TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Number

INTRODUCTION 3

HISTORY 4

AIMS 6

IPSF POLICIES 7

MEMBERSHIP 9

EXECUTIVE 13

CONTACT PERSON 17

PROJECTS 21

RELATED ORGANIZATIONS 38

CLOSING REMARKS 36

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IPSF SECRETARIAT
Andries Bickerweg 5
2517 JP The Hague
THE NETHERLANDS

Tel: +31-70-302 1992

Fax: +31-70-302 1998
Email: ipsf@fip.nl

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 INTRODUCTION TO THE IPSF CONTACT PERSON HANDBOOK

To develop well, a profession must be directed by its members. The pharmacy students and
young graduates of today are the future members of the profession. Their ideas are
therefore important, as it is they who will promote the future changes of Pharmacy.

The IPSF, International Pharmaceutical Students Federation is the International body

which unites the pharmacy students associations of the different member countries around
the world. IPSF introduces pharmacy students and recent graduates to the world of
internationalism and thus creates the opportunity for interaction between different nations,
which leads to communication between people of different nations, cultural understanding,
and also the spreading of knowledge. Internationalism is not only an important aspect for
pharmacy as a profession, but also plays an important part in the development of a person’s
character and outlook on life, and so in turn their approach within our field.

The activities of IPSF offer the opportunity to look beyond one’s national boundaries.
Through these activities, students can meet, work and compare ideas with colleagues from
all over the world.

Consequently, the aim of IPSF is to study and promote the interests of pharmaceutical
students and to encourage international co-operation among them.

This handbook was originally developed to spread IPSF Awareness in member

organisations and is now used to provide IPSF Contact Persons with all material needed to
perform their tasks.. It provides information on the Federation itself, its projects, and the
role and duties of the Contact Person (further referred as CP).

This handbook is an official document and should be treated as such. Please pass it on to
your successor and keep always in mind that the work of the CP is vital to fulfil the aims
and objectives of the Federation.

Oriol Lacorte
IPSF Public Relations 1998-99

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 HISTORY

The initiative to start an international federation of pharmaceutical students originated

within the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (BPSA). In 1948, this organisation
arranged a meeting in London. A negotiating committee of four was appointed, and, in the
following year, the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation was founded in
London. Eight countries, representing 11 votes, were present.

IPSF was the first international faculty student organisation. From the start, the aim of the
federation has been to be a professional, non-political organisation, uniting groups from all
over the world to discuss common problems and to exchange ideas.

The organisation of IPSF was fostered in the beginning by the Federation International
Pharmaceutique (FIP) and today these two organisations still maintain very close contacts.

Congresses were held biannually from 1949 to 1961. Since that date, they have become
annual events. Before 1961, study tours were arranged in the intermediate years, being the
first in 1952. Ski camps were arranged annually from 1961. In the beginning of the 1970s,
however, they were removed from the official program as interest in them was low.

The first IPSF News Bulletin appeared in 1951. After a period of uncertain life, a
permanent printing was introduced and a remarkable improvement of quality was achieved.

The Student Exchange Program was started in 1953 and was revised in 1968. It has since
undergone several structural changes. The purpose of the program is to offer students the
opportunity to observe and work in pharmaceutical establishments in a foreign country.
Almost 40 countries are eligible to participate in the IPSF Student Exchange Programme.

In 1978, another type of exchange, the Holiday Exchange, was introduced. Its aim was to
facilitate holidays in a foreign country. Due to a lack of interest, the Holiday Exchange
was abandoned in 1981.

In 1966, IPSF began co-operation with the International Federation of Medical Students’
Associations (IFMSA) and the World University Service in a Joint International Drug
Appeal. Each year a group of donor countries were asked to collect drugs for a group of
recipient clinics in various developing countries. The project lasted for several years.

The Development Fund (DF) was established in 1969. Its aims are to further the objectives
of the federation and to assist the pharmaceutical students from developing member
countries to fully participate in all activities organised by IPSF

To publicise the Federation, IPSF has a Membership Promotion Committee. Members of

this committee are individuals appointed to promote IPSF membership in diverse regions.
The first commissioner was appointed in 1957.

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IPSF is now represented in more than 60 countries, with 30 Full Members.

1999 will see the 50th anniversary of IPSF, and congress will be back to London, where the
Federation was founded. The 50th Anniversary stands as a testament to the drive, passion
and dedication of the world’s pharmaceutical students, whose efforts will see this worthy
Federation reach the half century mark.

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 AIMS

The object of the Federation is to study and promote the interests of pharmaceutical
students and to encourage international co-operation among them.

It pursues this object by

1. Establishing a permanent form of contact with representative organisations of

pharmaceutical students;

2. Promoting the exchange of ideas by international correspondence and by

encouraging full dissemination of scientific and professional knowledge;

3. Encouraging the formation and development of national and local

pharmaceutical student organisations without trespassing upon their domains;

4. Collecting opinions and information on the subject of pharmaceutical education

and by suggesting improvements where necessary with the aim of attaining
quality of pharmaceutical education;

5. Organising annual international pharmaceutical students’ congresses;

6. Encouraging and promoting international visits and exchanges of students;

7. Producing the IPSF News Bulletin as an official publication;

8. Co-operation with other international student organisations on a scientific,

educational and cultural plane only, the Federation being non-political;

9. representing the opinions of pharmaceutical students in discussions with

professional, governmental and non-governmental organisations.

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 IPSF POLICIES

IPSF works based on the policy statements adopted at its General Assembly, using these to
represent the members' views in all discussions and to set up new projects in accordance to
the principles expressed in those statements. These statements are also used by member
organisations to give strength to their own statements and to make public the beliefs of the
international community of pharmacy students, in several regards.

1. Ethics. The pharmacist, as an ethical person, should base him/herself on principles of

justice, equality and other basic human rights.

2. Health. The pharmacist should be a member of the primary healthcare team.

3. Pharmaceutical education. The sole criterion for entrance to pharmacy studies should
be the relevant academic requirements.

4. Pharmaceutical profession. The pharmacist’s expert knowledge of drugs should be

employed at every stage of drug development, manufacture and distribution. The
pharmacists should be the responsible for giving advice on all aspects of drug therapy to
patients and other members of the healthcare team.

5. Student activities. IPSF promotes international co-operation which is designed to

motivate the students towards a responsible attitude and a meaningful contribution to the
development of pharmaceutical services.

6. Apprentice training. This should be done in an appropriate pharmacy under the

supervision of a registered pharmacist. The apprentice pharmacist must receive
specialised instruction in patient counselling, counter prescribing, first aid and business
management. If possible, the apprentice pharmacist should be given the opportunity to
work in hospital, retail and industrial environments.

7. Patient counselling. IPSF strongly encourages and supports the role of the pharmacist
as a patient educator, counsellor and consultant on all aspects of medication and health
care.

8. Continuing education. IPSF strongly encourages pharmacy education or regulatory

bodies around the world to strive for effective continuing education programs which
will educate the pharmacist, a medication expert, on new pharmaceutical developments.

9. AIDS. IPSF recognises the severity of AIDS and its impact on all aspects of society. It
also realises that there is a multi-national crisis to deal with and that ignorance is fatal.
IPSF is aware that the only way to prevent the spread of this disease is through
information and education of the public. This will be achieved by co-operation with

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 national AIDS Campaigns and the joint effort of member countries of IPSF by
participating in the “AIDS Awareness and Education” program.

10. Prescribing authority. IPSF supports the prescribing authority of the pharmacist
when suitable education is provided. The prescribing authority of the pharmacist is
supported by IPSF under protocols or where the need of the public outweighs the need
of the protocols.

