EUPCA Alumni Network - A New Meeting Platform and Think Tank for European Palliative Care Leaders

Background/aims: The European Palliative Care Academy (EUPCA) introduced a European Leadership Course, funded by the Robert Bosch Foundation. Since 2013 three groups of leaders, 59 participants, from different professions and several European countries have been educated. Within the EUPCA strategy was the formation of an alumni network. The aim of our project was to establish an official EUPCA Alumni Network as a meeting platform to discuss leadership issues and to serve as a European palliative care think tank.
Methods: A group of leaders, from varying backgrounds, professions and countries, from the European Palliative Care Academy met in September 2018 in order to discuss the formation of a EUPCA Alumni Network. After a meeting within this group a steering committee was formed and meetings with the EUPCA steering committee and the Bosch foundation were held during the EAPC congress in May 2019. All EUPCA alumni were invited to join the network.
Results: The initiative led to the formation of a EUPCA Alumni Network. The EUPCA alumni steering committee has 7 members from different European countries and professional backgrounds. The first EUPCA alumni think tank meeting will be held March 11-13th 2020 in Valeta, Malta. To date 21 of the 59 participants have already registered to participate. The alumnis’ wishes for the network are: 1. further education and exchange regarding leadership issues; 2. collaboration in international project implementation, delivery and research; 3.advocacy and policy making. The EAPC taskforce Last Aid and the Last Aid Research Group Europe (LARGE) have been initiated by EUPCA alumni.
Conclusion: The EUPCA Alumni Network has been established and will hopefully serve further cooperation and education of European Palliative Care Leaders from all over Europe. Additionally ongoing projects, run by the alumni members, may influence the future practice of Palliative Care. One Example is the Last Aid Research Group Europe (LARGE). Results from the Malta Conference will be presented.