1. What is IPSF?
IPSF, the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation, was founded in London in 1949, with the statutory aim of “studying and promoting the interests of pharmaceutical students and to encourage international co-operation among them”. At the time, eight countries formed the membership of this Federation, most of them coming from Western Europe. Fifty years have passed and today, IPSF has a solid membership of more than sixty organizations representing a total number of more than three hundred thousand (300 000) pharmacy students from the whole world.
1.2 What is SEP?
Student Exchange Programme (SEP) is one of the main activities in IPSF. It is a mobility programme that gives students from all over the world the opportunity to get to know pharmacy in a different country.
The member associations of IPSF organise the exchanges by finding host sites where the students are trained. The programme runs throughout the year, but the majority of the exchanges take place between May and September. The length is usually 1 to 3 months, and possible host sites include
- - community pharmacies
- - hospital pharmacies
- - wholesale companies
- - pharmaceutical industry
- - schools of pharmacy
- - government, and private health agencies
The host may also provide room, board and/or pocket money in addition to the training site in order to help the student.