11. The role of the pharmacist in self-care and self-medication. IPSF recognises that
the pharmacy profession has a crucial role to play in ensuring responsible self-care
including self-medication. IPSF recognises that in order for pharmacists to ensure
responsible self-care and self-medication, that they must exercise ethical practices at all
times and endeavour to understand the patient's perspective.

12. Tobacco. IPSF actively supports the profession of pharmacy in its committed role
in taking action against the smoking pandemic as an important part of our professional
responsibility. Furthermore, IPSF shall endeavour to take every opportunity to campaign
for a “tobacco-free world” and shall encourage the active involvement of
pharmaceutical students in smoking prevention.

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 MEMBERSHIP

There are several membership categories in IPSF. These have been grouped according to
two very different situations:

 Student organisations
 Individuals

A. STUDENT ORGANISATIONS

 Full Member (FM): Full Membership may be granted to nationally

representative organisations of pharmaceutical students. A nationally
representative organisation is one which represents pharmaceutical students
from the majority of schools of pharmacy in a specified nation, being a
nation a community of people having a government which is recognised by
the UN.

 Member in Association (MiA): Any other pharmaceutical student

organisation may be granted Membership in Association

1. PRIVILEGES OF FM AND MiA

Full Members and Members in Association enjoy the following privileges:

 Participation in the Student Exchange Programme
 Participation in the Development Fund Programme
 Participation in the Information & Education Programmes
 Receiving invitations to congress
 Receiving reports on congress activities
 Receiving regular publications and information about the Federation

Full Members alone have the following privileges:

 Forwarding motions at General Assemblies
 Voting at General Assemblies

2. DUTIES OF FM AND MiA

 To appoint a committee or a Contact Person to be in charge of the IPSF affairs.

 To work within the framework of the organisation, the decisions of the General
Assembly and Executive Committee
 To keep the Executive Committee informed of the proceedings and activities of the
organisation
 Provide the Executive Committee with all information required

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 To appoint official delegates to the annual General Assembly and to complete the
official credential forms
 To pay the annual IPSF membership fee
 To carefully study the IPSF Constitution, Domestic Rules and Standing Orders
 To appoint a Student Exchange officer, who shall maintain an effective and speedy
co-operation with the member organisations concerned

3. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP (FM and MiA)

a) Application for membership shall be made on appropriate forms available from the
Secretary General, the Chairperson of Public Relations or the IPSF Web page.
b) The application forms for FM and MiA must be signed by the President or
Chairman and two officers of the applicant organisation.
c) Applications for FM and MiA of the Federation must be received by the Secretary
General at least two months before the General Assembly at which the application
will be considered.
d) An organisation that previously lost its membership of IPSF may only reapply after
a two year period of non-membership.
e) If a member organisation resigns from the Federation and chooses to re-apply for
membership, they must pay all fees owed to the Federation at the time of
resignation before the re-application shall be considered.
f) When the application has been approved by the General Assembly, the first
membership fee is to be paid to the IPSF treasurer. New members shall only
receive their privileges upon payment of the stipulated membership fee.

4. MEMBERSHIP FEES (FM and MiA) - according to Constitution App 1, Art 3

a) New members shall only receive their privileges upon payment of the stipulated
membership fee. All new Full Members and Members in Association shall pay their
membership fees before the start of the next General Assembly or they shall lose
their membership and can only reapply after a two year waiting period.

b) Subsequent membership fees shall be due and payable before the first of March of
the current financial year. If the membership fees are not paid before this date, the
member organisation shall be deemed to be in arrears.

c) Nations are ranked by their per capita income, measured by the Gross Domestic
Product (GDP). The latest available statistics figure of the UN shall be used. The
GDPh is equivalent to the highest GDP figure of a nation having member
organisation in the Federation.

d) Nations are divided into five groups as follows:

 Group A: all countries in which GDP > 75% GDPh
 Group B: all countries in which GDP = 50-75% GDPh
 Group C: all countries in which GDP = 25-50% GDPh
 Group D: all countries in which GDP = 10-25% GDPh

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  Group E: all countries in which GDP < 10% GDPh

e) The following formula is used to calculate the fees:

 FEE = B*IF*NF

B= Basic Fee
IF = Income Factor
NF = Number Factor
 1.0 for over 1000 members and for group E
 0.8 for 500-1000 members
 0.6 for 200-500 members
 0.4 for under 200 members in the organisation.

 Full Members: The Basic fee for FM is 250 Dutch Guilders and the Income
Factor (IF) is as follows:
 1 for Group E
 2 for Group D
 3 for Group C
 3.5 for Group B
 4 for Group A

 Members in Association: The Basic Fee for MiA is 125 Dutch Guilders and
the Income Factor (IF) is as follows:
 1 for Group E
 1.5 for Group D
 2 for Group C
 2.25 for Group B
 2.5 for group A

Should the calculated fee be less than the Basic Fee, the organisation shall be charged the
Basic Fee.

A 15 Dutch Guilder charge for banking administration shall be added to all membership
fees.

B. INDIVIDUALS

 Individual Member (IM): Pharmaceutical students and pharmacy

graduates up to four years after graduating from their first degree in
pharmacy, who wish to actively participate in the activities of IPSF may
become an Individual Member.

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  Honorary Life Members (HLM): The title of HLM may be conferred on
any individual who has rendered marked service to the Federation. The title
of HLM shall be conferred on individuals by the General Assembly.

 Friends of the Federation (FoF): Any person who wishes to support and
advance the aims of the Federation both morally and financially, may
become an IPSF Friend of the Federation.

1. PRIVILEGES

All members shall have the following privileges:

 Participation in the annual Congress
 Regular publications and information about the Federation.

Only Individual Members may participate in other IPSF activities.

2. ADMISSION OF IM AND FoF

a) Applications for Individual Membership and Friends of the Federation shall be

made on the appropriate forms, available from the IPSF Secretariat, Contact
Persons, Membership Promotion Officers and IPSF Web-page.

b) Individual Membership and Friends of the Federation become effective upon

receipt of the appropriate membership fee and a completed application form.

3. MEMBERSHIP FEES

The annual membership fee for IM shall be 75 Dutch Guilders for one year, 115
Dutch Guilders for 2 years and 240 Dutch Guilders for 5 years, inclusive of 15 Dutch
Guilders for banking administration.

The minimum annual membership fee for FoF shall be 75 Dutch Guilders for one
year, 115 Dutch Guilders for 2 years and 240 Dutch Guilders for 5 years, inclusive of
15 Dutch Guilders for banking administration.

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 IPSF EXECUTIVE

The activities of IPSF are co-ordinated by a seven member Executive Committee

comprising the President, Secretary General, Treasurer, Chairperson of Information &
Education, Chairperson of Public Relations, Chairperson of Publications and Chairperson
of Student Exchange. The Executive Committee is helped in fulfilling its duties by the
appointment of individuals or student organisations to whom special responsibilities are
conferred.

The Executive Committee 1998-99 is composed of the following people:

A. PRESIDENT: Gonçalo Sousa Pinto (Portugal) – s.pinto@mail.telepac.pt

The duties of the President are to direct the activities of the Executive and those of
the Sub-Committees. He/she also represents IPSF at official functions, and
ensures maintenance of contacts and liaisons between related outside bodies and
the Federation. The President is also responsible for furthering relations with
professional contacts and Allied Organisations.

