FIP to dispense its wisdom in Brisbane in 2021

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)’s World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences will head to Brisbane for the first time in 2021. Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) will play host to the Congress and its expected 2,500 delegates. Brisbane has been carving out a reputation as an emerging hub of innovation in the healthcare sector, with a strong pharmaceutical sciences community at the forefront of research and education. A local host consortium including The Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA), Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) worked in collaboration with the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre and key convention partners, Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Marketing to secure the Congress. The partners believe the five-day event should deliver AUD$7.5m (US$5.53m) directly into the Queensland economy and it clearly represents a great opportunity for Australia, home to some 29,000 registered pharmacists. The Queensland Government, via Tourism and Events Queensland, is supporting the conference through the Business Events Acquisition and Leveraging Fund. FIP 2021 is just one of the international conferences heading to Brisbane and Queensland – the result of a strong performance by BCEC and its convention partners in recent months. Conferences totalling 153 won for Brisbane and BCEC during the last financial year are expected to attract 68,000 delegates, with an economic value to Brisbane and Queensland of AUD$148.7m. A further 30 conferences secured during the first quarter of the current financial year are expected attract an additional 15,340 delegates with an added economic benefit of AUD$32.9m. These conferences include: 2019 International Symposium on Dental Hygiene, 145th International Air Transport Association (IATA) Slot Conference 2019, 17th Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Asia Pacific Forum 2020, The 15th International Congress on Nursing Informatics 2020, International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) International Conference 2021, 35th World Conference of the International Society for Music Education 2022, The World Congress of the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies (IFHNOS) 2026. Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said winning the FIP competitive bid was a sign of Brisbane’s rising reputation as Australia’s new world city. “Securing this prestigious world congress demonstrates the depth of Brisbane’s local expertise in pharmaceutical sciences and exceptional offerings as a business events destination,” Cr Quirk said.