Terms and Conditions for Registration, Payment and Attendance:

By registering for, attending, or participating in the International Conference on Mycorrhiza 2026 (“ICOM2026”), managed by the “Organisers” (including the International Mycorrhiza Society, the ICOM2026 Local Organising Committee, its directors, employees, volunteers, agents and affiliates), all participants (“Delegates”) agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. It is your responsibility to review these terms and conditions prior to the purchase of registration. You enter into this agreement in your own personal capacity, and also for and on behalf of:

1. any business or organisation which you represent or which employs you; and
2. any guest other person(s) for whom you complete registration for ICOM2026, (each of which is a “Relevant Person”) and you warrant that you:
   1. have the express authority of all Relevant Persons to enter into this agreement on its/their behalf;
   2. have provided a copy of this agreement to all Relevant Persons; and
   3. have the consent of each Relevant Person (being an individual) to provide their personal information to the Organisers.

The term ‘delegate’ used below includes delegates and/or all relevant persons.

The term ‘ICOM2026’ used below includes all aspects of the conference, including the Early Career Researcher Day, the main conference, and any workshops or field trips.

1. Registration and Payment

1. Registration is confirmed only after full payment of the applicable fee has been received and acknowledged by the Organisers.
2. All registration fees are stated in Australian dollars (AUD) and are inclusive of GST.
3. Delegates are responsible for any bank or credit-card charges incurred in the payment process.
4. If payment is not received by the stated deadline(s) (as published on the ICOM2026 website), the Organisers may cancel the provisional registration.
5. If an International Mycorrhiza Society (IMS) Membership registration option is selected, the registrant must be a member of the IMS in good standing as at the time of registration to qualify for the reduced fee. All registrants will be reviewed and if found not to hold current IMS membership, the registrant will be sent a reminder to register with the IMS as a member. If membership is not taken within five (5) business days of this notification, an additional bill to cover the extra fees associated to non-member registration will be supplied to the applicant. Should these extra fees not be paid by 29 days prior to the conference start date, the Organisers reserve the right to cancel the registration with refunds as per the Delegate Cancellations and Refund Schedule below.
6. A discount has been provided for delegates from countries designated as low and lower- middle income by the World Bank Income Classification of 2025 (See www.worldbank.org). To be eligible for this discount, delegates must live and work in one of these countries.

2. Visa and Entry Requirements

1. Delegates requiring a visa to enter Australia must make their own arrangements in good time (e.g., via the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs).
2. Visa processing delays or refusals do not entitle the Delegate to a refund outside the stated Delegate Cancellations and Refund Schedule.

3. Code of Conduct and Behaviour

1. By registering, attendees agree to abide by the Conference Code of Conduct and to all health, safety, and security instructions issued by the Organisers, and Third-Party Suppliers.
2. The Organisers reserve the right to refuse entry to, or remove, any Delegate or Relevant Person whose behaviour is in breach of the Conference Code of Conduct. In such cases, no refund will be provided.
3. Views, personal beliefs, or opinions expressed by any speakers, presenters, sponsors, exhibitors, or affiliates at ICOM2026 are not necessarily reflective of the beliefs and opinions held and expressed by the Organisers, our members, or subsequent conference speakers, presenters, sponsors or affiliates.
4. The Organisers cannot control all content published or disseminated at the event. The Organisers cannot and do not accept liability for advice given, or views expressed, by any attendee, sponsor or exhibitor at the conference, or in any material provided to attendees by third parties.

4. Health and Safety

1. Delegates and Relevant Persons are obliged to follow any official regulations regarding health and hygiene that are valid during the conference runtime. Such regulations are considered official and mandatory if publicly announced by the Government officials or via Government channels of communication. It is the Delegate or Relevant Person’s responsibility to keep current on these matters.
2. The obligation to follow official health and hygiene regulations applies not only to COVID-19 but to any other pandemic or epidemic that might occur in the future.
3. You must not attend any in-person component of ICOM2026 if you have been diagnosed as having COVID-19 or another communicable disease, or are feeling unwell with symptoms that may indicate infection with a communicable disease including, but not limited to, fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or unusual levels of fatigue.
4. Delegates attend the Conference at their own risk and are responsible for any medical costs incurred as a result of illness before, during, or after the event.