B. SECRETARY GENERAL: Helena Westermark (Sweden) –

detordnarsig@hotmail.com

The duties of the Secretary General are to attend to the correspondence of the
Secretariat and to keep records of the proceedings of the Executive meetings and
General Assemblies. He/she is also responsible for the updating of the IPSF official
documents and for distributing appropriate documents to IPSF member
organisations.

C. TREASURER: Satu Siiskonen (Finland) – satu.siiskonen@helsinki.fi

The Treasurer manages the Federation´s finances and ensures the viability, clarity
and transparency of all transactions and financial matters of IPSF. He/she performs
all financial transactions on behalf of the Federation and is also in charge of the
administration of the Development Fund. The Treasurer also prepares a detailed
budget for the current financial year and produces quarterly summaries of the
accounts of the Federation.

D. CHAIRPERSON OF INFORMATION AND EDUCATION: Mitja Kos

(Slovenia) – kosfamily@siol.net

The Chairperson of Information & Education organizes the annual Congress

symposium in conjunction with the Congress Reception Committee and convenes
the scheduled Information & Education meetings at the Congress. He/she collects

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 and supplies all the relevant information on pharmaceutical education and is
responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation and impact of the
IPSF Information and Education Projects. He/she is also the Chairperson of the
Scientific Sub-Committee, and co-ordinates a programme of events with the
members of this sub-committee.

E. CHAIRPERSON OF PUBLIC RELATIONS: Oriol Lacorte (Spain) –

jolacorte@acmcb.es

The Chairperson of Public Relations is in charge of carrying out a programme to

spread IPSF in non-member nations through the co-ordination of a Membership
Promotion Committee. He/she evaluates, on a yearly basis, the methods and
successes of IPSF in both member and non-member nations. He actively publicises
the Federation, serves a speaker and provides with the necessary promotional
materials to any other speaker for the promotion of IPSF. He/she liases closely with
the President and Treasurer in obtaining appropriate sponsorship and funding for
the Federation.

F. CHAIRPERSON OF PUBLICATIONS: Thomas Luft (Germany) – luft@gmx.net

The Chairperson of Publication edits, publishes and co-ordinates circulation of the

IPSF News Bulletin and its supplements, as well as of any other official
publications. He/she carries out a programme of work to ensure a constant supply of
articles and information for the IPSF publications and updates the information
available about IPSF on the World Wide Web.

G. CHAIRPERSON OF STUDENT EXCHANGE: Melandi Stander (South Africa)

–
fmsms@puknet.puk.ac.za

The Chairperson of Student Exchange facilitates the smooth running and

organisation of the IPSF Student Exchange Programme (SEP). He/she is
responsible for updating, printing and distributing the IPSF SEP Information
Booklet and Student Exchange Officer guidelines. The Chairperson of Student
Exchange publishes detailed statistic data about the SEP every year and convenes
the scheduled SEP meetings at congress.

All officers, except for the Secretary General and Treasurer, are elected annually at the
General Assembly. The Secretary General and Treasurer are elected on alternate years for
a two year term of office.

The Executive may appoint Sub-Committees to work on specific projects. There are
currently six Sub-Committees, which are as follows:

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1. MEMBERSHIP PROMOTION

The Membership Promotion Committee (MPC) aims to increase the number of member
organisations by establishing contacts with pharmacy students all over the world and by
assisting them in the formation of student organisations. The MPC also encourages all
forms of membership of the Federation. The MPC consists of several officers, having at
least one officer per continent. It is their task to establish a first contact with
pharmaceutical students from countries of a defined area. The Chairperson of Public
Relations, who is responsible for the follow-up of these contacts and the functioning of the
committee, chairs the MPC.

2. DEVELOPMENT FUND COMMITTEE

This committee consists of three different member organisations and the IPSF Treasurer,
who chairs the Development Fund Committee (DFC). The Treasurer and members of the
committee evaluate all applications for financial assistance and approve or reject them.
Please refer to page 27 for further information on the Development Fund.

3. SCIENTIFIC SUB-COMMITTEE

The Scientific Sub-Committee (SSC) consists of four members including the IPSF
Chairperson of Information & Education, who chairs it. The SSC is responsible for
supporting the organisation of the scientific symposia, both on local/national and
international levels, in collaboration with the organisers. The SSC is also responsible for
editing a scientific supplement, called Phuture, to the IPSF News Bulletin.

4. CONSTITUTIONAL WORKING PARTY

The Constitutional Working Party (CWP) was set up in the 42 nd IPSF Congress in the
Czech Republic. The CWP annually reviews in-depth the IPSF Constitution, Domestic
Rules and Standing Orders to adapt it to the real needs of the Federations and assure its
efficient and smooth running. The CWP was originally set up for a three year period and it
is currently in its third and last year.

5. SPONSORSHIP SUB-COMMITTEE

This committee consists of three members and is chaired by the IPSF Treasurer. Its main
task is to assist the IPSF Treasurer in obtaining appropriate sponsorship and funding for the
Federation.

6. NEEMA CO-ORDINATING GROUP

The Neema Co-ordinating Group (NCG) consists of a member of the IPSF Executive
Committee who is the Chairperson of the NCG, an International Co-ordinating Group
(ICG) and a Local Co-ordinating Group (LCG). The NCG is responsible for the running of
the Neema Village Concept Project, which aims to attain a permanent improvement in the

15
standard of living of the population of Kiromo Village, in Tanzania. For further
information on this project, please refer to page 29.

The IPSF Executive and sub-committees are in touch with a Contact Person in each
member organisation, who is also in regular contact with pharmacy students represented in
this organisation, and with Contact Persons in other member organisations.

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 CONTACT PERSON

Since IPSF is a Federation of organisations, the Contact Persons (CPs) are key persons in
its structure. The CP is the basic link between IPSF and the pharmaceutical students
in the member organisation of IPSF. Hence, the work of the CP consists of bringing
IPSF to the pharmaceutical students.

Every member organisation shall elect or appoint a Contact Person, preferably a

committee, to be in charge of their contacts with IPSF. It is usual to hold a period of office
for one or two years. The election normally takes place at the association’s annual General
Assembly.

Member organisations of IPSF have different structures and should fit in the Contact
Person in a way that is most efficient for them. However it is strongly recommended that:

a) member organisations separate the positions of the Contact Person and Student
Exchange Officer in order to facilitate the fulfilment of their different
responsibilities in these two areas.

b) the CP is automatically a member of the Committee or Board of the member

students’ organisation. The CP must be able to have close contact with other
board members in order to inform, consult and discuss matters arising. The CP
represents the organisation and, therefore, does not hold an isolated position.

c) one or several assistants are appointed, especially where the member

organisation is a national one, consisting of several faculty/school sub-
associations. It is advisable that each of these sub-associations or faculties have
an assistant of their own or a sub-Contact Person.

A. GENERAL WORK

Please note that as the IPSF Contact Person in your organisation, it is your responsibility to
ensure the following points. This does not mean that you should perform all the following
actions yourself. You should find and co-ordinate a team, delegate to responsible people,
but always make sure that the work is being done. Remember that as a Contact Person you
are accountable to the IPSF Executive Committee.

1. Keep the IPSF Executive informed about the proceedings and work in your
organisation.

2. Inform the National Board, pharmacy students and relevant people of IPSF
activities and projects. Remember that you are in charge of the implementation of
IPSF projects in your organisation, and that this is one of your major tasks. For

17
 further information on this regard please refer to the following chapter, IPSF
Projects and Activities.

3. Pass on information about IPSF to members of your organisation. This can be done
through posters, leaflets, articles in student and professional journals and bulletins,
meetings, talks....

