IPSF

International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation – IPSF

General

The International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) was founded in London in 1949 by eight pharmaceutical student associations, of which the Netherlands was one. The federation now represents about 500,000 pharmacy students and is active in over 100 countries worldwide. IPSF is a non-governmental, non-political, and non-religious organization with the aim of promoting the improvement of public health through the provision of information, education and a series of publications and professional activities. In addition, it also promotes international cooperation between pharmacy students. Students today, pharmacists tomorrow.

The initiatives of IPSF are mainly focused on the areas of Public Health and Pharmacy Education. The initiatives consist of Public Health campaigns related to AIDS, smoking and TB, research on pharmacy education worldwide, the Student Exchange Program (SEP), organizing international and regional conferences and symposia, and publication of the IPSF News Bulletin and the scientific supplement Phuture.

IPSF maintains official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In addition, IPSF works closely with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). The FIP is the international interest organization for pharmacy. Every year they organize the FIP conference, where students are also very welcome. The IPSF Secretariat is supported by the FIP in The Hague, the Netherlands. The IPSF office is therefore also located in the same building as the FIP.

IPSF congress

Every year an IPSF conference is organized where the current and former commissioner of foreign affairs of K.N.P.S.V. go to as Official Delegates and speak on behalf of the Netherlands during the General Assembly. In addition to these two people, many other interested students come along every year. This ten-day conference is the ideal opportunity to get to know pharmaceutical students from all over the world and to discuss the study, the profession, cultural differences etc. The bigger the ‘Dutch Delegation’ the better!

The General Assembly takes place at such a congress. There are also two symposium days, workshops, the finals of the Patient Counseling Event and of course a large social program.

World Healthcare Student Symposium (WHSS)

The World Healthcare Students Symposium (WHSS) is organized in collaboration with EPSA and aims to improve cooperation between students from different disciplines at international, national, regional and local level.

Active as a student within IPSF

IPSF is run by 10 pharmacy students from all over the world. The board changes during the General Assembly at the IPSF Congress. On the site: http://ipsf.org/executive you can get acquainted with the board and their functions. Besides the board there are many committees and coordinators where you can also be active as a K.N.P.S.V. member.

Would you like to become active within IPSF? Send an e-mail to the commissioner of foreign affairs, Henrik Huizinga, commissairebuitenland@knpsv.nl

More information about IPSF can be found on www.ipsf.org.