Experience IPSF European Regional Symposium 2025

The next edition of the IPSF European Regional Symposium (EuRS) is just around the corner. To get an idea of what such an international event entails, you can read about the experiences of the previous edition below. 

IPSF 5th European Regional Symposium (EuRS) 2025

Mac Bloos, L.P.S.V. „Aesculapius", first-year Biopharmaceutical Sciences student

Communication and motivation

I learned about IPSF and its international conferences through the 122nd board of the K.N.P.S.V. In the conference room, the foreign affairs commissioner shared all sorts of interesting stories and showed photos of the world conference she attended. She told me about the European Regional Symposium that would be held that year in Newcastle, England. Inspired by the positive stories, I decided to go. Arranging registration and arranging all the necessary supplies went very smoothly. If anything was unclear, I could always contact the foreign affairs commissioner with questions.

Transportation and accommodation

There was no transportation arranged to get from the airport to the hotel, so we arranged an Uber ourselves, which cost about 6 euros per person. The accommodation was very well arranged; we stayed in a comfortable hotel, in double rooms with a private shower and toilet. Breakfast was included in the hotel price and consisted of a buffet with plenty of choices, including a delicious English breakfast.

ETA

An ETA has been required to travel to the United Kingdom since 2025. Arranging one wasn't difficult, but it cost about 15-20 euros and involved downloading an app with a few questions.

Content

The theme of EuRS was "Health for All." Several lectures were given on various relevant topics, such as antimicrobial resistance and the clinical use of genomics. The workshops also had varying themes and were very interactive. There was also an excursion to a museum and a mini job fair organised during lunch on one of the days. The days concluded with fun activities, such as International Night, British Night, and Gala Night. International Night was a highlight for me; it was great fun to try the delicacies and traditional drinks of the different countries. After the conference, I received a certificate of participation.

Costs

The conference itself cost €330, but I opted to join the two-day post-symposium tour to Edinburgh, which cost €150. This included breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as access to the educational and social programs. Drinks for British Night and Gala Night were at my own expense. The price of the post-symposium tour also included bus transportation from the hotel in Newcastle to Edinburgh. We decided to travel back from Edinburgh with Flixbus and fly back from Newcastle, which cost €12. The return flights to Newcastle were approximately €230, including a checked bag. We also spent some money on Uber to travel faster between the hotel and the university, which amounted to approximately €30 for the week.

Conclusion

It was a super interesting and enjoyable experience, where I met many people from all different countries and also learned new things about the pharmaceutical sector in other countries.

In 2026, I plan to attend EuRS again, which will be held in Oslo, Norway, this time. I also plan to attend the World Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, to experience an even larger congress.

Would you like to attend the upcoming IPSF European Regional Symposium in Oslo, Norway? Register on February 17th and contact the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs at commissarisbuitenland@knpsv.nl