4. Send the required reports on time to the IPSF permanent address.

5. Be responsible for ensuring the payment of the annual IPSF membership fee. The
IPSF Treasurer sends the invoices in October and you should make sure that the fee
is paid immediately after this notification. Remember that according to the IPSF
Constitution the fee is due on March 1 st of each year. If the fee is not paid before
this date, you organisation shall be deemed to be in arrears and may lose some of its
rights.

6. Be responsible for arranging that your organisation is represented at the annual

IPSF Congress by one or two official delegates. Instruct these delegates fully. They
are, after all, representing your organisation and your country.

7. Promote IPSF Individual Membership amongst students and recent graduates.

8. Provide articles for each issue of the IPSF News Bulletin. Be responsible for
distribution of the IPSF News Bulletin to students, libraries and organisations.

9. Inform the Secretary General of any functions, congresses, meetings etc. held by
the organisation, for the IPSF Meeting List.

10. Provide the Chairperson of Information & Education with information on all
matters concerning pharmaceutical education, of interest to the organisation itself,
and submit the facts required by the Chairperson of Information & Education for
the compilation of the IPSF report on the Symposium topic.

11. Study carefully the IPSF Constitution, Domestic Rules, Standing Orders,
and these instructions;

12. Make sure your organisation is actively raising funds for the Development
Fund and be responsible for pursuing the objectives of the Development Fund in
accordance with the IPSF Constitution. Please refer to page ---- for further
information.

13. Appoint as official delegates to the annual IPSF General Assembly up to

two persons whom are pharmacy students or whom have graduated from their first
degree in pharmacy less than four years previously. The member organisation is
also responsible for completing the IPSF credential forms and send one copy to the
IPSF Secretary General.

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 14. Be sure that you receive IPSF information regularly. This should include:
 4 IPSF Circulars through the year. This circular contains information and
messages from the Executive Committee to the Contact Persons as
representatives of member organisations and other individuals involved in
IPSF. These circulars may include other official documents, such as the
Address List, Meeting List…
 3 editions of the News Bulletin per year
 All material for the IPSF General Assembly (2 months before congress),
together with the minutes from the previous General Assembly

If this is not the case, inform the IPSF Executive at the IPSF Secretariat

B. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ELECTION:

Once you have been elected or appointed as Contact person for your organisation, and in
order to give the IPSF Executive Committee the possibility to instruct you on all relevant
matters, you are kindly requested to follow these instructions:

1. Send your name and address to the IPSF Secretary General at the permanent address.
Include a list of the board members and their addresses. If possible also include a fax
number and an email address.

2. The CP Handbook should be carefully studied. You should familiarise yourself with the
IPSF Domestic Rules, Article 4 : “Instructions to Member Organisations”.

3. Check that you have sufficient supplies of IPSF promotional materials available, such as
Information leaflets, Student Exchange Programme leaflets, News Bulletins…

4. Meet with the immediate past Contact Person to discuss and learn about the work and
responsibilities of the Contact Person. Make sure that you receive his/her CP Folder
with all relevant documents. A good hand-over can help you a lot to fulfil your duties
and start an effective work from the very first moment.

C. CONTACT PERSON FOLDER

To ensure that the Contact Person has access to all relevant information about IPSF, new
and old documents should be kept together in a folder.

The Contact Person Folder is to be passed from Contact person to Contact Person during
the hand-over session, and it should include the following:

 IPSF Constitution
 IPSF Standing Orders

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 IPSF Domestic Rules
 IPSF Annual Report
 IPSF CP Handbook
 IPSF Circulars
 Address List
 Meeting List
 Congress Minutes
 IPSF Promotional Material
 Student Exchange Application Forms
 Development Fund Application Forms
 Individual Membership Application Forms
 Congress Application Package
 A copy of all editions of the IPSF News Bulletin
 A copy of all IPSF publications
 + any other communication between the IPSF Executive Committee and your
organisation and between your organisation and other IPSF members.

20
 IPSF PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

This chapter will provide you with up-to-date information on the diverse IPSF Projects.
Please remember that as a Contact Person you are the link between IPSF and the pharmacy
students in your organisation. This does not mean that you are responsible for
implementing all the projects, but you MUST forward this information to interested
students in your organisation and form a committee that will be in charge of studying and
implementing the project either at local or national level.

In some of the projects’ description you are also given useful tips to help you in the
implementation of the project.

 PHARMACY EDUCATION

It is a general belief that national pharmaceutical organisations should take action to ensure
that both pre-university and post- university qualifications are designed to equip
pharmacists for the roles they have to undertake. If we have a look on present trends at
pharmacy facuties we can see they are all changing their curriculum in a way or at least
thinking how to change it in order to meet the needs of the changing society. The need for
guidelines is obvious.

The WHO- FIP World Congress on Pharmacy Education, New Orleans April 1998 was
held in order to prepare a draft of Good Pharmaceutical Education Practice (GPEP). The
base of the draft is the concept of the 7 Star Pharmacist accepted at the 1997 FIP Congress
in Vancouver, which recognises the most importasnt qualities of the future pharmacist:
Caregiver, Decision maker, Leader, Manager, Lifelong Learner, Communicator and
Teacher. IPSF is actively participating at preparation of this important document for the
pharmacy profession.

IPSF is also in close cooperation with EPSA (European Pharmaceutical Students

Association) preparing a Joint Document on Pharmacy Eduction within the so called
EPSA-IPSF Joint Working Group. This document is meant to give students' perspective on
pharmacy eduction. The Document is going to be divided in the following chapters:

1. Evaluation for Quality and positive Change

2. Educational Input of Professionals
3. Student Mobility
4. The Educational process
5. Content of Pharmaceutical Education, Flexibility and Relevance.

IPSF also took the initiative to co-operate with other regional student organisations on the
preparation of this document to get a common output.

21
During the 43rd congress in Vancouver, IPSF held a UNESCO sponsored Forum to discuss
the role of the pharmacist of the 21st century to meet the needs of the society of that time
and what kind of education will be necessary to achieve that professional profile. Some
other preparatory meetings have been convened following the Forum in order to give
participants to the UNESCO Collective Consultation an opportunity to discuss the draft
declaration on Higher Education and Action Framework that were presented at the
UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education last October. For further information on
this conference please refer to the chapter on Allied Organisations or contact the IPSF
Chairperson of Information & Education.

 COMPLIMENTARY EDUCATION

After realising that there was much more to the profession of pharmacy than what we learn
at our faculties, IPSF implemented this project. Every year, the Federation chooses one or
more topics that are considered to be important in our professional development but that
are not covered by the majority of pharmacy curricula. The Chairperson of Information and
Education prepares a collection of information on that topic and makes it available on
IPSF’s homepage as a set of links to the chosen topic, as well a publishing articles in the
News Bulletin. So far, Pharmaceutical Care and Biotechnology were covered by this
project.

Check the IPSF homepage (http://www.pharmweb.net/ipsf.html) for some extra

information.

 IPSF PATIENT COUNSELING EVENT (PCE)

The concept of patient counselling on an international level has been one of the most
exciting developments in the pharmacy profession during the last few years. At the IPSF
Congress in 1989, this concept was initiated on an international level and has continued
with great success. Until 1998, the Patient Counselling Event was supported and co-
sponsored by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).

The IPSF PCE teaches pharmacy students the elements of a good patient counselling
session and provides students with an opportunity to practice and demonstrate those skills.
The major objective of the PCE is to encourage pharmacy students in their efforts towards
becoming better communicators and Patient educators. A handbook providing an overview
on how Patient Counselling Events work and how they can be organised on a local,
national or international level, can be obtained from the IPSF Secretariat upon request.

