Guidelines TO SUBMIT INTEREST TO host
All Together Better Health
the biennial conference of Interprofessional.Global
Here is a brief background on Interprofessional.Global, its biennial All Together Better Health (ATBH) conference, as well as brief guidelines for those interested in being local co-hosts of the conference.
More about Interprofessional.Global
Interprofessional.Global is the Global Confederation for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice representing affiliated established and emerging regional partner networks. We aspire to engage health and social care professionals, administrators, educators, researchers, and students – with an interest in interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) – to serve as agents of change in providing global leadership to advocate for, collaborate on, promote, develop, and research IPECP innovation.
Interprofessional.Global facilitates collaboration between its affiliated IPECP networks, fostering relationships with other like-minded organisations. We welcome and support new networks who share the same vision, mission, and values.
Interprofessional.Global activities include academic and workforce development, data collection and analysis, and informing policy. Our mandate spans the continuum from undergraduate and postgraduate education through to continuing professional development and collaborative practice.
Interprofessional.Global selects institutions to co-host All Together Better Health (ATBH) conferences, oversees the work of local co-hosts and monitors the implementation of the project plan ensuring a conference of high standard that aligns with our mission, vision, and values.
What is the ATBH conference?
The biennial ATBH conference provides a forum for the growing number of national and transnational IPECP regional networks to share their work, to learn ‘with, from and about’ each other, debate strategies, and make plans to promote IPECP globally.
ATBH conferences are driven by the conviction that, by learning together, we improve working together to effect change, enhance quality of care, ensure safety, and optimise deployment of human resources.
Since the first ATBH conference in 1997, delegate numbers have consistently increased, as has the involvement of students and service users. The conference content demonstrates the steady growth of IPECP in terms of evidence base and significance to health and social care services.
Conferences to date have typically been hosted in university settings. Conference delegates include health and social care service users, students, educators, practitioners, and researchers, as well as representatives from affiliated IPECP networks, and special interest groups, such as the WHO and other non-governmental organisations.
ATBH conferences are characterised by their inclusiveness and comradery. The participation of many different countries is greatly valued.
Dates
ATBH biennial conferences usually take place during September or October, depending on the local situation. The conference usually lasts three days.
Interprofessional.Global’s Partnership Meeting (three to four days in duration), usually takes place just prior to the conference. During this meeting, representatives of Interprofessional.Global’s affiliated regional networks strengthen relationships, develop consensus-based goals, and form working groups around identified priorities.
Programme & Conference format
The purpose of the conference is to offer opportunities for the global interprofessional community to learn with, from and about each other, to celebrate successes, and reflect on what worked or not, as well as other challenges. Consequently, the format is designed to promote interactive conversations and foster learning. The preferred format is a flipped conference.
Flipped conference format
This “unconference” format supports an informal and inclusive conference, where all delegates can participate on equal terms, modelling the ethos of interprofessionalism.
Posters: Everyone whose abstract has been accepted will be required to submit a poster beforehand. Delegates will choose from 3 templates: peer-reviewed research, show-and-tell, or conceptual. The posters and subsequent themes will form the basis of deliberations for the in-conference keynote addresses, symposia, workshops, break-away discussion groups and plenary sessions. A poster booklet and stimulus papers will be distributed beforehand to allow delegates ample time to prepare for active participation during the conference.
Parallel sessions: A range of ‘lessons learnt’, emerging from the posters and stimulus papers, will be offered to encourage conversation in breakaway groups. The focus of the conversations in the breakaway groups will be on what can be learnt and applied in practice.
Plenary sessions and panel discussions could be an opportunity to reflect on the new knowledge and insights informed by deliberations emerging from the parallel sessions.
Symposia will be presented by delegates from different professional backgrounds with real-life experience in IPECP. Presenters will contribute to the development of the symposia, leaning on the submitted posters.
Student track: Students will be able to share what they do to collaborate interprofessionally as agents of change. They will also participate in the popular Student Team Challenge.
In-conference workshops: Delegates are invited to submit abstracts for interactive, hands-on workshops related to IPECP.
Keynote addresses will be limited. Topics must be of strategic importance to foster IPECP globally.
Working group feedback: Following the Partnership Development Meeting prior to the conference, each working group of Interprofessional.Global will host a session to share its plans, to report on progress made and to invite new collaborators to join.
Pre-conference workshops: A range of full-day and half-day workshops on the day preceding the start of the conference. The themes are determined by Interprofessional.Global in collaboration with the local co-hosts.
