ESP Academy
Introduction:
The European Society of Pathology (ESP) is actively supporting the education and career development of Pathologists. One of the prestigious activities offered for this scope, is the organisation of the ESP Academy (ESPA).
ESPA is an intensive and interactive workshop, devoted to the promotion of applied and translational scientific research in the field of human pathology. ESPA is aimed for the future leaders in pathology and is organised every other year. ESPA is a prestigious activity for career development, educational growth, and offers plenty networking opportunities.
During this 4-day workshop, ESPA Awardees attend sessions provided by world-renowned experts and additionally present their own proposals for future research projects. Interactive discussions are strongly encouraged and attendance of all ESPA sessions and social events is mandatory. This ensures that the maximum educational benefit is achieved.
ESP Academy 2026 Edition
ESP is delighted to announce that there will be a new edition of the Academy in 2026. Detailed information will be published in due time.
ESP Academy 2026 Edition
ESP is delighted to announce the 4th edition of ESPA in 2026. Please find detailed information further below.
The educational goals of ESPA are:
Promotion of research excellence and innovation among young pathologists/scientists
Provision of solutions for building up a research strategy and academic career to become a leader in pathology
Receiving updates on the latest developments in the field of translational research in pathology
Participation in a forum where experiences from world leading senior researchers in pathology as well as junior pathologists/scientists are shared
Networking and early-career development support
Organising/Scientific Committee:
The Organising/Scientific Committee of ESPA consists of:
The ESP President
The ESP Chief Executive Officer
The ESP Secretary
The Chair of the ESP Education Committee
The ESP Education Manager
Admission and registration fee:
Admission to ESPA is by highly competitive application. The Organising/Scientific Committee evaluate all eligible applications for the value of the curriculum vitae, the significance and originality of the submitted research proposal, the motivation and communication skills of the applicant as expressed both in the application and during the interview. Admission to ESPA is available to Pathologists (both in training and board certified) and Pathology-related professionals.
ESPA has no registration fee and additionally ESP is providing significant financial support to all awardees for attending this workshop, according to the ESP policy.
Past ESPA editions – click on the link to view each booklet/programme:
ESPA 2018: Waterloo, Belgium | 23 – 26 June 2018
ESPA 2022: Genval, Belgium | 18 – 21 June 2022
ESPA 2024: Sliema, Malta | 8 – 11 May 2024
ESPA 2026 - Call for Applications
ESP is excited to announce the 4th edition of ESPA, scheduled for 11 to 14 May 2026 in Riga, Latvia.
The deadline for applying is on 30 January 2025.
Potential applicants are strongly recommended to read the below instructions carefully and follow them closely. Applications that do not meet the criteria or do not follow the instructions will not receive a full review.
A) Eligibility criteria:
- Be an active ESP member with updated membership at least for 2026
- Work at and/or be affiliated with a renowned Pathology Institute and aim at an academic career in Pathology
- For applicants who are not MDs, to have a Master or Doctoral Degree.
- To be at the beginning of the career in the field of Pathology, preferably under 40 years old
- Not to be an awardee of past editions of ESPA
B) Required documents:
- Letter of motivation, describing why the applicant is interested to attend ESPA and what are the expected benefits from this experience
- Full curriculum vitae (1-2 pages), focusing on career milestones and research-related items. Already undertaken leadership roles are appreciated
- Publication list: full papers published or accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals; Published abstracts in Congresses and/or Journals should be omitted
- Recommendation letter from the Home Institute
- Outline of future/early-stage research project (not more than 4 A4 pages). The applicant must be a core member of the research team, preferably its main investigator. The project must be in the field of pathology. There are no restrictions for the methodology used. Successful applicants will be invited to present their submitted research project during ESPA.
- Scanned copy of passport /ID
C) Application process:
- Applicants are invited to send their application via email to the ESP Education Manager, Dr Christos Poulios at admin@esp-pathology.org using as subject “ESPA 2026_applicant’s name”.
- Applications submitted after expiration of the deadline will not be accepted.
- Dr Poulios is available to answer questions related to ESPA and its application process.
- The Organising/Scientific Committee will evaluate the received eligible applications.
- The shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online interview.
- The final list of ESPA awardees will be announced within 2 months of the application deadline.
- ESPA awardees will be invited to attend the whole duration of ESPA and ESP Headquarters will contact them for travel and accommodation arrangements.