As a Contact Person, you are asked to investigate the possibility of implementing a patient
Counselling Event in your country and if possible, contact the IPSF Chairperson of
Information & Education for further information and guidance.

22
 AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Adolescence is a period of profound change, not only physical but also mental and
emotional. It is a time of discoveries and new experiences, which for teenagers usually
involve initialising sexual activity and the use of alcohol and drugs that impair judgement.
Also, risk is often seen as an “appetiser” and there is a widely spread feeling of
immortality. To add up it is known that during adolescence, there is a tendency to do things
in the opposite way older people say they should be done. For these reasons young people
are at a greater risk of becoming infected with HIV. Yet, adolescence is the time when
people start making decisions taking into account their consequences for themselves and
for the other. It is time when youngsters start choosing for themselves not only what to
wear and how to look, but also how to behave and what kind of role-models they prefer.

With these facts in mind, IPSF created the AIDS Awareness Campaign, which is a
framework for assisting pharmacy students world-wide to help younger people fight
against HIV/AIDS. This campaign does not only provide knowledge to the target group
but, as a true public health campaign, it addresses attitudes and beliefs and builds up skills
and self-esteem.

This project aims to promote health through the prevention of HIV infection. Its target
audience will be made up of young people aged from twelve to sixteen years of age. In
educating these young people we hope to help prepare a new generation of people who can
protect themselves from HIV and who have the capability of one day educating other
children in the same way.

The agents of this campaign will be pharmacy students who will receive appropriate
information from IPSF and training from the project-managing team, and who will go to
schools or to other youth centres on a voluntary basis and establish contact with young
people.

The aims of this project ban be achieved by:

 Improving young people’s knowledge about HIV/AIDS

 Promoting attitudes and practices that prevent the transmission of HIV
 Building up skills that will help young people to effectively protect themselves

There are five essential components in this campaign. They are as follows:

1. Preparing the campaign: management and implementation.

2. Training the educators
3. Interacting with the target group
4. Maintaining the momentum of the campaign
5. Monitoring the quality of the process and evaluating its impact.

23
Promotional posters and Booklets with further information are available from the IPSF
Office upon your request. The Booklets will provide you with all information on how to
address and implement the campaign. As Contact Person, you should find some students
interested in the field of Public Health, and who will adapt the project to the reality of your
country.

Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the IPSF
Chairperson of Information and Education.

 TOBACCO ALERT CAMPAIGN

This campaign uses the same type of framework as the AIDS Awareness Campaign.
Following the footsteps of the World Health Organisation, that has selected smoking as one
of its main targets for action, IPSF decided to implement a campaign aiming to help stop
this epidemic at its very source: through prevention of smoking among children from 10 to
12 years of age.

In order for this campaign to be effective, our main focus is not on the purely scientific
aspects of the risks of smoking. This campaign has much more to do with communication
skills and psychology than with pathology. Our aim is to change attitudes and behaviours
towards smoking and we cannot do that by merely distributing information pamphlets.
Communication skills are one of the most fundamental working tools of the pharmacist and
that is why we feel we should start putting them to use while we are students.

The agents of the campaign will be pharmacy students who, on a voluntary basis, will
receive appropriate information from IPSF, and who will go to schools or to children
centres and establish contact with them.

The project aims to reduce the number of young smokers by:

 providing children with accurate information about long and short-term risks and
effects of smoking before they start;

 destroying myths and stereotypes of “being cool” and “looking independent” that
young children often associate with smoking;

 helping young children develop skills to assist them in refusing to use tobacco;

 helping children develop projects that will further the aims of the campaign after the
sessions with pharmacy students and therefore, give continuity to the campaign;

 establishing communication with children in a way that they will understand, accept
and remember the information and skills that will be passed on to them.

24
This project follows the same structure as the AIDS Awareness campaign, and has the
same components. Materials have been prepared by IPSF to be used by members as a tool
to implementing this project and are available upon request from the IPSF Secretariat.
After receiving all materials from the IPSF Office, you should also gather a group of
students who will investigate the possibility of implementing the project in your country,
and who will be instructed by the IPSF Chairperson of Information & Education.

 STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

The IPSF Student Exchange Programme (SEP) allows students from IPSF member
organisations or Individual Members to live and work in another country. Participants have
the chance to experience first-hand the way pharmacy works in another country, meet with
pharmacy students from different places and exchange ideas and information.

The programme runs throughout the year, but most exchanges take place between May and
September. Each exchange is from one to three months in length. Students may select from
work sites in retail, hospital, industrial and university based pharmacy settings. Students
can select from an exchange list of over 30 countries. Room and board are usually provided
by the host; some countries also provide a small stipend for spending money. Travel
expenses are responsibility of the student. The application process is easy and inexpensive.

The official IPSF SEP Application Form must be used for all exchange applications.
Details on how to complete it will be received from the Student Exchange Officer in your
National Association, according to the SEP booklet.

The fee for participating in the SEP is 70 Dutch Guilders, 35 of which are used by IPSF for
administration. If the student is placed, the host SEO gets 35 NLG. If the student is not
placed, he/she gets 35 NLG back. If the student is placed but renounces to the position, the
host SEO gets 35 NLG.

Member organisations must take into account that it is strongly recommended to separate
the positions of the Contact Person and Student Exchange Officer in order to facilitate the
fulfilment of their different responsibilities in these two areas.

The task of the Contact Person in regards to the Student Exchange Programme is to fully
provide all applicants with relevant information on IPSF and its projects, in order to
facilitate the exchange of ideas with other students when successful applicants go on
exchange.

Important: It must be stressed that IPSF can give no guarantee that a host will be found
for each applicant. This depends entirely on the student organisation in the host
country.

 TWINNING SCHEME

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The “Twinning Scheme” was launched to encourage new members to participate in the
activities of IPSF. The basis of this scheme is that 2 countries are paired up. These
partnerships can mutually benefit in many ways, such as invitations to each other
congresses’, pen friends, joint projects… Twinning Schemes are regardless of the
development stage of the countries involved, but it is recommended that countries in
different stages of development twin for mutual understanding and co-operation.

 IPSF PUBLICATIONS

The main publication of the Federation is the IPSF News Bulletin, which is circulated 3
times a year. Articles published in the News Bulletin are written by students and recent
graduates from member and non-member countries. Members thus have an opportunity to
share their ideas, thoughts, ideals and experiences with the rest of the pharmacy world. The
IPSF News Bulletin is a means to broadcasting information about current student events
and activities and expresses the members’ opinions on current topics of pharmaceutical
interest. It has a global circulation of around 2000 copies.

A supplement on a specific scientific topic, called Phuture is included in the News Bulletin
once a year. It includes opinions from different health professionals and students around
the world and gives the basic idea and details of the topic, describing the basic situations in
nations around the world and trying to transfer the ongoing discussions at an international
to a local level and stressing its importance.

IPSF also contributes an article to each edition of the International Pharmacy Journal (IPJ),
published by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and contributes articles to
organisations and journals interested in the future of pharmacy.

The IPSF Contact Person plays an important role in submitting articles and in distributing
the finished productions. Following a decision of the last IPSF General Assembly in
Finland, the Chairperson of Public Relations will regularly supply Contact Persons with
relevant IPSF Articles and Press Releases and it shall be the responsibility of the Contact
Person to endeavour to ensure the publication of those in appropriate student and
professional journals.

 IPSF WEB-PAGE AND MAILING LISTS

Please remember to check often the IPSF Web-page:

http://www.pharmweb.net/ipsf.html

where you will find up-to-date information about the Federation, its project and activities,
congress, our chat room, related organisations and other relevant information.