5. Delegate Cancellations and Refund Schedule

1. All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing by email to info@icom2026.org. Verbal or informal cancellations will not be accepted. Refunds will be processed as per the refund schedule outlined in 5b-5f.
2. Cancellations received 60 days or more before the Conference start date: registration fee refunded minus a 25% administration fee.
3. Cancellations received 30–59 days before the Conference start date: 50% refund of the registration fee.
4. Cancellations received fewer than 30 days before the Conference start date: no refund is available.
5. Delegates who do not attend and have not cancelled in accordance with this policy are considered no-shows. No-shows are not eligible for any refund.
6. ICOM2026 does not accept any liability for losses incurred if ICOM2026 is cancelled or postponed due to an unforeseen occurrence or any other occurrence that renders performance of ICOM2026 inadvisable, illegal, impracticable, or impossible. An unforeseen occurrence shall include, but not be limited to: an Act of God, infectious disease outbreak, industrial disruptions, service provider failures, governmental restrictions and/or regulations, war or apparent act of war, terrorism or apparent act of terrorism. disaster, civil disorder, disturbance, and/or riots; curtailment, suspension, and/or restriction on transportation, or any other emergency.

6. Substitutions

1. A registered Delegate may nominate a substitute to attend in their place at no additional charge, provided the Organisers receive written notice at least 72 hours before the Conference begins.
2. Only like-for-like registrations may be substituted. For example, IMS member registration rates are not transferable to non-IMS members. If a substitution is requested that is not like-for-like (e.g. substitute professional delegate attendee instead of a registered student attendee) whereby the substitutee would incur a higher registration cost, the extra costing will be charged at the time of the request at the standard registration rate for that category. Failure to pay this extra costing by the start of the conference will result in cancellation of the registration as per the Delegate Cancellations and Refund Schedule.
3. Substitution requests must include the substitute’s full name, affiliation, email address and any dietary/access requirements.
4. Substitution requests made after the 72-hour deadline may not be accepted and may instead be treated as a cancellation with refunds as per the Delegate Cancellations and Refund Schedule.

7. Changes or Cancellation by the Organisers

1. While the Organisers will make reasonable endeavours to stage ICOM2026 as advertised, the Delegate agrees that ICOM2026 Organisers have the right to make changes to the programme, speakers, venue (currently Cairns Convention Centre), or dates as published on the ICOM2026 website. Such changes do not constitute grounds for a refund, nor do the Organisers bear any liability for other costs incurred by the Delegate due to these changes. If any changes occur to ICOM2026 as advertised, reasonable endeavours will be made to arrange for reasonable substitutes, subject to availability and the circumstances that made the change(s) necessary or desirable. Notice of substantial and material changes will be placed on the ICOM2026 website. The Delegate is responsible for checking for such notifications/alerts prior to ICOM2026.
2. In the event the conference cannot be held face-to-face and is amended to a virtual delivery due to events beyond the control of the Organisers (incl. force majeure) or due to events which are not attributable to wrongful intent or gross negligence of the Organisers, the Organisers cannot be held liable by Delegates for any damages, costs, or losses incurred, financial losses, etc. Under these circumstances, the Organisers reserve the right to convert face to face registrations to virtual registrations.
3. If the Conference is cancelled or postponed for reasons within the Organisers’ reasonable control, Delegates will be offered either: (a) a full refund of registration fees, or (b) transfer of their registration to the rescheduled event. The Delegate must notify Organisers by email within five (5) business days of a notice of postponement that: (i) the Delegate wishes to attend the Event as postponed, whereupon the Organisers will retain monies paid by the Delegate to date and apply them to their registration for ICOM2026 as postponed; or (ii) the Delegate cannot, or do not wish to, attend ICOM2026 as postponed, whereupon the Organisers will refund all monies paid to date. If the Delegate does not notify the Organisers within the time required by this clause, they will be deemed to have accepted the postponement and item (i) of this clause applies.
4. If cancellation or significant disruption occurs due to events outside the Organisers’ reasonable control (e.g., natural disaster, pandemic restrictions, government orders, industrial action), the Organisers will make reasonable efforts to deliver an alternative or rescheduled event. In such “force majeure” situations, the Organisers are not liable for non-recoverable costs incurred by Delegates, including travel, accommodation, insurance, or visa expenses.

