Offer more value to the ICNA membership:
• Develop educational programs and training initiatives for resource-poor countries
• Facilitate collaboration between ICNA researchers with complementary strengths
• Promote web-based and social media ICNA resources, such as ICNApedia

Promote the international reputation of the ICNA by:
• Expanding the ICNA membership, especially of trainees and newly qualified child neurologists.
• Fostering active collaboration between the ICNA and other neurology societies and associations

Consolidate the financial independence of the ICNA by:
• Optimizing cost recovery from highly successful biennial ICNA congresses
• Actively seeking alternative sources of funding

My priorities are to deliver added value to the ICNA membership, through promotion of education and training, active networking among ICNA researchers, and building of web-based and social media ICNA resources; to promote the international reputation of the ICNA, through increased membership and fostering of relationships with other neurology associations; and to consolidate the financial independence of the ICNA, through improved cost recovery from ICNA congresses and identification of alternative funding streams. Programs that have already begun during my period of office as Secretary of the ICNA will be consolidated and expanded, while other activities will require new initiatives.

Offer more value to the ICNA membership

Develop educational programs and training initiatives for resource-poor countries:
Educational templates are already being devised in collaboration with the CNS, AAN and WFN. These templates, developed by ICNA Board members, provide an on-line resource for approaches to common clinical problems that are also relevant to resource-poor countries. Targeted education and training support activities should continue. For example, in February 2012, we have organized an ICNA focus group meeting in Uganda. Key representatives from many African countries have been invited to take part. It is hoped that this meeting will be the beginning of an African neurology network that will adopt and modify international guidelines for the African context; identify teaching and training needs; and lobby for epilepsy care in resource-poor countries.

This meeting is exciting, not just for the expected outcomes, but also because it represents an active collaboration between The World Federation of Neurology, which provided significant funding support, as did the United States NIH, the Child Neurology Society, the Japanese Child Neurology Society, and several personal donors. Speakers from the International League Against Epilepsy are also on the program. The ICNA should use the considerable influence and resources of members to identify and establish training posts and short-term attachments, and support visiting scholars, in order to build capacity for child neurology in regions that need it most.

Facilitate collaboration between ICNA researchers with complementary strengths:
Research is an essential tool to optimize clinical practice. The ICNA should establish research interest nodes that will pull together ICNA members and ICNA research groups, across national and regional boundaries, and allow them to combine their strengths to seek competitive funding for study of comparatively rare neurological conditions. ICNA researchers from resource-poor countries might partner with researchers from developed countries to use cutting-edge scientific tools in study populations that offer unrealized opportunities for research.

Build web-based and social media ICNA resources:
Web-based learning is becoming an essential and effective part of skills development and continued medical education. During the World Congress of Neurology (Morocco 2011) the WFN reported on the process of collating web-based neurology resources. There is a clear need for such a resource in child neurology, where ICNA members can instantly access links to paediatric guidelines, educational material, and scientific databases. Equally, there is a need to sift and collate the most relevant and interesting of the many new developments in the field. The ICNA should explore opportunities to use web-based tools, mobile cellular technology, and social media to disseminate such information to members, rapidly, reliably, and in an accessible format. ICNApedia is likely to become one of the most valuable on-line resources for members.

Promote the international reputation of the ICNA

Expand the ICNA membership:
Promotion of the benefits of ICNA membership, and streamlining and simplification of the membership application process, have been priorities during my period of office as current Secretary of the ICNA. This has required a cohesive approach from all Board members and the ICNApedia webmaster. The ICNA should be an inclusive organization, which welcomes and offers value to doctors in the field of child neurology across the globe.


Foster active collaboration with other neurology societies and associations:
The ICNA should seek opportunities to collaborate on joint projects with other national and international neurology societies and associations – especially in the areas of training, education, and research. Collaboration would allow these organizations to combine and leverage their resources to carry out more ambitious projects. The ICNA was invited to take part in a neurosummit during the recent World Congress of Neurology (Morocco 2011). This gathering aimed to link several organizations and professional groups with an interest in neurological disease, including the World Stroke Association, Movement Disorders Society, American Academy of Neurology, and the ILAE. Web-based links will be created on the home pages of these organizations to facilitate information sharing on common interests.

Consolidate the financial independence of the ICNA

Optimize cost recovery from biannual ICNA congresses:
The successful biennial ICNA congresses have been well supported by attendees and pharma representatives, but there remains considerable scope to improve cost recovery to the ICNA. Pre-congress profit-sharing agreements with local organizing committees and independent audit reports should facilitate transparent assessment of ICNA congress revenues. Further, contracting with central Professional Conference Organizers (PCO’s) for all future ICNA congresses would not only reduce operating costs, through economies of scale and reduced duplication, but also streamline congress processes. ICNA members would benefit from a standard ICNA template for congress logistics, abstract submission, registration, travel, and accommodation, as well as reduced attendance fees.

Actively seek alternative sources of funding:
Congress cost recovery may not be sufficient to support future expansion of the ICNA activities. It will be vital for the ICNA to tap alternative sources of revenue, by actively seeking grant and charitable funding, if ambitious ICNA education and training outreach projects are to be realized.