26
While visiting the IPSF Web-page, you can also register for the IPSF Mailing List. The
IPSF Mailing List is used to send latest information about IPSF to its members. If you
would like to join this mailing list follow the link from our web-page and register.

There are two more mailing lists, the CP Mailing List and the SEO Mailing List. If you are
still not registered in the CP Mailing List, you are kindly requested to do so by sending an
email to the IPSF Chairperson of Publications. Through this mailing list, you will be given
the opportunity to receive information that appeals directly to you as Contact Person and
you will also be able top communicate smoothly with other Contact Persons. Please
encourage the Student Exchange Officer in your organisation to register in the SEO
mailing list using the same procedure.

 PEN PAL SCHEME

If you have ever wondered what it is like to study pharmacy in America, or what the
weather is doing in Finland, or perhaps you want to know the price of a Big Mac in
Hungary, now you can by linking up with pharmacy students around the world by e-mail

At the beginning of 1997, the world got a little bit smaller for pharmacy students with the
introduction of a Virtual Pen Pal Scheme. The aim of this scheme is to increase
communication around the globe by utilising the rapidly expanding resource of e-mail.

All you have to do is visit the IPSF Web-page (http://www.pharmweb.net.ipsf.html) ,

register and pick a name from those students who have already signed up to the scheme.
Just pick a student, send them an e-mail, and wait for a reply It is that simple and... It could
be the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

 DEVELOPMENT FUND

IPSF has not only been interested in promoting membership in developing countries, but it
has also shown concern for the material needs of pharmacy students in these countries. The
Development Fund (DF) programme was established in 1969, upon suggestion by
pharmacy students in Sweden. Every year since its establishment, financial support has
been given to several students to enable them to attend the annual IPSF Congress.

A form available from the Treasurer has to be completed and returned by the applicant
with all necessary documents supporting the application by the specified date

 Administration: The Fund is administered by the IPSF Treasurer. She is assisted by a

three member committee (the DF Committee), elected annually by the IPSF General
Assembly. The Treasurer and members of the committee evaluate all applications for
assistance and approve or reject them.

 Donations:

27
 a) A member organisation may collect money regularly throughout the year,
sending the total to the DF account with a note to the treasurer. The donor may
specify if the money is to be used for any particular purpose.
b) By contacting the Treasurer, a member organisation will receive suggestions for
a specific purpose for which to collect funds.
c) The congress Reception Committee (RC) will organise a DF Auction at the
annual IPSF Congress for which the RC appeal for gifts from participants. All
congress participants should plan to bring two items with them.

 Applications.
A form available from the Treasurer has to be completed and returned by the
applicant with all necessary documents supporting the application.

 Role of the Contact person

1. CPs must note it is their responsibility to help raise funds for the DF.
2. Put up simple posters about DF in your school or department.
3. Write letters of appeal to individuals and organisations.
4. Make appeals for the DF through your student magazine or that of the
pharmaceutical society of your country.
5. Include a DF pamphlet in every letter that you write.
6. Give the pamphlet as handout to possible sponsors.
7. The CPs of countries with restrictions on the transfer of money must inform the
Treasurer immediately when a monetary contribution is collected for the DF.
8. Consider the possibility of entering the Twinning Scheme. Make the necessary
contacts.

 BOOK APPEAL

The DF extended to include a “Gift in Kind” Program and under this title came the IPSF
Book Appeal, which began in the early 1970’s. Pharmaceutical textbooks are collected
from pharmacy students in the developed countries where there is a real need for text
books.

The world in which we live and indeed, the world, in which students prepare to enter the
pharmacy profession, is characterised by diversity. The reality of this is clearly seen in the
differences between access to education, the availability of resources, the quality of
education, and in the kind of opportunities that are offered to students from developed
countries versus those in developing countries. It is these factors that tend to separate
pharmacy students more than differences in culture, geographical location and language.

Pharmacy students from developing countries often do not have access to recent editions of
essential text books and references or cannot afford such items in order to help them study
successfully and to supplement their lecture notes.

28
In an attempt to address this issue, the Federation set up the IPSF Book Appeal. IPSF
believes that by supplying pharmacy students in developing countries with textbooks, that
one small step is being taken to give those students an opportunity to increase their
pharmaceutical knowledge. Furthermore, by providing these students with essential
materials such as textbooks, IPSF is able to make a small but significant contribution to the
development of the pharmacy profession.

The IPSF Book Appeal depends on the generous contributions of students, pharmacy
educators, pharmacy libraries, organisations and corporations. Whilst almost any
pharmaceutical textbooks are welcomed by the recipients, a recommended reading list has
been drawn up to identify which books are considered more important and which should
therefore receive priority treatment. Books that are a few years old or for which there are
new editions are often still more up to date than many of the books being currently used in
some developing countries and would still be considered useful by many students.

Books that are donated to the IPSF Book Appeal are made available for the benefit of a
large number of pharmacy students rather than for individual students. The books are
placed in university libraries, communal areas and in study rooms.

The greatest challenge experienced so far in the course of this ongoing project is the
distribution of the donated books. Whilst many donors send the books directly to the
recipients, many more books are sent directly to the IPSF Secretariat where they lie in wait
until such time and sufficient funding are available to cover the costs of forwarding them to
the recipients. To date, all attempts that have been made to gain support for this project
from distribution companies have proved fruitless but IPSF continues to seek support in
this regard.

Should your organisation be interested in participating in the IPSF Book Appeal in any
capacity, or should you require any further information on this project, please do not
hesitate to contact the IPSF Secretariat. We will gladly provide you with the recommended
reading lists of pharmacy students from countries throughout the world and look forward to
answering your questions.

 NEEMA VILLAGE CONCEPT PROJECT

A Village Concept Project (VCP) is a student organised multisectorial project which aims
to provide health care facilities to a given population in a developing country, and to attain
a permanent improvement in the population’s health conditions and living standards after
the completion of the project. The base of the NEEMA VCP is Kiromo Village. The
village is included in the Bagamoyo Medical Health District and is situated about 10 Km
south of the headquarters of the medical district in the city of Bagamoyo, Tanzania.

Pharmacy students, together with students from other disciplines, are responsible for the
co-design of the project and the contact and preparation of volunteers. The main goal of
pharmacy students as part of the team on the project will be to improve the health status of

29
the villagers. This will be done through various means, like the setting up of a dispensary
and health education.

The main operational goal in Kiromo is to set up a dispensary available to the population.
A dispensary in Tanzania is not simply a place where medicines are dispensed. The project
workers hope to cure the most common diseases prevalent in the area. Primary health care
will be given and doctors will attend the population regularly. The medicines will be
stored, prepared when necessary and distributed by pharmacy students. The ultimate goal
of the project is to improve general health conditions and the awareness of the population
to common illnesses and their prevention and treatment, and to train the villagers to face
and solve the real situation and health problems of their everyday life once the project is
finished.

International students will spend between 3 and 6 months living and working in the village.
Pharmacy students will be responsible for the day to day running of the pharmaceutical
side of the dispensary as well as co-ordinating and implementing health campaigns.

At the last IPSF Congress in Finland, a new Neema Co-ordinating Group (NCG) was
established, ), formed by a Local Co-ordination Group (ADUPS – Tanzania), an
International Co-ordination Group ( APhA-ASP USA, BPSA Great Britain and CAPSI
Canada) and chaired by the IPSF Chairperson of Public Relations 1998-99. The main
objectives of the NCG are the international promotion of the project to member
organisations, allied organisations and professional bodies,, adapting the efforts of the
project according to the local needs, co-ordinating the production and dissemination of
promotional materials and raising funds to help fulfil the aims of the project.