8. Travel, Accommodation, and Insurance

1. Delegates are responsible for arranging and paying for their own travel and accommodation. The conference venue is Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, Australia.
2. The Organisers are not responsible for any travel or accommodation expenses, or for any losses arising from changes to ICOM2026 or personal circumstances.
3. The Organisers have arranged for various discounted suppliers to help the affordability of attendance at the conference. The Delegate does not need to take advantage of these offers and is free to book with suppliers they deem appropriate.

9. Personal Responsibility and Insurance

1. Delegates and Relevant Persons participate at their own risk.
2. Registration fees do not include insurance of any kind. Delegates are strongly encouraged to obtain appropriate travel insurance, including cover for cancellation, medical expenses, and travel disruption.
3. The Organisers do not accept responsibility for the loss, theft, or damage of personal belongings.

10. Release of Liability

The Delegate releases the Organisers from liability for any losses, costs (including legal costs and disbursements) damage or claims, including but not limited to:

1. death or personal injury of any kind sustained by Delegates or any Relevant Person;
2. damage to, loss of or destruction of a Delegate’s and any Relevant Person’s property of any kind;
3. damage to a Delegate’s reputation or that of any Relevant Person, except to the extent that such loss, cost, damage or claim is directly caused by the negligence of the Organisers (but in which case, the Limitation of Liability clause applies).

No individual member of the Organisers shall bear personal liability for any claim arising out of or relating to ICOM2026.

11. Limitation and Exclusion of Liability

1. To the extent permitted by law, the Organisers shall not be held liable for any loss, damage, injury, delay, inconvenience, or expense sustained by a Delegate or any other Relevant Person. Any claim by a Delegate and/or Relevant Person may have in respect to the Goods or Services supplied in connection to ICOM2026, which claim is pursuant to a statutory right that cannot be excluded, the Organisers liability is limited in the case of: Goods: to the replacement of the goods or the cost of having the goods replaced or repaired whereby payments for any of these are limited to the sum of the monies actually paid by the Delegate in connection with the Delegates’ registration for ICOM2026; Services: to the resupply of the services or the cost of having the services resupplied.
2. To the extent permitted by law, the Organisers shall not be held liable to the Delegate and any Relevant Person for any other cause of action, including but not limited to breach of contract, negligence or other breach of duty: (i) for travel and accommodation expenses, loss of enjoyment, loss of profit, loss or revenue, lost cost savings, loss of opportunity, loss of enjoyment or indirect or consequential loss of any kind, is excluded in full; and (ii) for any other loss, is limited in aggregate to the sum of the monies actually paid by the Delegate in connection with the Delegates’ registration for ICOM2026.
3. To the extent permitted, the express rights set out in this Agreement are the Delegates’ sole rights of cancellation and the Delegates’ sole entitlements to a refund or partial refund.

12. Third-Party Services

ICOM2026 will rely on services provided by Third-Party Services (e.g., venues, caterers, transport providers, accommodation providers). The Delegate agrees that:

1. All goods and services supplied in connection with ICOM2026 (including but not limited to transport, accommodation, the venue, food and beverage, audiovisual services, security, cleaning, programme content and entertainment) will be supplied by Third-Party Services who are all independent contractors of the Organisers;
2. They must comply at all times with the terms and conditions of each Third-Party Service connected with ICOM2026, and with any lawful directions given by their authorised personnel. A breach of this on the part of the Delegate may lead the Organisers having liability to Third-Party Services, and the Delegate acknowledges and agrees that:
   1. their negligence or breach of this Agreement or of the venue’s terms and conditions of entry may cause the Organisers to be in breach of contractual obligations (including indemnities) or other duties or obligations that the Organisers may have to the venue operator or other Third-Party Suppliers, other Delegates, exhibitors at, or sponsors of, the Event; and
   2. any loss or liability the Organisers incur to the venue operator or any other Third-Party Supplier as a direct or indirect consequence of the Delegate’s act or omission, whether or not Organisers have assumed such liability contractually, is a reasonably foreseeable loss recoverable by Organisers from you, the Delegate.
3. The Organisers are not vicariously or jointly liable responsible for the performance, actions, or omissions of such third parties, and Delegates must address any disputes directly with those providers.

