ECCMID Congress Name Changes to ESCMID Global

Over the last few years, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID, Basel, Switzerland) has evolved remarkably. The society is now stronger and broader than ever before in the four decades since it was founded. Currently, ESCMID is focusing on stepping up the fight against antimicrobial resistance, advancing preparedness for emerging infections, and leading in the practice, education, and training of specialists. In recent years, ESCMID has welcomed over 4000 new members and expects to see a record-breaking 20,000 colleagues attend its congress in Barcelona. Hence, the organization feels the need to adapt to this new reality.

In 2023, ESCMID’s in-depth analysis of its brand and communication efforts revealed that the brand failed to adequately reflect ESCMID’s expanding global role. The analysis also revealed that most community members were unaware of various activities undertaken by ESCMID related to research, education, and guidelines. Additionally, most of its audience was unaware of the connection between the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) and ESCMID. As a result, the society has now decided to strengthen its main brand, ESCMID, and bring all of its various sub-brands more closely together under one large ESCMID umbrella. This includes changing the name of its congress to “ESCMID Global”, creating a clear link to ESCMID, and conveying its outreach and perspective beyond Europe.

Image: ESCMID has modernized its branding and communications (Photo courtesy of ESCMID)

Simultaneously, ESCMID is modernizing its visual identity. As the society strives for pioneering research and state-of-the-art education, it also aims to communicate in an effective manner that will be suitable to the present time and also apt for the next decade. As a first step in these efforts, the organization has released its renewed website escmid.org. The upcoming ESCMID Global, formerly ECCMID, in Barcelona (27–30 April 2024) will be the society’s 34th congress and the first one with the new name and look.

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