The role of the Contact Person in the NEEMA VCP is of promotion to the students in your
organisation. Joining the international efforts, you may also consider organising an event to
raise funds for the project and becoming a NEEMA supporter.

Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the IPSF
Chairperson of Public Relations.

 IPSF CONGRESS

The focal point of IPSF activities is a 10 day-congress held in a different country each
year. The congress aims to provide an international forum for the review and discussion of
all subjects which may advance the objectives of the Federation and those of pharmacy
students throughout the world. It is also an ideal opportunity to improve relations between
countries, student organisations and individual students.

The congress host, which is a member organisation of IPSF, is decided upon by the
General Assembly two years in advance.

30
The 1999 Congress will be held in London (Great Britain) from 12-23 August. The
congress is organised by a Reception Committee (RC) which consists of members
appointed by the host. The RC works closely with the IPSF Executive and to assure this,
the RC Chairman is a co-opted member of the IPSF Executive for the year prior to
congress.

This year Congress will see the 50th Anniversary of the Federation. The Chairperson of the
Reception Committee, Niall Poole (RCChair99@aol.com) and the rest of the Reception
Committee are working hard to ensure this congress is a fitting tribute to fifty years of
international co-operation.

 Why to come to congress?

The congress in the most important activity of the Federation. For Full Members it
gives the opportunity to influence the future of the Federation by using their voting
rights and passing resolutions during GA. For all members, it is the opportunity to
make new suggestions, contribute opinions and share their ideas with colleagues
from all over the world.

 How to participate?
Several months before congress, a circular is sent to all CPs, IMs and HLMs. This
contains preliminary information, Application Forms (AF), information about the
congress fee, the deadline for application and the full address of the RC. After the
AF is completed and returned, the applicant waits for notice that the form has been
received.

When the application has been accepted, the applicant should make travel plans.
When travel plans are known, the applicant should inform the RC, so that proper
arrangements may be made.

As the number of participants is often limited, it is advisable to apply as early as

possible in order to secure a place.

 The Congress Programme includes the following:

A. Delegate Interviews: These will take place shortly after arrival. These are
informal meetings where the IPSF Executive Committee and official delegates
have the opportunity to get acquainted and answer any questions delegates may
have. At the Delegate Interview, the IPSF General Secretary will inform the
delegates whether their Credential Form (sent to all CPs in the May Circular for
completion) has arrived. As this is the only manner of accrediting delegates in
order that they may vote at GA, delegates should also make sure to bring the
second copy of the credential form with them and to hand it to the Secretary
General if so requested. The Credential Form also allows the General Secretary
to know who the official representatives of a member organisation are, and those
are reflected into the official minutes. It is therefore important to submit the

31
 credentials both for Full members and Members in Association, so that it is
officially recognised that you organisation was actively contributing to the
General Assembly.

B. General Assembly (GA): Policy statements and future IPSF Projects are
discussed and the elections for the Executive Committee for the following year
are held. All official delegates must attend all GA sessions.

C. A one-day Symposium: A full day event, where guest speakers address the
audience on aspects of a specific topic, followed by a discussion involving the
congress participants and their views. The Symposium topic in London will be
“Pharmacists working better for patients: Into the next millennium”. For the first
time this will be a problem based learning symposium covering areas such as
men’s and women’s health, ageing and diabetes. The workshops will include
consultant pharmacy and IPSF projects.

D. Patient Counselling Event: A patient counselling event has been held

annually on an international level since 1989. Participants are given a mock
prescription and after 10 minutes reading time, they must counsel the patient on
all aspects of the prescription. The event is videotaped and the student is
evaluated on competence and communication skills. Everyone is a winner thanks
to kind sponsorship by USP.

E. Workshops: Small discussion groups to investigate areas of pharmaceutical

interest. Topics usually include the future of the federation.

F. Project Meetings: Usually held early on during congress to review the previous
years’ work on different projects and to set goals for the following year. From
these meetings, issues may be brought to GA for a more formal discussion.

G. Development Fund (DF) Auction: This fund is used to help students

participate in IPSF activities. Money is collected during an auction of products
which participants bring from their home countries.

H. Poster Exhibition: Congress participants are asked to design a poster on a

specific topic, elected by GA one year prior to congress. The Poster Exhibition
in London will be entitled “Innovative Technology in Pharmacy”. It is hoped
this will include both high and low-tech solutions from all sectors of pharmacy
in both the developed and developing world.

I. Social activities: The RC of the host country has the responsibility of keeping the
participants entertained while they get better acquainted. Activities usually
include a fancy dress party, an international evening and a Congress Ball.

32
More information on the 45th IPSF Congress in London can be obtained from the official
congress Web-page: http://members.aol.com/IPSF1999

 FIP-IPSF STUDENTS’DAY.

Students’ Day is one of the great variety of events that IPSF offers to individual pharmacy
students to enhance internationalism among them. This event was created in a joint effort
with FIP (International Pharmaceutical Federation) to give pharmacy students and young
pharmacists an opportunity to meet with colleagues studying in other countries and to
interact with pharmacy practitioners.

The highlight of the Student’s Day programme is a symposium, at which an array of

international guest speakers present their experiences to the audience and a panel
discussion allows the audience to raise their concerns. Some of the topics discussed in
previous symposia include “Pharmaceutical Care”, “Managed Care”, “Career opportunities
in pharmacy” and “Professional mobility – overcoming the challenges”.

 SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIA FOR PHARMACEUTICAL STUDENTS

IPSF recognises the need to promote and develop scientific interest among pharmacy
students and recent graduates. In response to this need, the IPSF Scientific Sub-Committee
was established during the 42nd IPSF Congress in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic in
August 1996. The aim of this committee was to establish guidelines for organising scientific
symposia on local, national or international levels, and to organise the first IPSF Scientific
Symposium.

This first Symposium was held in Coimbra, Portugal, and was open to all pharmacy students
and recent graduates wishing to present the results of their scientific research, share their
knowledge and experiences, and of course, enjoy the spirit of an IPSF event.

During the five-day symposium, participants are able to attend a variety of sessions in the
programme. Presentations are grouped in thematic areas, and specialists in each of the
following areas are invited: pharmacy science, new pharmacy ways, social pharmacy, clinical
biology, methods of analysis. Specialists in each of these areas are invited to speak to the
participants and to stimulate debate amongst them. The programme also includes a poster
exhibition (any participant may submit a poster to this event), sightseeing and scientific
excursions to places of interest such as laboratories and to production units at local
pharmaceutical industry sites.

This Symposium is a unique opportunity for pharmacy students and recent graduates to
exchange knowledge, to review the work of their colleagues, and to receive recognition from
their contemporaries from around the world.

33
As Contact Person, you are expected to publicise this event among pharmacy students and
recent graduates and pass on information to the different departments of your faculty, where
students and recent graduates are doing their research work. You should also encourage
students to attend the symposium, even if they are not presenting any work, and why not
thinking of the possibility of implementing a Scientific Symposium in your country, being
this either national or international.

34
 RELATED ORGANIZATIONS

"Since IPSF represents pharmaceutical students and thus, the future members of our
profession, it is important that we become used to relating with different people and
organisations, acquiring therefore, a sense of interdependence and co-operation. By
collaborating with other organisations that are related to pharmacy students in some way,
we can learn from each other and use that input to maximise the outcomes of our activities.

With regards to organisations specifically related to the profession of pharmacy, an

exchange of ideas is important because the comparison of the professional point of view of
pharmacists, based on experience, with the fresh ideas of students and recent graduates can
produce a well balanced result that will contribute to the development of the profession.

