World Congress of Epidemiology

The World Congress of Epidemiology (the Congress) is generally held every three years. Between 800-1200 delegates involved in research and teaching epidemiology attend this scientific program. A list of past Congress locations can be found online.

The World Congress of Epidemiology is owned by the Association and is an IEA-branded event that is planned, organized and managed by the Congress Committee, which is comprised of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and one member of the Executive Committee.  In addition, one member of the Executive Committee must serve on the Congress Committee’s Scientific Committee.

The Association provides local organizers an organizing loan (currently USD $50,000) that is expected to be repaid within 6 months of the close of Congress. In exchange for this, the Association licenses its name and the term “World Congress of Epidemiology” for use by organizers to promote the event.

The relationship between the Association and Congress organizers is governed by a contract that sets out general requirements. These agreements may vary and are tailored to meet the needs of both the Association and local organizers.  A sample is included in the file library. 

Process for selecting a host/requirements for bidders.

Beginning in 2024, the location of the Congress will rotate among the seven Association regions as follows: Africa; Latin America/Caribbean; Europe; Western Pacific; Middle-East North Africa; North America; South East Asia. 

It is the responsibility of each region to secure proposal(s) for the year they will host the Congress. If no proposals are received from the region whose turn it is, or if the submitted proposals are deemed unsuitable for hosting a Congress by the Executive Committee, the next region scheduled to host the Congress will be invited to submit proposals. The Executive Committee will review all proposals and may ask bidders for clarifications or additional information. 

Once the Executive Committee has determined a final list of suitable proposals, members are invited to vote for their preference. Only the name of the selected location will be announced publicly once members have voted. No other information related to the decision will be shared.

In 2018, a spreadsheet style decision-matrix was created to enable members to quickly evaluate and compare proposals from different locations should there be more than one bid from a region.  An example can be found in the attached resource files.

The Congress program consists of scientific poster and podium presentations, and may include plenary sessions, symposia and/or workshops. Members of the Executive Council should be invited to participate in the scientific program, e.g., by delivering talks or chairing sessions, as appropriate. Segments of the program shall be set aside for the delivery of the Association’s awards. Local organizers may additionally identify local awards and prizes and may choose to set aside further segments of the program for their delivery.

To ensure the smooth operation of the Congress, the Association arranges a site visit with the local organizers approximately one year before the Congress begins. This site visit is paid for by the Association, and typically no more than 3 members of the Executive Committee attend.

For more information including bid guidelines, please refer the file library here.