WGO Endorsed Meetings

The World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) as the umbrella body for all gastroenterology and related discipline societies in the world has an important role to play in endorsing meetings organized by individual Member Societies, WGO Training Centers, and/or by Regional Affiliate Associations. The WGO deeply values strengthening relationships with its Society Members, Training Centers, and Regional Affiliate Associations.

Endorsement benefits the participating societies by lending an international name and “world” stature to the meeting. It benefits the WGO by demonstrating our support and relevance in spirit and/or in-kind support, exemplified by, but not necessarily limited to, helping with drawing up the scientific program, the possibility of sponsoring speakers as finances allow, assisting with promotional efforts, and coordinating activities with other regional or national associations.

Meetings and other educational activities that are endorsed by WGO should be open to the general gastroenterology community and other related disciplines in the field. WGO is committed to providing opportunities for education and training to as broad of an audience as possible. It is WGO’s expectation that the organizers of meetings and other educational activities for which WGO endorsement is sought are likewise committed to making their programs accessible to all who wish to participate.

Process of Application and Criteria for Endorsement

Eligibility to Apply for Endorsement

Any Member Society, Regional Affiliate Association, or Training Center of the WGO.

Criteria for Endorsement

1. As above
2. Meetings at the international, national or regional level. These meetings may include those co-organized by large institutions (e.g. the Ministry of Health of a country; a large well-known University Hospital).
3. Programs, workshops, and courses that meets a satisfactory scientific level which is relevant to the audience that the meeting is targeted at
4. Special commemorative meetings, anniversary of founding of the society, etc.

Levels of endorsement

1. Endorsement with WGO name only (promotion of the meeting through WGO e-newsletter and e-mail blast to all member societies, and on the WGO website; use of the WGO logo and “endorsement” throughout all meeting announcements)
2. WGO representation. If it is desired by the applicant for endorsement that a WGO representative participate in the meeting applied for, WGO will endeavor to make a representative available under the condition that the meeting fully underwrite all associated costs.
3. Endorsement with financial support. WGO will support financially only the official meetings of the four Regional Affiliate Associations through the WGO Distinguished Global Lecture program, for which separate criteria have been established. Meetings and congresses jointly organized between WGO and Member Societies and/or Regional Affiliates through formal agreement are coordinated via a separate mechanism and are therefore not covered under this Policy for Endorsement of Scientific Meetings.

Application Process

Applications for WGO endorsement can be submitted at any time and will be reviewed by the WGO Scientific Programs Committee, who make a recommendation to the WGO Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will make a final determination, with (in most cases) a response to the applicant within approximately 30 days.

Applications for Endorsed Meetings must include the following elements:

1. Credentials of the organizers
2. Completed application form
3. Proposed program including topics and faculty
4. List of sponsoring and endorsing organizations and companies

Liability

WGO will bear no fiscal responsibility for the meeting if debt is incurred and no liability for any event associated with the endorsed meeting. The provision of endorsement implies no other financial relationship or responsibility between the meeting and WGO.

Agreement

The meeting organizer(s) agree to:

1. Credit WGO for its endorsement of the meeting in all-meeting publications and announcements, including promotional brochures, website and in newsletters when applicable. Please note that it is the policy of WGO that its name and logo may not be displayed with that of a commercial product or service in promotional or other printed and web-based materials and publications.
2. Provide WGO will copies of all meeting literature including program, abstracts, proceedings, and promotional materials.
3. Provide one complimentary page in the meeting program for an advertisement of the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO).

WGO agrees to:

1. Promote the endorsed meeting in WGO’s publications and on the WGO website.
2. Publish a summary or report of the meeting after it has taken place. Organizer(s) are invited and encouraged to consider submitting a summary of the meeting, program, workshop or course proceedings and related events for publication in a future issue of the WGO quarterly electronic newsletter, e-WGN, and on the WGO website. Please note that photographs to accompany any submitted articles are highly welcomed.

Please Note

While WGO should be very flexible and go toward endorsing as many meetings as possible throughout the world, there has to be caution that the WGO name is not exploited and used by non-bonafide societies with meetings that are commercialized or serving the purposes of specific individuals only. This would be detrimental to the good name of WGO. WGO needs to maintain a good name always to fulfill the larger role that we have set out to fulfill in the service of its mission. WGO also needs to be cognizant and sensitive to the role played by regional bodies and would encourage co-endorsement wherever possible with these bodies.