Exhibits: Regional networks and special interest groups will have booths/tables/posters to promote their work. Commercial exhibitors will also be invited to set up booths as a means of defraying ATBH costs.
Abstract submissions and registration
The opening date for abstract submissions should allow sufficient time to delegates taking advantage of early bird registrations and submitting their posters (in cases where abstracts have been accepted).
The local co-hosts should open conference registration at least 8 months before the conference. The early bird registration should close 5 months before the event.
Interprofessional.Global awards
The local co-host will collaborate with Interprofessional.Global regarding nominations for awards to be presented at the ATBH conference.
Social programme
The social programme usually consists of:
Opening ceremony/reception: A brief, formal opening of the conference with short speeches followed by a reception attended by delegates and accompanying persons (included in the cost of the registration fee).
Conference dinner: The conference dinner, for delegates and accompanying persons, must reflect the local culture or special features of the location (additional charge).
Conference website
The local co-host will use the athb.org domain name for the conference website, as well Interprofessional.Global’s WordPress platform. Collaborating with the Interprofessional.Global’s Communications Team, the local co-host may customise the website by developing templates to portray the conference theme and the local culture. The local co-host will be responsible for publishing the content to the website.
Co-Host bid selection
Interprofessional.Global invites interested institutions or organisations to register an expression of interest in hosting the ATBH Conference in close collaboration with their affiliated regional network. Due to the necessity to reserve conference accommodation well in advance, the deadline for the initial expression of interest should be at least 2-3 years in advance of the proposed conference date.
DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR 2025 SUBMISSIONS
Here are the deadlines to demonstrate interest (Check this page for any updates):
- ATBH XII in 2025: 30 September 2023
- ATBH XIII in 2027: 31 May 2024
- ATBH XIV in 2029: 31 May 2026
The local co-host will take full financial responsibility for the conference and will be responsible for any financial loss.
Local co-host bids must be submitted via this page (see below). As part of the process, one PDF document of maximum 15 pages should be uploaded, containing the following information (download template for host applicants):
- Endorsement from the affiliated Interprofessional.Global regional network should include how the local co-host and regional network will collaborate to present the conference.
- Co-host institution(s): The proposal should come from an institution representing health and social care educators and/or providers. The proposal must demonstrate support from the head of the institution and demonstrate capacity to organise a large international conference.
- Co-host coordinator/lead: A named individual (who may later become the chairperson of the local organising committee) should assume responsibility for communicating with Interprofessional.Global’s Board over matters relating to the bid.
- Conference Venue(s): The proposal should indicate the location(s) of the conference and pre-conference workshops; the availability and approximate cost of hotel accommodation in the vicinity of the conference venue; suggested venues for the opening and closing ceremonies and social events; and the proximity and availability of public transport.
- Preliminary budget for the conference, including expenses for venue, accommodation, invited speakers, social events, professional conference organisers/planners, etc. It should also include predicted revenue from registration fees and sponsors. The budget should also include a financial contribution towards Interprofessional.Global following the conference.
- Venue and a separate budget for hosting Interprofessional.Global’s 3½-day Partnership Development Meeting for ±60 people.
Interprofessional.Global’s Global Team will review proposals. The co-host is selected based on the ability to meet the objectives of Interprofessional.Global, the quality of the application, and the host’s capacity to plan and deliver a memorable and informative ATBH conference in close collaboration with its regional network. Ideally, over time, various regions networks around the world should be afforded the opportunity to host a conference.
Once a bid is accepted, the theme, subthemes and final dates will be decided. The selected co-host may be given the opportunity to announce the upcoming ATBH conference at the closing ceremony of an ATBH conference.
Conference Management
Interprofessional.Global, in close collaboration with the local co-host, determine the format and theme of a conference. The local co-host compiles the programme.
The local co-host must compile the following, or similar, committees to help organising the conference:
- Conference Steering Committee, led by the local co-host coordinator, and include a representative of Interprofessional.Global
- Programme and Scientific committee constituting members from Interprofessional.Global and local co-host.
- Conference Communication team collaborating with the Communication working group of Interprofessional.Global.
- Student committee collaborating with students from regional networks
- Local organising committee
- Evaluation committee
The ATBH conference is an exciting opportunity to showcase local and international experience, advancement and scholarship related to IPECP. Hosting the conference brings networking opportunities to promote IPECP globally. Regions and institutions are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to register their interest to host an ATBH conference.
DOWNLOADS
- Download the information on this page as a PDF document
- Download the MS Word template for co-host applicants
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
- Click here to submit your application form to demonstrate interest in co-hosting an All Together Better Health conference