The British Academy of Audiology is delighted to have won its bid to host the International Society of Audiology’s World Congress in 2028 (WCA2028). The 38th Congress will be hosted in Edinburgh, 23-26 April 2028.
By the time 2028 comes round, it will be 60 years since the World Congress of Audiology was held in the UK. With London playing host in 1968, bid leaders felt it was time to invite global audiologists back to the UK again, but this time to the capital of Scotland.
With 1,200 delegates expected to attend, it will be a perfect chance to shine the light on UK audiology, with its unique environment with the National Health Service (NHS) providing the world’s largest healthcare service that is free at the point of delivery.
The UK is proud to be a world leader in education and research that underpins services for those with hearing loss. Our universities and NHS organisations collaborate on research for the National Institute for Health and Care Research's 20 Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs). They bring together academics and clinicians to translate scientific breakthroughs in the lab into diagnostics, treatments and medical technologies. By bringing the WCA to the UK, we plan to enhance our engagement with clinicians from across the world, producing sessions that are easily translated into everyday clinical practices globally.
The winning bid was led by Claire Benton, Sue Falkingham and Victoria Adshead from the BAA, with Professor Kevin Munro as the WCA2028 President. Dr Saima Rajasingam will be the Congress Vice President.
Professor Kevin Munro, Congress President, said: “2028 will be the 60th anniversary of the UK hosting the WCA in 1968 and so much has changed in terms of our audiology practice and knowledge, but also in the way we connect to remote attendees. I’m delighted that the conference organising committee is exploring virtual classrooms where international colleagues will be able to interact with our keynote speakers and learn from their exceptional knowledge. Sharing knowledge with our peers is always excellent; however the opportunity to inspire the next generation of Audiology clinical and research professionals from across the globe will be hugely rewarding for me and my colleagues.
“It will be my pleasure to arrange opportunities for the global audiology community to connect with our world-class research facilities in both formal sessions, informal networking, and opportunities for pre and post-conference visits to research centres.”
Kathryn Lewis, BAA President, said: “Our desire is to produce an exciting and engaging programme that delivers content showcasing UK-based research and the global collaborations we have to offer. In return, placing global audiology at the heart of our conference will provide an excellent opportunity for the UK to learn from, and collaborate with international colleagues.”
It will be a real honour to welcome the WCA family back to the UK, a powerhouse of audiology research and practice.