13. Indemnity

1. The Delegate must indemnify and keep the Organisers indemnified against all losses, costs and expenses (including actual legal costs and disbursements on a full indemnity basis) incurred in connection with any claim, demand, action or proceedings arising wholly or partly, directly or indirectly, from an act or omission on the part of the Delegate, and whether such claim, demand, action or proceeding is founded wholly or partly on:
   1. the Delegates’ unlawful act or omission, negligence, breach of contract (including this agreement), or other breach of duty or any cause of action whatsoever; and/or
   2. any term of a contract by which the Organisers are made liable for the Delegates’ act or omission, or otherwise.
2. The Delegate acknowledges and agrees that their actions and omissions as a Delegate may make the Organisers liable to Third-Party Suppliers, including under indemnities.
3. The indemnity in this clause applies except to the extent that such claim, loss, cost, or expense is directly caused by the Organisers’ negligence, but in which case, the Limitation and Exclusion of Liability clause applies.
4. You as the Delegate acknowledge and agree that the indemnity in this clause is not the Organisers’ exclusive remedy.

14. Photography, Filming, and Recording

1. ICOM2026 events may be photographed or recorded for reporting, educational or promotional purposes by a Third-Party Supplier engaged by the Organisers, or by the Organisers themselves. By attending, Delegates consent to reasonable use of their image or voice in such material.
2. Delegates wishing not to be photographed must notify the Organisers in writing at info@icom2026.org; while all reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate this, exclusion from wide crowd shots cannot be guaranteed.
3. Delegates agree that they are not entitled to remuneration, residuals, royalties or any other payment from ICOM2026 or its Organisers or Third-Party Suppliers in respect of their image/likeness or its use. Delegates release, discharge, and hold harmless, ICOM2026 and its agents from any and all claims, demands or causes of actions that they may hereafter have by reason of anything contained in the photographs or video.

15. Data Protection and Privacy

1. The Delegate and Relevant Persons consent to ICOM2026 Organisers collection, use and disclosure of their personal information, including sensitive information as defined in the Privacy Act 1998.
2. The Organisers will collect and store personal data solely for the purpose of administering the Conference and related communication.
3. Subject to paragraph 15e, the Delegate consents to ICOM2026 publication of a Delegate list and to disclosure of Delegate personal information, including “sensitive” personal information, to Suppliers, to the extent ICOM2026 considers it necessary or desirable to enable them to provide appropriate goods or services to the Delegate (such as dietary or accessibility requirements).
4. Subject to paragraph 15e, the Delegate consents to ICOM2026 publication of a Delegate list and to disclosure of Delegate personal information to sponsors and exhibitors participating in ICOM2026.
5. The Delegate may withhold consent for disclosure of their personal information to sponsors and exhibitors during the registration process or by notifying ICOM2026 manager Bronwyn Thuaux at info@icom2026.org

16. Intellectual property

1. Some speakers may agree to share their presentation slides (where available) with a specific Delegate only. This content is not intended for wider distribution – sharing, broadcasting and/or copying of this content is not permitted according to Australia’s intellectual property laws. Please be respectful of these speakers’ intellectual property so that we can continue to offer similar content in future events.
2. Unless specifically prohibited during the abstract submission process, abstracts may be included in an ICOM2026 conference e-book with a sponsoring publisher. All intellectual property associated with the abstract remains with the authors of the abstract.
3. For intellectual property reasons, audio and video recording of presentations by Delegates is strictly prohibited during ICOM2026 without prior consent. If you fail to comply with this term, ICOM2026 Organisers or their representatives or agents may require you to leave the session or the conference without refund.

