ESPA Scholarship

Proposal for ESPA conference scholarships
08.03.2025

Background

The aims of the society are stated in terms of education, science and charitable purposes and include promoting the safety and quality of care as well as scientific research, training and education in paediatric anaesthesiology. In addition, the society aims to promote the introduction of standards and guidelines for paediatric anaesthesiology within Europe and to collect and disseminate information about paediatric anaesthesiology providers practising anaesthesia in Europe.

In the business plan from 2022, the option of offering (research) grants was listed under expenditures. Since then, all the annual conferences have yielded positive results.

Proposal

Three scholarship grants to anaesthesiologists actively practicing paediatric anaesthesia shall be issued simultaneously with the call for abstracts – one to an anaesthesiologist (trainee or specialist) in a low-income country outside of Europe, two to anaesthesiologists from low-middle income countries within Europe. Outstanding research or educational activities within the field of paediatric anaesthesia are the criteria on which the ESPA scientific committee will base the choice of winning applicants on.

The grants cover the ESPA conference fee, accommodation and travel costs to the meeting. The maximum amount will be €2500 for applicants outside of Europe and €2000 to applicants from Europe. The winning applicants are expected to present a poster or give a session talk at the conference.

Grants will be continued to be issued annually according to the above plan, as long as they are covered by the society´s incomes in the preceding years.

In years with a very positive financial statement, an optional fourth grant of €1500 for outstanding research in the field of paediatric anaesthesia may be issued to an applicant working as a paediatric anaesthesiologist anywhere in Europe.