New Zealand, it is literally like experiencing “l'au-delà” where everything is completely the opposite. Day is night, today is still yesterday for the other part of the world, or is it tomorrow? LOL.
Earthquake and volcano safety instructions are as normal as fire drills in the UK. A tornado is simply wind, speaking of which, I found myself in Wellington, the windiest city in the world! (I literally flew many times, especially before the gala dinner when I was wearing a long dress and high heels)!
Postgraduate Research conference
The conference lasted six days: an opening day, two days for the doctoral colloquium and three days for the conference. (Top Tip: attending doctoral colloquiums is a MUST)!
I met peers from different backgrounds, exchanged experiences and brainstormed ideas to change the world for good, using marketing. I met a great professor from New Zealand who really inspired and motivated me. I also discussed my research topic with peers and professors in the field.
And guess what? I made friends - from Australia, South Africa, Austria, India, Mexico, Finland, Saudi Arabia and China. I felt so blessed to attend this conference with so many participants to network with during the conference activities and during our break times.
From conference delegate to tourist
Conference finished, but not the trip…as an instagrammer and tourism lover, I could not go to the other side of the world without enjoying watching the HAKA dance. OMG! I truly do not have the words to express what an absolute pleasure it was to watch the native Maori inhabitants perform this beautiful inspiring war dance.
Coincidently, I found myself in the city where the Weta Cave is, the Academy Award-winning special effects and props company. The Weta Cave brought us The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, King Kong and many others!
Amazing Auckland!
Wellington was not my only destination, I also spent time in the vibrant city of Auckland, which has that urban feel I’d been craving after days of exploring New Zealand’s nature and landscapes. The only place I missed out on was Rotorua, which I’m sorry about as I really wanted to go, so if you visit New Zealand make sure you fit it in!
The dreaded jet lag
It’s not all fun though as I had the WORST jet lag ever!
I just wanted to go back to my comfy cozy bed when I arrived at Auckland Airport to face a 30 hour journey to reach Manchester Airport!
I finally made it back to Huddersfield on a Monday. I actually lived that Monday twice with the time difference, it was like I came back from the future!
If you'd like to find out more about a typical day in my life as PhD student then please read my blog: A day in the life of a Business PhD student.
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