An exchange of information is also important since, as possible future members of these

organisations, IPSF members have much interest in learning about their activities. By
informing professional organisations about the IPSF work, the activities of the Federation
can be promoted and new contacts can be established.

 Federation International Pharmaceutique (FIP)

FIP was founded in 1912 and its aim is the development of pharmacy in the international
sphere as a profession and as an applied science, as well as expanding the role of the
pharmacist in the field of public health. At the annual FIP congresses, meetings of the FIP
Council and Bureau are held. Besides that a great number of scientific lectures, symposia
and workshops are organised, apart from the Students’ Day mentioned before.

The scientific work comes under the auspices of the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
while the professional aspects are represented by the FIP sections (Hospital, General
Practice, Industry, Military, Press and Documents, Clinical Analysis, Academia and
Medicinal Plants).

FIP supported the foundation of IPSF in 1949, and since then a good relation with FIP has
been established. In 1972, IPSF became an Associate Member of FIP enabling IPSF
members to attend certain FIP meetings. IPSF was also granted a representative, in 1973,
in the section of general practice of pharmacy, which deals with pharmaceutical education.
In 1990, a joint project called “Pharmacy 2000” was launched. IPSF regularly publishes
articles in the FIP International Journal and quotes this official FIP publication in the News
Bulletin. In 1992, IPSF became a member of the editorial board of the International
Pharmacy Journal.

IPSF took an active role in the WHO-FIP World Congress on Pharmacy Education, New
Orleans, April 1998, presenting the students’ views on different aspects of Pharmacy

35
Education, and endeavours to contribute its input on the production of the Good
Pharmaceutical Education Practice.

 World Health Organisation (WHO)

Since the beginning of the 1980s, IPSF has been seeking active contact with the WHO.
After several years of efforts, in 1987, following a meeting with WHO officials, it was
decided that IPSF would maintain a relation with the WHO via the FIP. Since then the
level of co-operation has improved rapidly and in 1992 an official working relation was
established between IPSF and WHO. IPSF is now working on diverse WHO projects, such
as the Tobacco Alert. IPSF is also working to receive the status of a Non Governmental
Organisation of WHO.

 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

In 1988, the UNESCO initiated the Collective Consultation of Non-Governmental

Organisations specialised in higher education. This group plays a major role in assisting
UNESCO in the orientation of its higher education program so that major trends are duly
reflected and key issues are addressed. As a member of this Collective Consultation, IPSF
has been actively involved in UNESCO’s endeavours on higher education since 1995.

Following a debate on higher education and society during the 41st IPSF Congress in Ghana
in 1995, IPSF produced an input paper for UNESCO which highlighted the concerns of
pharmacy students with respect to their education at that time. In 1996, the IPSF Pharmacy
2000 project was completed. This project focused on various aspects of pharmaceutical
education and provided a comprehensive overview of the status of pharmaceutical
education in IPSF member countries. This information was used as a basis for preparing
two IPSF position papers for UNESCO.

The students’ perception of pharmacy’s direction was discussed at the UNESCO/IPSF

Forum on Higher Education during the 43rd IPSF Congress in Vancouver, Canada. The
forum focused on three main areas including “Society in the 21 st century”, “The 21st
century Pharmacist” and “Meeting the Challenges of the Future”.

IPSF put forward its recommendations to the World Conference on Higher Education
(WCHE), held in Paris in October 1998. The Conference, the theme of which was Higher
Education in the Twenty- first Century: Vision and Action, aimed to lay down the
fundamental principles for the in- depth reform of higher education systems throughout the
world with a view to strengthening their contribution to the building of peace, founded on a
process of development based on equity, justice, solidarity and liberty.

A declaration and a comprehensive world-wide plan of action were formulated in order to

stimulate the renewal of higher education.

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The WCHE involved nearly 5000 people- of which over 4000 participants representing 183
countries, 128 IGOs (Inter- Governmental Organisations) and UN agencies NGOs (Non-
Governmental Organisations) and Foundations, 245 Universities as well as over 500 special
invitees and a press contingent of over 200 journalists. Alongside the Plenary Sessions for
Ministers and Head of Delegations, Commissions and Thematic debates there were
numerous round- tables, lectures and student panels

 European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (EPSA)

The aims of EPSA are to promote contacts and an exchange of information between
European pharmaceutical students, to develop a consensus of opinions on pharmacy
education and the profession, and to present the opinions of pharmaceutical students in
discussion with the professional and governmental bodies.

An EPSA-IPSF Joint Working Group (JWG) was established by EPSA and IPSF at their
respective Congresses in 1997. The aim of this JWG is to strengthen relations between
EPSA and IPSF by communicating and co-operating in order to maximise resources
bearing in mind the needs of pharmaceutical students. There are four meetings of the JWG
throughout the year, at each annual congress and in between congresses.

Although at present, EPSA is the regional students’ organisation with which IPSF has the
closest contact, IPSF also collaborates with the following regional organisations:
- Asociación Latino-Americana de Estudiantes de Farmacia (ALEF)
- Federation of East African Pharmaceutical Students’ Associations (FEAPSA)
- South East Asian Pharmaceutical Students’ Society (SEAPSS)

 Intersectorial Meeting of International Student Organisations (IMISO)

IMISO is a global forum for international student organisations established by mutual

agreement in 1993. At present IMISO has got eight permanent partners in the fields of
Business, Law, Agriculture, Medicine, Forestry, Dentistry, History and Pharmacy.

The purpose of IMISO is to foster and preserve co-operation between international student
organisations, with the aim of creating a global forum for international student
organisations, bearing in mind that the IMISO partners are united by similar natures and
philosophies. It also aims to further the development of student mobility in an intersectorial
context by combining the views of students with direct experience of different academic
fields.

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 CLOSING REMARKS

"IPSF is a very large organisation, which holds a great potential and a huge capacity of
achieving elevated goals. Yet, it is also a very fragile structure, where the Executive
Committee and all Sub-Committees play a role of co-ordinating efforts, representing the
Federation and preparing work for the members. The network of Contact Persons is, in
fact, what maintains the structure and allows IPSF's potential to become a reality for the
more than 300 000 pharmacy students the Federation embraces.

The CPs who form this network must realise that their organisations will only get from
IPSF as much as they are willing to contribute to IPSF. This means that IPSF only grows
and maintains a meaningful existence due to the efforts and the input from the CPs and it is
also due to the CPs that IPSF reaches those who are the object of its existence: the
individual pharmaceutical students.

Member organisations can work in their own structure, in all their departments, using input
from IPSF, if so they wish. They can promote student exchanges, they can work in public
health or in the field of pharmaceutical education, they can establish a Twinning Scheme
and through this, organise, for example, an international sports meetings; they can also
promote the exchange and merging of different cultures and costumes, and so on. All this
can be done as long as you wish it to happen and work towards making these ideas become
realities.

IPSF celebrates its 50th Anniversary in the year 1999. As such, it stands as a testament to
the drive, passion and dedication of the world’s pharmaceutical students, whose efforts will
see this worthy Federation reach the half century mark.

The aims and objectives of IPSF are very commendable and worthwhile. By trying to make
the world a smaller place for pharmacy students we are surely doing a small bit to make the
world a smaller place for everyone, and also make the future of the pharmacy profession a
brighter one.

The completion of its half-century of history in London will certainly be the proof that
IPSF has had a purpose and a role to play within the world of pharmacy students and that
this role is and will be as relevant and important as it was in 1949.

IPSF set its aims… it is now in our hands to make them so.

IPSF Executive Committee 1998-99

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