17. Special Dietary Requirements

We will make efforts to accommodate special dietary requirements. These requirements may not be catered to unless requested before the event registration closing date. Please clearly indicate your requirements (where indicated) in your online registration form. Special requests on the day cannot be guaranteed.

18. Accessibility Requirements

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible conference experience for all attendees. For an outline of the venue accessibility information, please go to https://www.cairnsconvention.com.au/plan/accessibility/. While we will make every effort to accommodate your specific mobility or health requirements, please note the following:

• Budget limitations: Some support options may be subject to budgetary constraints. In the unlikely event that we are unable to fully provide a requested aid or service, we will contact you to explore alternative arrangements.
• Timeline considerations: To ensure we can meet your needs, please submit your requirements during registration or no later than 60 days prior to the conference start date. Requests submitted after this date may be subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
• Collaboration: For complex or highly specialised requirements, we may need to work with you directly to determine the best possible solution.

Your understanding is greatly appreciated as we strive to create an accessible and welcoming environment for all Delegates. For questions or concerns, please contact our team at info@icom2026.org

19. Allergen Plan

As part of the Delegate package, the Cairns Convention Centre has contracted to produce non-allergenic meals, avoid wastage and accurately deliver meals according to the following plan:

1. Allergen information timeline:
   1. Event Manager will collect through online registration information provided by the ICOM2026 Organisers and the Delegate, information matches the Centre’s Allergen Management Plan in a standardised form.
   2. ICOM2026 Organisers will provide this information to the Centre 2 weeks out from the event in an Excel format. If Delegates register or change their allergen meal plan following this, they acknowledge that it may not be possible to cater for the changes.
   3. The Executive Chef assesses the allergen report and create a Dietary Meal Plan and Allergen Matrix. The Delegate agrees to the ICOM2026 Organisers to share their personal information and contact with the Cairns Convention Centre Executive Chef so that the latter may contact the Delegate to discuss allergy requirements.
   4. The Cairns Convention Centre will provide Allergen Chef Cards that will be distributed to the Delegate at registration. The Delegate agrees to keep this card with them throughout the event to show to catering staff in catered breaks to ensure they get the correct meal.
2. Allergenic Meal Service Method: Once the processing of non-allergenic food has been completed, the service of the items still presents a risk either by way of contamination or by misdistribution. In order to minimise those risks, the Cairns Convention Centre has contracted with the Organisers to implement the following measures:
   1. Implemented protocols during Buffet Lunch Service include:
      • A trained staff member will be present on the floor at a flagged location to ensure clear communication with delegates.
      • When applicable, a dietary station free of relevant allergen will be implemented. A trained staff member will ensure no cross-contamination occurs at this buffet.
      • If a special meal is required, outside of the scope of what is included on the Dietary buffet, a meal will be prepared and stored securely in an adjacent servery until requested by the client.
   2. Implemented protocols during Networking Function, Morning tea & Afternoon Tea include:
      • Individual canapé plate will be prepared, labelled to the name of the delegate, covered and served when requested.
      • A trained staff member will be present on the floor at a flagged location to provide information.

20. Amendments

1. At the time of registration, ICOM2026 provided the most recent information available and the Delegate accepts that the content and/or the delivery of the event can change beyond the control of ICOM2026 Organisers.
2. The Organisers will not take any responsibility for any errors, omissions and changes to the program or content of the event. The Organisers reserve the right to make changes as they deem necessary without penalty and in such situations no refunds, part refunds or alternative offers shall be made.
3. The Organisers reserve the right to update the Terms and Conditions without notice to the Delegate. It is the delegate’s responsibility to keep current with the Terms and Conditions page.
4. The Delegate alone is solely responsible for their interaction with other Delegates and agree to act responsibly and exercise caution, common sense and safety while in attendance at the event.

21. Governing Law

1. These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Queensland, Australia.
2. You accept the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of that place and that any disputes arising from registration or attendance will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Queensland.