Hi,does anyone know if you have to attend a conference as part of your PhD training? I can only find info n NERC's site that they encourage it but it is not a requirement. It has come about from a timing perspective as I have a postdoc starting in two months and will be abroad for it.

Thanks

I've never heard of it being a requirement but normally PhD students attend them, as a way of networking, finding out about new research in your area or simply a break away from their own work.

Personally I think they are great and have been to quite a few, ranging from small to large.

If you only have a few months before you leave the country, then it would seem silly to attend a conference just so you have done so, rather than wanting to/needing to.