The mission of the European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy (EAFP) is to lead advancement of pharmacy education and to bring together academia from the Europe. The dynamic changes in the profession of pharmacy point towards exciting but challenging time for educators. The annual conferences present the opportunity to network and share experiences of teaching models with colleagues from different countries. The society is focusing also on sustaining collaboration with stakeholders and leaders of practice of pharmacy in different settings including community pharmacy with PGEU (Pharmaceutical Group of the Eu), hospital pharmacy with EAHP (European Association of Hospital Pharmacists), industrial pharmacy with EIPG (European Industrial Pharmacists Group).

The 25th conference in Cracow under honorary patronage His Magnificency Rector prof. dr hab. Wojciech Nowak is organized with the aim of sharing our reflection and to ensure that competences developed within education graduate into the profession within the different sectors of pharmacy.

The theme of the conference follows on the Position Paper launched by EAFP last year which highlights the importance of pharmacy graduates acting as anchoring professionals who are practising in different settings providing a patient-oriented focus and act as co-ordinators with other disciplines. During the 2019 Annual Conference, plenary sessions address the introduction in pharmacy education of innovative concepts related to precision medicine, medical devices and information technology, interprofessional learning and big data. Whilst embracing innovation in pharmacy and healthcare systems, establishing competences of pharmacy graduates which particularly highlight the patient-focus are characteristics of relevant pharmacy curricula.

The submissions received from participants from different countries around the globe extending from the United States to Australia enrich the conference programme since these present experiences in creative pharmacy education. An added-value of the EAFP conference is the homogeneity of the participants who have a common goal, that of leadership and enthusiasm in pharmacy education and research.

Participation in the conference was confirmed by representatives of the following organizations:

• DG Sante, European Commission, Brussels;
• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP);
• Association of the European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP);
• European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP);
• European Industrial Pharmacists Group (EIPG);
• Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU);
• Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE);

and deans, vice-deans, representatives of 40 universities from 24 countries.

Keynote Presentations by:

• Martin Seychell, Deputy director-general DG Santé, EU, Brussels (Belgium)
• Ruth Nemire, AACP, Alexandria (United States)
• Panorios Benardos, National Technical University, Athens (Greece)
• Theodoros Papaioannou, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens (Greece)
• Janusz Janczukowicz, Center for Medical Education, Lodz (Poland)

Scientific Committee:

Lilian M. Azzopardi (president of EAFP University of Malta), Andries Koster (Utrecht University), Patrizia Santi (University of Parma), Dimitrios Rekkas (Kapodistrian University of Athens), Renata Jachowicz (Jagiellonian University), Agnieszka Skowron (Jagiellonian University).

Local Organizing Committee:

Renata Jachowicz (Head of the Department of Pharamceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics UJCM), Jacek Sapa (Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy), Mateusz Kurek, Jakub Szlęk, Witold Jamróz, Witold Brniak, Joanna Szafraniec, Ewelina Łyszczarz, Anna Górska, Agata Antosik (Department of Pharamceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics UJCM).

More information at the EAFP website