by Claudio Bassetti
Dear EAN members,
Dear colleagues and friends,
I hope that you all had a wonderful summer break and I am delighted to update you on few recent EAN activities.
EAN board
I am happy to share with you that Prof. Franz Fazekas’s health has greatly improved. We are in regular contact with him and his wife and expect (and wish) further recovery. Unfortunately, his current condition does not allow him to resume his function as President of our Society. As a consequence, the board has decided to ask me to take over his duties from September 1, 2019. To support the board and in accord with our bylaws, Prof. D. Vodusek, who already served in the EAN board, was appointed as member at large (until the next elections in Paris). I am very thankful to the entire board, the office, and particularly to Prof. G. Deuschl for their trust, support and advice in this delicate transition period.
To update the strategic plan of the EAN and define the main emphases for the coming 3 years, the board has organized a strategic meeting which will take place next weekend (October 4-5, 2019) in Vienna. I will report on this event in one of the future Executive Pages.
European Journal of Neurology
Prof. Didier Leys
During the Meeting in Oslo, Prof. Didier Leys was selected as new Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of our Journal. C. Sommer (Germany) has accepted the invitation to be Deputy Editor with K. Vonck (Belgium), and A. Chan (Switzerland) taking on assocaite editor roles. The new team will take office on January 1, 2020. The interval of six months will allow a smooth transition with Prof. A. Schapira and Wiley.
Prof. Tony Schapira
On behalf of our society, I wish to express my gratitude to Anthony Schapira for his excellent job as EIC of the EJN for so many years and wish Prof. Leys and the new „crew“ success and satisfaction in their new tasks.
EAN Meeting Paris, 2020
In August 2019 the Program Committee (chaired by Prof. T. Marson) and the Teaching Course Subcommittee (chaired by Prof. C. Sommer) met to discuss the program for the EAN congress of Paris. I attended these meetings and was impressed by the quality and number of proposals, as well as by the efficient work of the committees and the constructive atmosphere at the Vienna head office. Many excellent proposals submitted by the EAN Scientific Panels and the inputs of the chairs of the local organizing committees for Paris (2020, Prof. M. Vidhailet) and Vienna (2021, Prof. T. Berger) were essential for the very successful selection process.
Regional Teaching Course, Accra-Ghana
The 11th Regional Teaching Course (RTC) in sub-Saharan Africa took place in Accra, Ghana September 4-9, 2019. Dr. A. Charway Felli, President-elect of AFAN, hosted the RTC at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons. The RTC was made possible by the joint effort of the EAN, the AFAN (represented by his President, Prof F. Abd-allah), the WFN (represented by his Trustee, Prof R. Gouider), the AAN, and other societies and was attended by 80 Residents from 20 SSA countries. I was impressed by the quality of the lectures, video-sessions, clinical grand rounds and case presentations, but also by the enthusiastic participation and interest of so many young colleagues coming from all over the continent. My special thanks to the local organizer, but also to E. Sipido and Prof. E. Schmutzhard for the excellent preparations of this memorable event.
EAN Scientific Panels (SP)
The deadline for submission of application for the election of the new management groups (the leaders of our SP) has expired a few days ago. The Scientific Committee (chaired by Prof. M. Vidhailhet) will review the proposals, discuss them with the EAN board and communicate the final compositions at the beginning of 2020. In this context, I would also like to mention that the EAN board has decided to transform the (ad hoc) Task Force for rare diseases into a (permanent) SP.
The EAN has exciting times ahead. It will be my privilege and pleasure, with the assistance of the board and the new EAN pages editor (Dr. T. Jenkins), to keep you regularly informed about the activities and news from our society.
